At the University of Greifswald’s Institute of Geography and Geology in the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, there is a job vacancy to be filled subject to the provision of funds. The position as a full-time:
Research Associate
(Head of a Junior Research Group in the field of peatland research)
is available from 1 January 2027 and is limited until 30 June 2031. Payment will be made in accordance with pay grade E14 TV-L Wissenschaft. The position is suitable for part-time employment.
We are looking for highly motivated candidates for the model project on peatland research, which is funded by the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation, and Nuclear Safety. The new peatland research cluster combines the expertise of the University of Greifswald and the Greifswald Moor Centrum e.V.
Peatlands play a crucial role in achieving the ambitious goals of the Federal Climate Protection Act, the Peatland Protection Strategy, and the Regulation on Nature Restoration. For this reason, there is a very high demand for research, particularly regarding rewetted peatlands. Both in-depth basic research and broadly based applied research are urgently needed. The same applies to the associated publicly accessible research infrastructure. The project results will be exemplary and transferable in both national and international contexts. The key focus areas within the peatland research cluster are biodiversity and ecosystem services, water balance and water quality, as well as sustainable use/paludiculture.
The junior research group will focus on the water balance and water quality of peatlands and conduct corresponding research. A wide spectrum of professional profiles and methodological approaches is conceivable, both for the head of the junior research group and for the scientific orientation of the group. Possible focuses include, for example, environmental geophysics and geophysical exploration of peatlands, the study of landscape and peatland water budgets (particularly evaporation processes), or the modelling of water flow and substance transport processes. Applications from related research fields are expressly welcome.
Responsibilities:
- Establishment, scientific management, and strategic further development of a third-party funded junior research group
- Development, planning, and implementation of an independent research programme using and consolidating the existing infrastructure (e.g. eddy covariance measurement systems and WaterNodes, geophysical methods, hydrogeochemical laboratories), and incorporating strategic development potentials in peatland research
- Publication of research results in international journals and at scientific conferences
- Supervision of doctoral projects and student qualification theses
- Establishment and maintenance of national and international collaborations
- Participation in academic self-governance
Employment requirements/Qualifications:
- Completed university degree (master's or equivalent) in a relevant field
- A completed doctorate in a field relevant to the topic when employment starts
- Evidence of publications in international peer-reviewed journals that are appropriate for the career stage and relevant to the subject matter
- Excellent English language skills
- Ability to work independently and interdisciplinarily with a hands-on mentality, team spirit, helpfulness, and reliability
Additional knowledge and skills that will be considered in the selection process are:
- Experience in the independent acquisition and implementation of third-party funded projects
- Experience in teaching and the supervision of students
- Knowledge of the German language
The position is open to all persons, irrespective of gender.
Severely disabled applicants with the same qualifications will be considered with preference.
Pursuant to § 83(8) Sentence 3, read in conjunction with § 83(1) Item 1 PersVG M-V, the Staff Council shall only be consulted on the appointment and determination of the pay grade for members of academic or artistic staff upon request. The request may be submitted in text form, via email, together with the application documents.
Unfortunately, the application costs will not be reimbursed by the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.
Please note that by submitting your application, you provide your consent pursuant to data protection law for our processing of your application data. Further information about the legal bases and the use of your data can be found here.
Applications with the usual documents should be sent preferably via email (as one PDF file), stating the job announcement number 26/Sa27, by 30 September 2026, to:
Universität Greifswald
Institut für Geographie und Geologie
Prof. Dr. Andre Banning
Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Str. 17a
17489 Greifswald
email: andre.banning@uni-greifswald.de