Jobs

PhD position on EFFECTS OF PESTICIDES ON BIODIVERSITY AND ECOSYSTEM SERVICES AT THE LANDSCAPE SCALE

University Hohenheim, Department of Ecology of Tropical Agricultural Systems

Parttime 65%, limited until 31st November 2028 • Stuttgart

For the joint project NOcsPS 2.0 (www.nocsps.de), the University of Hohenheim is seeking to fill a scientific position with a scope of 65% (remuneration according to TV-L E13) with a limited duration until 31st November 2028.

The position is based in the department of Prof Dr Ingo Grass (https://agroecology.uni-hohenheim.de/en/home).

The recruited PhD candidate will collaborate with Prof Dr Ingo Grass and other members of the BMFTR research consortium NOcsPS 2.0 (www.nocsps.de). The successful applicant will investigate the large-scale effects of chemical-synthetic plant protection on insects, birds, bats and their ecosystem services in agricultural landscapes in Baden-Württemberg, southern Germany. Insect diversity will be recorded using Malaise traps and DNA metabarcoding, while birds and bats will be recorded using automated sound recordings and AI-assisted species identification. The landscape-scale studies will be accompanied by a long-term crop trial on the University of Hohenheim's experimental farm.

Preferred start: 1st December 2025
Application deadline: 15th September 2025

For more information, please see the PDF-file below.

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PhD position on EFFECTS OF PESTICIDES ON SOIL ORGANISMS AND THEIR ECOSYSTEM FUNCTIONS AT THE LANDSCAPE SCALE

University Hohenheim, Department of Soil Biology (Institute of Soil Science and Land Evaluation)

Parttime 65%, limited until 31 Dec. 2028 • Stuttgart

For the joint project NOcsPS 2.0 (www.nocsps.de), the University of Hohenheim is seeking to fill a scientific position with a scope of 65% (remuneration according to TV-L E13) with a limited duration until 31st December 2028. 

The position is based in the department of Soil Biology (Dr. Sven Marhan, Prof. Dr. Ellen Kandeler) (https://bodenbiologie.uni-hohenheim.de/).

The recruited PhD candidate will work in the soil biology group and collaborate with other members of the BMFTR research consortium NOcsPS 2.0 (www.nocsps.de). The successful applicant will investigate the large-scale effects of chemical-synthetic plant protection on soil microorganisms, soil mesofauna (springtails and mites) and soil macrofauna (earthworms) and their ecosystem services in agricultural landscapes in Baden-Württemberg, southern Germany. Soil fauna diversity will be assessed in the field (earthworms) and in collected soil samples using heat extraction (mesofauna) and phospholipid-fatty acid analysis (soil microorganisms) as well as DNA metabarcoding. The landscape-scale studies will be accompanied by a long-term crop trial on the University of Hohenheim's experimental farm.

Preferred start: 1st December 2025
Application deadline: 15th September 2025

For more information, please see the PDF-file below.

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PhD position on MULTI-SCALE EFFECTS OF PESTICIDE CONTAMINATION ON BIODIVERSITY AND NATURAL PEST CONTROL IN HETROGENEOUS AGRICULTURAL LANDSCAPES

University Hohenheim, Department of Landscape Ecology and Vegetation Science

Parttime 65%, limited until 31 Nov. 2028 • Stuttgart

For the joint project NOcsPS 2.0 (www.nocsps.de), the University of Hohenheim is seeking to fill a scientific position with a scope of 65% (remuneration according to TV-L E13) with a limited duration until 31st November 2028. 

The position is based in the department of Landscape Ecology and Vegetation Science (https://ecology.uni-hohenheim.de/en).

The recruited PhD candidate will collaborate with Dr. Jörn Pagel, Prof. Dr. Frank Schurr and other members of the BMFTR research consortium NOcsPS 2.0 (www.nocsps.de). The successful applicant will investigate the effects of chemical-synthetic plant protection on plant and insect biodiversity at different spatial scales and consequences for the potential for natural pest control in heterogeneous agricultural landscapes in Baden-Württemberg, southern Germany. The project combines (partially UAV-based) vegetation surveys with the collection and analyses of insect samples from crop fields, field margins and semi-natural vegetation to understand main drivers of insect biodiversity and natural pest control. The landscape-scale studies will be accompanied by a long-term crop trial on the University of Hohenheim's experimental farm.

