Postdoctoral Researchers in Forest Sciences

University of Göttingen

At the University of Göttingen -Public Law Foundation-, Fakultät für Forstwissenschaften und Waldökologie, there are 2 positions as

Postdoctoral researchers in Forest Sciences – open topic (all genders welcome)
Entgeltgruppe 13 TV-L/100%

to be filled. Starting date is as soon as possible. The position is limited to 3 years.

The Faculty of Forest Sciences and Forest Ecology invites excellent early career researchers in the field of forest sciences to prepare and conduct their next research project at the University of Göttingen, one of the leading institutions for forest sciences in Europe.

About the positions

The Forst-Talent Fellowships funded by the Eva Mayr-Stihl Foundation are part of the faculty’s strategy for the systematic support of junior researchers and the strategic development of the faculty. It offers successful candidates a fully-funded three-years position to prepare and submit their funding proposal for either an ERC grant or the Emmy Noether programme. In case funding is granted for an ERC or Emmy Noether group and the project is carried out in Göttingen, the faculty is committed to offer permanent TV-L E14 positions following on the project provided that an interim evaluation carried out after three years in the ERC / Emmy Noether project is positive.

If you are an excellent junior scientist currently developing your own research project in the context of forest sciences and are planning to prepare a funding proposal for an ERC grant or the Emmy Noether programme in the next years, our Forst-Talent Fellowships could be the perfect opportunity to join our faculty, engage in scientific exchange and joint research, and benefit from our technical infrastructure, our collaborative atmosphere and broad networks.

What we offer

• a fully funded three-year position (TV-L E13, 100 %) with full flexibility to work on your funding proposal and to complement your scientific profile
• an additional annual budget for conferences, publications, or preliminary experiments
• integration into a vibrant, diverse, and very collaborative research environment at the Faculty of Forest Sciences and Forest Ecology, one of the leading institutions for forestry research in Europe
• integration into one of the faculty’s departments fostering disciplinary exchange and granting administrative and technical support as well as state-of the art facilities and equipment
• extensive networking and collaborating opportunities within the faculty and beyond in research centers like the Campus Centre of Biodiversity and Sustainable Land Use (CBL) or the Campus Institute Data Science (CIDAS)
• various opportunities to complement your academic profile by collaborating with leading scientists in the field and participating in joint research activities, lecture series and engaging in teaching and (PhD) supervision

In addition, the University of Göttingen provides a broad range of opportunities for professional development and career advancement, support for travel and conference attendance, a comprehensive benefits package, including health insurance, retirement plan and paid time off as well as a diverse and inclusive work environment with a strong commitment to diversity and equity.

Your profile/requirements

The successful candidate should be an internationally experienced researcher with a strong research profile, an outstanding scientific record, and the ambition to submit a funding proposal in the next two years. The person

• must have completed a Master’s degree and hold a PhD in a field relevant to forest sciences. Applicants should be eligible to apply for an ERC Starting Grant or the Emmy Noether Programme after two years [the Emmy Noether Programme can be applied for 2-4 years after completing a doctorate, an ERC grant with 2-7 years of postdoctoral experience - both plus times of parental leave, if applicable]
• should be able to convincingly show how their previous work and future research advances forest sciences and contributes to solutions on current and future challenges in forests
• must have a strong research profile and an excellent publication record of creative and innovative papers
• should have experience in applying for third-party funding (advantage)
• must demonstrate their scientific creativity and innovation in a pioneering research proposal

Your application, selection process and criteria

Your application should include (in the following order, compiled in one pdf): letter of motivation (1-2 pages), CV including names of two reference contacts and lists of publications and teaching, three-page research concept for planned funding proposal and suggestion(s) for potential host at the faculty, certificates and transcripts.

For any questions on the advertised position, please contact our dean of research Prof. Dr. Alexander Knohl (email: bioklima-job@uni-goettingen.de with subject “Forst-Talent Fellowships”).

Based on the written applications, we will organize a scientific symposium during which all short-listed candidates will present their scientific background and their planned research as well as how they will integrate into and complement the forestry research at our faculty. This symposium is supposed to take place on February 19 and 20, 2026.

The selection criteria are scientific creativity and excellence as reflected in publications, the quality and innovativeness of the planned research project, and thus the prospects for a successful proposal. In addition, applicants must have the potential to strategically complement the forestry research landscape in Göttingen and to strengthen forest sciences in Germany.

About the Faculty

With its almost 300-years old university, Göttingen is a vibrant German town with a strong academic atmosphere. According to international rankings, the University of Göttingen is one of the leading universities in both Germany and Europe for Forestry and Agricultural Sciences.

The University of Göttingen is an equal opportunities employer and places particular emphasis on fostering career opportunities for women. Qualified women are therefore strongly encouraged to apply in fields in which they are underrepresented. The university has committed itself to being a family-friendly institution and supports their employees in balancing work and family life. The University is particularly committed to the professional participation of severely disabled employees and therefore welcomes applications from severely disabled people. In the case of equal qualifications, applications from people with severe disabilities will be given preference. A disability or equality is to be included in the application in order to protect the interests of the applicant.

Please upload your application in one pdf file including the usual documents until 1/11/2026 on the application portal of the university using this link: http://obp.uni-goettingen.de/de-de/OBF/Index/76205. For more information get in touch with Serena Müller directly via E-Mail: serena.mueller@forst.uni-goettingen.de, Tel. +49551 3921217.