Institute of geography Slovak Academy of Sciences

The Institute of Geography of the Slovak Academy of Sciences (IG SAS) is a public research institution based in the centre of Bratislava, with an 80-year tradition of geographical research. It conducts basic research on the spatial structure and interaction of natural and socio-economic systems, with a particular focus on Slovakia. Its three departments cover physical geography, geomorphology and natural hazards; human and regional geography; and geoinformatics. The Institute publishes the Geographical Journal (Geografický časopis) and trains PhD students jointly with the Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University Bratislava.

Homepage: https://geography.sav.sk/

PhD position: LiDAR- and GIS-based modelling of surface runoff, muddy floods and palaeochannels (Institute of Geography SAS, Bratislava)

OFFER DESCRIPTION

The Institute of Geography of the Slovak Academy of Sciences in Bratislava invites expressions of interest for a funded four-year PhD position starting on 1 September 2027. The PhD is carried out at the Institute within the doctoral programme Physical Geography, Geoecology and Geoinformatics of the Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University Bratislava, which awards the degree.

Supervisor: RNDr. Šárka Mindová, PhD. (LiDAR-based terrain analysis, historical landscape reconstruction, palaeochannels, rainfall–runoff modelling in GRASS GIS).

You will work on one of three topics (working titles):

1. Vineyard landscapes and muddy floods: how historical and present-day vineyard terraces and land-use change control runoff and sediment transfer in the Little Carpathians Wine Region.
2. Abandoned river channels as a resource for restoring the water regime: detection of palaeochannels from LiDAR terrain models and historical maps, and assessment of their potential for water retention.
3. Surface runoff in hilly urban terrain, the case of Bratislava: event-based simulation of overland flow and sediment accumulation (SIMWE in GRASS GIS) and options for blue-green infrastructure.

All three topics build on open-source GIS (QGIS, GRASS GIS), nationwide airborne LiDAR data and historical maps, and combine modelling with field verification.

REQUIREMENTS

• Master's degree or equivalent, completed by August 2027, in geography, geoinformatics, hydrology, environmental or Earth sciences, geodesy or a related field
• Solid GIS skills (QGIS and/or GRASS GIS); experience with DEMs or LiDAR data is an advantage
• Basic scripting in Python or R, or the willingness to learn it
• Good written and spoken English; Slovak or Czech is an advantage, not a requirement
• Willingness to do fieldwork, Labwork

WE OFFER

• Four years of funded full-time PhD study with a tax-exempt stipend of €1,174.50 per month until the dissertation examination (first three semesters) and €1,367 per month afterwards
• Close individual supervision and support in publishing in international journals
• A workplace in the centre of Bratislava, within easy reach of Vienna, Brno and Budapest
• Relocation assistance through the EURAXESS Point of the Slovak Academy of Sciences

Send the following as a single PDF to geoghora@savba.sk by May 2027:

• CV (max. 2 pages)
• a one-page letter stating which topic you prefer and how you would approach it (data, methods, first steps)
• the abstract of your Master's thesis (or a draft) and a transcript of records
• contact details of one referee

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to an online interview. The selected candidate will then be guided through the formal admission procedure of the Faculty of Natural Sciences (application deadline May 2027, admission June 2027).