"Doctoral Researcher in the areas of Microbial Pathogens and Climate Change"

Doctoral Researcher in the areas of Microbial Pathogens and Climate Change

commencing Autumn 2025 or upon agreement. We offer a part-time position (65 %, 26 hours per week), offered as a fixed-term position for 3.5 years.

Most fungal pathogens that infect humans originate from the environment. However, our understanding of how climate change will influence these pathogens remains limited. This project will explore how changing environmental conditions impact the evolution, behaviour, and potential infectivity of environmental fungal pathogens. Combining experimental approaches (e.g. environmental microcosm) with cutting edge bioinformatics, we will investigate the impact of climate change on the genomes and phenotypic behaviour of fungal pathogens and explore the potential emergence of novel pathogens in a warming world.

Your responsibilities:

• Perform laboratory experiments and work independently towards your doctoral research project
• Analyse project results, generate figures for publications, write drafts of scientific manuscripts for publication
• Present your results at local, national, and international meetings and conferences
• Work closely together with other experimental and computational researchers in the group
• Assist with training and supervising other researchers (e.g. student assistants, BSc students)
• Contribute to the friendly, welcoming, and collaborative environment within the group

Your profile

• A MSc in the biological sciences, bioinformatics, or related disciplines. Candidates in the final stages of obtaining their MSc are encouraged to apply
• Laboratory experience with microbiology and/or microbiology
• A high level of curiosity, motivation, enthusiasm and attention to detail that is backed up by achievements thus far
• An integrative and cooperative personality who will actively contribute to our interdisciplinary Microverse community
• Very good written and spoken English communication skills
• The project will require coding for data analysis and statistics, as well as NGS data analysis. Experience with either of these would be advantageous but an eagerness and commitment to learn is more important than prior experience.
• Are you hesitating because you don't meet one or some of our requirements? Please do not hesitate to apply and give us a chance to get to know you.

We offer:

• A highly communicative atmosphere within an energetic scientific network
• The affiliated Jena School for Microbial Communication (JSMC) offers an ambitious, structured, and interdisciplinary doctoral training based on top-level fundamental research and offers a comprehensive mentoring program and soft skills courses for doctoral and postdoctoral researchers
• Jena—City of Science: a young and lively town with a vibrant local cultural agenda and is centrally located for trips to major cities such as Leipzig, Berlin, Dresden, Frankfurt and Munich.
• A family-friendly working environment with a variety of offers for families: University Family Office ‘JUniFamilie’ and flexible childcare (‘JUniKinder‘);
• University health promotion and a wide range of university sports activities
• Remuneration based on the provisions of the Collective Agreement for the Public Sector of the Federal States (TV-L) at salary scale E 13 — depending on the candidate’s personal qualifications—, including a special annual payment in accordance with the collective agreement.
• 30 days of vacation per calendar year plus two days off on December 24 and 31

The 3.5 year doctoral researcher position (TV-L E13, 65 %) is funded through the Excellence Strategy of the German federal and state governments.

To promote gender equality in science, applications by women are particularly welcome. Candidates with severe disabilities will be given preference in the case of equal qualifications and suitability.

Are you eager to work for us? Then apply by 31.08.2025 using our online form: Online Application

Job details

Title: Doctoral Researcher in the areas of Microbial Pathogens and Climate Change

Employer: Friedrich Schiller University Jena

Location: Fürstengraben 1 Jena, Germany

Published: 2025-08-08

Application deadline: 2025-08-31 23:59 (Europe/Berlin)

Job type: PhD

Field: Biostatistics, Bioinformatics, Microbiology, Genetics, Cell Biology, Environmental Science, Climatology