Do you want to help develop the scientific basis for mapping, understanding and restoring seabed habitats in dynamic coastal and marine systems?

At the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS), we are experiencing substantial growth in our marine and coastal activities, and we are looking for a dynamic and motivated PhD student to join the Department of Near Surface Land and Marine Geology (SURFACE) in Aarhus in collaboration with the AAU VAP Lab at Aalborg University. The position is for a three-year period and is expected to start from 1 October 2026, or as soon as possible thereafter.

About the position
The PhD project will focus on seabed habitats in dynamic coastal and marine systems with the aim to improve our understanding of the diversity and dynamics of seabed substrates, sediments and boulder reefs in Danish waters. The PhD project will analyse the spatial distribution, composition and dynamics of seabed substrates, sediments and boulder reefs. Further, the project will develop conceptual models of the diversity and dynamics of boulder reefs. This knowledge can support planning and management of maritime activities, nature-based coastal protection, and nature protection, conservation and restoration.

You will work with large existing and new datasets from national and European research and advisory projects related to marine and coastal nature mapping. Through the project your work will also contribute to strengthening GEUS’ research output in a field with strong societal relevance and increasing demand for robust knowledge.

• The work will include collection, processing and analysis of acoustic data such as vessel-borne multibeam, side scan sonar and sub-bottom profiler data, as well as optical data such as airborne laser scanning and RGB data.
• You may also work with ROV video, sediment samples and sediment cores.
• A central part of the project will be mapping and modelling seabed morphology, substrate types, habitat types, broader habitat types and their dynamics.
• The project will also involve development of semi-automatic methods for mapping seabed substrate and habitat types, and development of conceptual models for understanding and projecting the spatial and temporal variation of seabed habitats.

The PhD project will be conducted in collaboration between the Department of Near Surface Land and Marine Geology (SURFACE) at GEUS and the Visual Analysis and Perception (VAP) Lab at AAU CREATE. SURFACE conducts research and advisory related to geodiversity, geomorphology and habitats in coastal and marine environments, and the AAU VAP Lab is devoted to basic and applied research within computer vision and artificial intelligence (AI).

The PhD project will integrate the fields of coastal and marine geoscience with the fields of computer vision and machine learning in developing sophisticated and explainable multi-modal machine learning models for inferring relevant geospatial statistics.

You will work closely with geologists, geophysicists, physical geographers, data scientists and other specialists at GEUS and AAU, and the project will be linked to ongoing advisory and research activities in marine and coastal nature mapping.

Who are you?
You have a master’s degree, or expect to obtain one before employment, within computer vision, AI or a closely related field, ideally in combination with a degree or experience within geoscience. You have a solid understanding of machine learning and data science and a genuine interest in geoscience and marine and coastal science. You excel in programming and are motivated by combining scientific theory with practical implementation and data analysis. Also, since the topic of the position sits between two different research fields, we expect you to be openminded towards interdisciplinarity.

We imagine that you have, or are motivated to develop, experience with marine and coastal environments, geomorphological processes, seabed morphology, sediment and substrate mapping, habitat types, habitat mapping and human impacts on the seabed. Experience with GIS, remote sensing, acoustic or optical survey data, numerical or conceptual modelling, and Python/R/Matlab or other data-processing tools will be an advantage, but not a requirement.

We emphasise that you are curious, analytical and able to work independently while also contributing actively to collaboration across disciplines. You communicate clearly, are reliable in your work, and are motivated to contribute to a lively research and advisory environment.

You must be able to communicate in English. Since the primary language of the organisation is Danish, you should be prepared to learn Danish.

Meet your new colleagues
You will become part of the Department of Near Surface Land- and Marine Geology, where we conduct research within a wide range of topics related to nature, resources, processes, and geology of the surface and the upper 300 meters of the subsurface, on- and offshore.

The department has a strong expertise in quaternary geology, glacial geology, geomorphology, near-surface geophysics, and quantitative geological modelling, which acts as the foundation for a range of research topics and consulting assignments. These include paleoclimate, geomorphology and habitats, nature conservation and restoration, groundwater mapping and protection, raw materials mapping on- and off-shore, shallow geothermal energy, geohazards, landslides and geological tasks in connection with offshore installations, such as bridges or tunnels, harbour constructions, cable trenches and wind farms as well as the geology and geomorphology of the coastal zone.

We have a long tradition for geological and geophysical mapping and investigations on- and offshore, and we have a full shallow-marine geophysical mapping capacity and well data laboratory facilities.

Based in Aarhus, the department consists of 35 enthusiastic colleagues comprising of researchers, consultants, postdocs, technicians, and students.

A working environment with a focus on professional development and well-being
There are many good reasons why you should choose a working life at GEUS.

We are a diverse staff of about 300 committed employees. Trust and flexibility are keywords. The working environment is lively, informal and international. Our tasks are versatile and there are plenty of opportunities for you to influence the development of your task portfolio.

We prioritise professional development, among other things by offering access to courses and other relevant activities. Socialising is also very important at GEUS, and we have a rich social life with a staff club, an art association and more.

At GEUS, we prioritise the well-being of every single employee. We prioritise that the Heads of Departments are close to the employees, and we have flexible working hours that allow you to organise your life so that there is time for what matters to you. If you need to work from home occasionally, that is also possible.

As mentioned above, the project will be carried out in a close collaboration between SURFACE and VAP. The Visual Analysis and Perception (VAP) lab at AAU CREATE has worked with real-world AI and computer vision across various domains (including marine vision) since 2011 and is today one of the biggest AI labs in Denmark and a significant international player. The lab is part of the Pioneer Center for AI and sits central in the Danish AI ecosystem ensuring plenty of sparring for new PhD-students. More information on VAP can be found here: https://vap.aau.dk/.

Salary and terms of employment
Salary and terms of employment are in accordance with the relevant trade union agreement.

The appointment presupposes that the student will be enrolled at the PhD School at Aalborg University. The employment period is 3 years, the working week is 37 hours. Read more about the rules and requirements for admission as a PhD student: https://www.aau.dk/forskning/phd

The appointment area is the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Utilities and its institutions.

The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Utilities considers diversity to be an asset and encourages anyone regardless of gender, age, religion or ethnicity to seek the position.

Further information
If you would like additional information, please contact Head of Department Torben Bach, tba@geus.dk, or Senior Researcher Verner Brandbyge Ernstsen, vbe@geus.dk.

If you are an international applicant, you can read more about living and working in Denmark on GEUS’ website.

Are you interested?
The application must include your CV and degree certificate or a pre-approval signed by the supervisor and examiner, showing that the thesis will be approved. The pre-approval must be confirmed by the educational institution.

Please apply for the position at the latest on Friday 14 August 2026 (Danish time).

Applications or other material received after the deadline will not be considered.