PostDoc Position in Southern Ocean Acoustics and Tourism Management (HIFMB)

Job title

PostDoc Position in Southern Ocean Acoustics and Tourism Management. 

Company

Helmholtz Institute for Functional Marine Biodiversity (HIFMB), in institutional cooperation between the Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI) and the Carl von Ossietzky University in Oldenburg.

Description of the job

The Helmholtz Institute for Functional Marine Biodiversity (HIFMB) is seeking a PostDoc to investigate spatio-temporal overlaps in the presence of both human and marine mammal activities in the Southern Ocean, with a focus on the acoustic footprint of ships and the impact of Antarctic tourism on marine ecosystems.

HIFMB is a research institute located in Oldenburg that studies marine biodiversity and its importance for the function of marine ecosystems, the people linked to those ecosystems, and their governance. It was founded in 2017 as an institutional cooperation between the Alfred Wegener Institute in Bremerhaven, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI), and the Carl von Ossietzky University in Oldenburg.

Antarctic tourism is booming, with over 125,000 tourists visiting in the 2023/24 season, raising concerns about the impact of increased ship presence on marine mammals. Antarctic waters form crucial habitats for many marine mammal species, some of which undertake long-distance migrations to exploit Antarctic prey patches. The success of these strategies critically relies on the timing of behaviour to match the narrow summer season window, along with the vital role that underwater sound plays for these species in coordinating behaviour and navigating dark and under-ice habitats.

This position is part of a cohort of 4 PostDoc positions, working under the umbrella topic "The dilemma of the Southern Ocean: ecosystems, sustainability and competing interests at the edge of the world". The candidate will work in the Southern Ocean Conservation and Governance Group and liaise between the Working Groups relevant to the position, such as Ocean Acoustics and/or Marine Governance. This is a full-time position, limited to 3 years. It is also suitable for part-time employment.

Key Research Tasks:

• Mapping spatio-temporal overlaps in the presence of both human and marine mammal activities using sighting data, ship positional data, and passive acoustic recordings.
• Providing an overview of how hotspots in human and marine mammal presence are distributed in affected areas.
• Developing acoustic ship models to understand and gauge the acoustic footprint of ships in various types of Antarctic habitats, their cumulative impact on seasonal soundscapes and local underwater noise budgets.
• Placing human presence in the broader context of climate-induced changes.
• Addressing questions related to improving management: monitoring vulnerable areas, accounting local noise budgets, designing effective monitoring setups, sensitizing operators and tourists, and assessing measures to improve the sustainability of Antarctic tourism.

What We Offer:

• Membership to the HIPP cohort and the wider HIFMB postgraduate community.
• Registration with AWI's postdoc office PROCEED with access to tailor-made career development tools.
• An international environment with flexible working hours.
• Health promotion and company fitness with Hansefit and Wellhub.
• Support services and a culture of reconciling work and family.
• Occupational pension provision (VBL).

Requirements

• A PhD in (bio)acoustics, spatial ecology, marine environmental science, or a related subject.
• Experience in acoustic propagation modelling, signal processing, and data mining.
• A strong background in programming, statistical analysis, and spatial modelling and mapping.
• Highly motivated to work on the subject and eager to work in an interdisciplinary marine research context.
• Ability to think out of the box.
• Excellent communication and teamwork skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively across disciplines.
• Very good English knowledge (approximately equivalent to CEFR level C1).

Location

Oldenburg, Germany.

Salary

Not specified. 

How to apply

Please submit your application exclusively online by March 25th, 2026, quoting reference number 26/25/G/HIFMB-b. Applicants are required to submit an extended cover letter (max. 2 pages) describing their fit to the position and criteria, and complete the template CV provided (available for download on the AWI website). For questions about the position, contact Dr Ilse van Opzeeland (Ilse.van.Opzeeland@awi.de; +49 471 4831-1169). For questions about the application procedure, contact Ruth Krause (ruth.krause@hifmb.de).

Deadline

25/03/2026.

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