"Tenure Track Scientist as Working Group Head (m/f/div) on Co-Developed Nature-Based Solutions in Wine-Growing Landscapes"

The Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF) is a nationally and internationally active research institute and member of the Leibniz Association. ZALF aims for excellent and integrated research with societal impact to support an ecologically, economically, and socially sustainable agriculture – together with society. Launched in 2026, ZALF’s Innovation Centre for Agricultural System Transformation (IAT) operates as a permanent structural unit with 19 new working groups in Müncheberg, Kassel, Gießen, and Geisenheim. The IAT strives to pioneer research in agricultural living lab contexts, working closely with diverse societal actors to co-develop, test, and evaluate land use systems, value networks, and innovative solutions for sustainable transformations. Joining the IAT offers a unique opportunity to actively shape its development and contribute to cutting-edge, impact-driven research. The advertised position is part of a cluster focused on the “Co-design of land use systems” offering collaboration across different disciplines and research groups.

With its Tenure Track System, ZALF aims to recruit excellent scientists with core expertise aligned with the IAT by guaranteeing a permanent contract upon successful evaluation.

We are offering at our IAT campus in Geisenheim a full-time position as Tenure Track Scientist as Working Group Head (m/f/div) on “Co-Developed Nature-Based Solutions in Wine-Growing Landscapes” Reference No. IAT-T02-2026

Call description

This Classic Tenure Track Call invites applications with a focus on transdisciplinary research for co-developing wine-growing landscapes. Research will center on integrative, multifunctional strategies on agroecological and nature-based solutions for climate mitigation and climate adaptation to cope with extreme weather events and to improve landscape functions and resulting provision of ecosystem services. The position will address the future evolution of vineyard landscapes with a priority on sustainable water management in areas with different geoecological characteristics that include anthropogenic features and structures. The research will follow a co-design approach considering knowledge, expertise, and demand of various stakeholders within living labs. The activity will link up with the five IAT living labs and the research groups at ZALF and Hochschule Geisenheim University. Therefore, the position is supported by the IAT organizational structure.

In particular, the successful candidate should bring in skills, expertise, as well as willingness to develop in the following areas:

• Quantification of multiple impacts of climate change on wine-growing landscapes, with focus on agricultural water management und landscape hydrology
• Quantitative numerical approaches to assess landscape functions and ecosystem services, such as water retention, soil erosion control or carbon sequestration, and their sensitivity and/or adaptability to climate change
• Experience with the concepts of landscape functionality, ecosystem services and nature's benefits to people
• Experience and/or willingness in working in co-development / co-design processes
• Active cooperations with the other working groups in the five IAT living labs as well as with the research groups at Hochschule Geisenheim University and ZALF
• Establish and lead this new working group
• Acquisition of third-party funding and supervision of early career researchers

Qualifications

The successful candidate will have a Ph.D. in hydrology, agricultural sciences, landscape or spatial planning, geography, or a related area. Ideally, the candidate should have significant experience in co-developed research in agricultural landscapes with a focus on landscape water management. Basic German language skills and a willingness to improve are required to allow interaction with actors in the living lab regions. Preliminary experience in scientific leadership is expected. Applicants must have demonstrated their capacity to independently carry out research, including an excellent publication record, successfully acquired competitive third-party funding, and visibility in their respective field of research.

We offer

The successful candidate will have the opportunity to contribute to the design and establishment of the new IAT and become part of a new interdisciplinary research team in an inspiring and challenging research environment. The successful candidate will receive a Regular Tenure Track position (2 x 3 years) with transition to a permanent position, subject to successful evaluations (midterm and final tenure evaluation). If candidates are not legally eligible for two consecutive fixed-term contracts (according to the German academic employment law – WissZeitVG), a Fast Tenure Track (1 phase) may be negotiated if the required scientific achievements are fulfilled.

Further:

• Full-time contract, with part-time option to allow for the reconciliation of family and career
• Classification according to the collective agreement of the federal states (TV-L) E 14 (including special annual payment)
• Individual options for career support, such as a mentoring tandem, courses, and trainings
• A transdisciplinary working environment that encourages independence and self-reliance
• A collegial and open-minded working atmosphere in a dynamic research institution
• Service groups and support for stakeholder management and living lab coordination, as well as for data management and computation
• Access to a network of national and international scientific partners in the field of research
• Relocation within commuting distance of the IAT location is welcome; remote working is permitted up to 40% per month
• Company ticket for public transport
• The place of work is at the IAT campus in proximity to the Hochschule Geisenheim University, a university of the state of Hesse near Wiesbaden with around 1,500 students and 550 employees; the university offers a teaching and research spectrum in the fields of plants, landscape, food, and beverages that is unique in Germany

Application and candidate selection

ZALF promotes equality among all employees and welcomes applications regardless of ethnic, cultural, or social background, age, religion, ideology, disability, gender, or sexual identity. The filling of the position in part-time is possible in principle.

All applications require the following documents: 1) application letter, 2) summary of future research plan (two pages), 3) list of peer-reviewed publications, 4) list of acquired third-party funding, 5) certificates and proof of qualifications, and 6) two standardized letters of recommendation of scientists who are familiar with the candidate’s research accomplishments and academic credentials (template available).

Candidate selection is based on scientific achievements, strategic aspects, and personal suitability. Details on criteria, minimum requirements, and evaluation processes can be obtained from the ZALF Tenure Track System guideline.

Please send your application preferably online. For e-mail application, create a single PDF file and send it to tenuretrack@zalf.de stating the reference number IAT-T02-2026.

The deadline for applications is April 20, 2026.

If you have any questions regarding the research profile of this position, please contact Prof. Dr. Sonoko Bellingrath-Kimura (phone +49 (0) 33432 82-207, belks@zalf.de). For questions regarding the Tenure Track System, please contact Dr. Andrea Kern (phone +49 (0) 33432 82-689; andrea.kern@zalf.de).