PhD Position (f/m/d/x) at the Excellence Cluster Future Forests, Chair of Forestry Economics and Forest Planning - B2 Spatial Optimization

<3 weeks left

Part-time

Research and Instruction

The Excellence Cluster Future Forests at the University of Freiburg invites applications for a PhD position in forestry economics/forest management optimization/operations research. PhD Position (f/m/d/x) at the Excellence Cluster Future Forests, Chair of Forestry Economics and Forest Planning - B2 Spatial Optimization

Application deadline: 20. January 2026
Publication date: 9. December 2025
Start-date: 1. April 2026
Scope of work: Part-time position (75 %)
Id no.: 00004706

Description

The project: “Robust spatial optimization approaches to generate adaptive management strategies in large forest landscapes” deals with the following research questions:
Which spatial constraints exist in a typical Future Forests landscape and how do these spatial constraints lead to trade-offs between ecosystem services (ES)? How are these spatial constraints potentially exacerbated by climate change induced uncertainties?
How can robust management strategies be designed that take into account spatial limitations and how can they be implemented in decision making processes related to forest adaptation?
How can robust spatial decision making improve decisions of multiple forest owners on the landscape level and how can forest governance through incentives support this?

The PhD project will therefore start analysing multiple ES for at least two given landscapes that will be selected in the project area of the Cluster. The focus of the analysis is to identify and quantify spatially limited ES. In general, spatially limited forest areas are characterized by multiple trade-offs between different ES and an impact of a multitude of uncertainties impacting on them. Spatial robust optimization is one way to deal with this type of uncertainties on a landscape level in spatially explicit way. As a result of the first part of the project the PhD thesis should come up with an algorithm to detect and quantify spatially limited ES. Based on existing work on robust decision-making (Radke et al. 2020), the thesis should develop a new approach, directly integrating spatial robust optimization in the objective function of a given forest management problem. Robustness metrics should be used as optimization criteria and incorporated as explicit optimization objectives to steer the search toward solutions that are both performant and stable under spatial uncertainty. In a final step economic theory should be applied to analyse the behaviour of multiple decision makers (private forest owners) using the example of a forest transformation strategy on a simple landscape scale considering spatial aspects of management. Based on this initial simplified setting, the model will be extended to real forest landscapes with multiple forest owners and by including additional ES including spatially limited ones under multiple uncertainties and trade-offs between ES.
The Excellence Cluster Future Forests at the University of Freiburg is an interdisciplinary research centre dedicated to questions of adaptation and transformation of forests and their societal use in the face of global change. Future-oriented research on the complex interactions between forests and society is conducted here with outstanding international visibility, supported by the German Research Foundation. Future Forests brings together more than 50 researchers from four faculties as well as non-university partner institutions.

Your Tasks

Independent scientific research in the field of forestry economics, operations research with a focus on robust optimization
Accomplishment of a PhD to the above-mentioned research project
Collaboration with interdisciplinary and international research teams
Participation in a structured doctoral program, contribution to regular seminars, and progress reports
Contribution to scientific publications and presentations at national and international conferences
Active involvement in and contributions to cluster activities, workshops, and outreach events

Your Profile

Completed university degree (M.Sc. or equivalent) in forest sciences, economics, operations research or similar fields
Enthusiasm or proven experience in scientific work related to the above-mentioned fields
Good skills in (forestry) economics, and/or operations research, optimization and quantitative methods
Ability to work independently and as part of an interdisciplinary team
Proficient written and spoken English; German is an asset, but not mandatory
Experience in scientific writing (publications) is an advantage

We Offer

An exciting interdisciplinary environment within an internationally renowned researchers at a newly established Excellence Cluster
Structured support and supervision for your scientific and career development
A diverse, collaborative, and inclusive research community, including initial University and cluster-specific onboarding support
Opportunities for further education, attendance at conferences, and professional networking
Flexible working hours and support with work-life balance
Salary according to TV-L 13 (part-time 75%)
A financial budget for project-specific expenses as well as for career development activities

The University of Freiburg is dedicated to the principles of equal opportunity and diversity and welcomes applications from all qualified candidates regardless of gender, nationality, ethnic and social background, religion/belief, disability, age, or sexual orientation.

Application
Please upload your application (including cover letter, CV, relevant certificates/transcripts, and, if applicable, publication list) in one pdf file by 31.1.2026 to the application portal of the University of Freiburg.
For questions, please contact:

Prof. Dr. Marc Hanewinkel
marc.hanewinkel@ife.uni-freiburg.de

The position is limited to 30. September 2029. The salary will be determined in accordance with 13 TV-L.

Application

Please send your application in English including supporting documents mentioned above citing the reference number 00004706, by 20. January 2026 at the latest. Please send your application to the following address in written or electronic form:

Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg
Professur für Forstökonomie und Forstplanung
Stefan-Meier-Str. 76
79104 Freiburg

For further information, please contact Mr. Prof. Dr. Marc Hanewinkel on the phone number +49 761 203-3691 or E-Mail marc.hanewinkel@ife.uni-freiburg.de.

Apply now

Full-time positions may generally be split up into two or more part-time positions, provided that there are no formal or legal barriers. Candidates are selected in accordance with the provisions of the AGG (Allgemeines Gleichbehandlungsgesetz - German General Equal Treatment Act).
Applicants with disabilities (Schwerbehinderte Menschen) will be given preferential consideration in case of equal qualification.
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