Preferred start: 1st December 2025
Application deadline: 15th September 2025

For more information, please see the PDF-file below.

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Full Professorship "Soil Ecosystems and Global Change"

Universität Wien

Vollzeit • Wien

TER, the Division of Terrestrial Ecosystem Research, within the Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, has an opening for a Full Professorship in "Soil Ecosystems and Global Change".

We are looking for an outstanding scientist and a supportive, collaborative colleague who investigates the structural and functional aspects of soil ecosystems, with particular emphasis on the role of soil microorganisms in ecosystem functioning under future climate conditions. This includes research on microbially mediated processes and their underlying mechanisms, as well as interactions among microbes and with their biotic and physicochemical environment.

Full details of the position, including the official advertisement and a link to the application portal, can be found here.

The application deadline is 17 September 2025.

Research Staff (PhD Position) for the topic "Effects of rurbanity on soil quality and soil contamination with microplastic" (salary scale 13 TV-L, 65%)

Leibniz Universität Hannover - Institut für Erdsystemwissenschaften - Abteilung Bodenkunde

Parttime 65%, fixed term position for 4 years starting 01/10/2025 • Hannover, field assignments in Ghana & Indien

The position is to be filled within the framework of a DFG-funded research group (FOR5903). FOR5903 „Sustainable Rurbanity" is an interdisciplinary and internationally oriented consortium that researches various dimensions of global urbanisation processes under the novel framework of "Sustainable Rurbanity". The main place of work is Hanover, but field assignments are also planned for several months per year in India and Ghana. Fitness for service in the tropics is, therefore, mandatory.

Your position at a glance:

• You will conduct field campaigns in Accra (Ghana) and Bengaluru (India) and analyse soil samples for physical and chemical soil quality parameters and microplastic contamination.
• You will be involved in the development of new methods for the spectral analysis of microplastics and soil quality parameters.
• You will participate in drone flights on site in Ghana and India to record the spatial distribution of macroplastics.
• You will work closely with other doctoral students involved in the project, particularly on PFAS contamination, which is being investigated at the University of Kassel.

Application deadline: 15 August 2025

Further information can be found in the attached PDF file.

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Wissenschaftliche*r Mitarbeiter*in (w/m/d) BZE, Kennung „2025-153-WO“

Institut für Waldökosysteme (WO) / Johann Heinrich von Thünen-Institut

Vollzeit/Teilzeit möglich; befristet für 24 Monate • Eberswalde

Das Institut für Waldökosysteme des Johann Heinrich von Thünen-Institut, Bundesforschungsinstitut für Ländliche Räume, Wald und Fischerei, am Standort Eberswalde sucht zum nächstmölgichen Zeitpunkt eine*n wissenschaftliche*n Mitarbeiter*in im Arbeitsbereich "Bodenzustandserhebung im Wald" (BZE).

Waldböden spielen eine wichtige Rolle als Kohlenstoffspeicher. Deutschland berichtet die Veränderung der C-Vorräte auf Grundlage der Bodenzustandserhebung im Wald. Zur Zeit befindet sich die dritte Erhebung in der Auswertung. Hierzu müssen valide Datensätze bundesweit hochgerechnet werden. Eine besondere Herausforderung ist die kleinräumige Variabilität der Waldböden und ihre Steingehalte. Um Vergleichbarkeit von Daten aus verschiedenen Inventuren berechnen zu können, soll eine Studie anhand von vorhandenen Daten der drei Inventuren, den Einfluß der Steingehalte auf die Berechnung der Kohlenstoffvorräte anzeigen und Berechnungsvorschriften ausarbeiten. Zudem sollen stratfiziert C-Vorräte für Deutschland berechnet werden.

Ihre Aufgaben: