The Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) invites applications for a PhD Researcher position within the In4Nile PhD Cohort, an initiative focused on advancing water-quality knowledge and monitoring across the Nile River Basin. The role is based in Leipzig and offers a 36-month, 65 percent contract under the German public-sector remuneration system (TVöD), up to pay grade 13, including comprehensive public-sector social benefits. UFZ encourages applicants from all backgrounds and maintains a strong commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. About the UFZ UFZ is a globally recognised research centre with approximately 1,100 employees and forms part of the renowned Helmholtz Association. The institution is dedicated to addressing environmental challenges by integrating scientific excellence with practical innovation. UFZ’s mission focuses on achieving a sustainable balance between societal development and the protection of natural resources. Its interdisciplinary teams, cutting-edge infrastructure, and strong international partnerships create an environment where early-career researchers can thrive. About the In4Nile PhD Cohort In4Nile seeks to overcome the scarcity of reliable water-quality data across the Nile Basin by developing innovative, multi-source monitoring approaches. The initiative explores: Low-cost sampling techniques Mining of open geospatial datasets Use of unstructured text data Large-scale, multi-pollutant environmental modelling Within this broader framework, the advertised PhD position focuses on leveraging natural language processing (NLP), large language models (LLMs), and machine-learning methods to generate new insights into pollution dynamics across the basin. Unstructured text—such as news articles, scientific publications, and institutional reports—captures how communities perceive pollution, how issues gain public attention, and how stakeholders respond. By integrating these narratives with biophysical evidence, the project aims to build a more holistic, socially grounded understanding of water-quality challenges. Key Responsibilities The PhD Researcher will contribute to a pioneering blend of environmental science, computational methods, and social-ecological analysis. Core responsibilities include: Conducting an AI-assisted systematic review of pollutants in the Nile Basin using multilingual scientific databases. Applying text-classification techniques and LLM-driven information extraction to identify pollutants, contamination sources, and spatial references across scientific literature, institutional reports, and media articles. Comparing public and institutional narratives with empirical evidence from biophysical and monitoring datasets. Developing a knowledge-retrieval chatbot for the Nile Basin that provides referenced, transparent, and uncertainty-aware responses for users. Preparing scientific publications and presentations. Collaborating closely with the interdisciplinary In4Nile research team to integrate findings into basin-wide modelling and decision-support tools. What UFZ Offers The successful candidate will benefit from a supportive, innovative research environment designed to develop highly skilled young scientists. UFZ provides: High-quality academic supervision and methodological training through the HIGRADE Graduate Programme. Opportunities to engage in both fundamental research and practical applications that inform policy and water-resource management. Collaboration with international and interdisciplinary research teams. Access to extensive research infrastructures, datacentres, and computational resources. Integration into national and global scientific networks, fostering ongoing professional development. Flexible work-life balance support, including services through the UFZ Family Office. Assistance for international researchers through the UFZ International Office. Additional public-sector benefits, such as special annual payments, capital-forming benefits, and subsidised transport options (Deutschland-Job-Ticket). A workplace in the dynamic, culturally rich region of Leipzig, known for its high quality of life. Candidate Profile Applicants should demonstrate strong academic capability, motivation for interdisciplinary research, and an interest in the application of AI to environmental challenges. Required qualifications include: A Master’s degree (or equivalent) in geography, computational social sciences, digital humanities, computer science, environmental sciences, environmental engineering, water-resource management, or a related field. Competence in scientific programming (e.g., Python or R). Interest in NLP, text mining, machine learning, and data-driven environmental analysis. Strong communication skills in English. Ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a multidisciplinary setting. Experience working with large datasets is advantageous but not compulsory. Application Process Applicants should submit their materials via the UFZ online portal, including: A cover letter CV (excluding photo, age, or marital status) Relevant academic certificates and attachments VISIT OFFICIAL WEBSITE TO APPLY For more opportunities such as these please follow us on Facebook, Instagram , WhatsApp, Twitter, LinkedIn and Telegram Disclaimer: Global South Opportunities (GSO) is not the awarding organization. For any inquiries, please contact the official organization directly. Please do not send your applications to GSO, as we are unable to process them. Due to the high volume of emails, we receive daily, we may not be able to respond to all inquiries. Thank you for your understanding.