Scientist & Project Coordinator (f/m/d)

The mission of the Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF) as a nationally and internationally active research institute is to deliver solutions for an ecologically, economically and socially sustainable agriculture – together with society. ZALF is a member of the Leibniz Association and is located in Müncheberg (approx. 35 minutes by regional train from Berlin-Lichtenberg). It also maintains a research station with further locations in Dedelow and Paulinenaue.

The project WetNetBB will establish rewetted grassland systems in Brandenburg incl. the development of innovations and establishment of value chains to enable paludiculture. The project will be funded by the Fachagentur für Nachwachsende Rohstoffe (FNR, BMEL).

WetNetBB is a project consortium including the Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Technology and Bioeconomy (ATB), Landesamt für Umwelt (LfU, State of Brandenburg), Hochschule für Nachhaltige Entwicklung Eberswalde (HNEE), Geoforschungszentrum (GFZ) and ZALF. We aim for an implementation of paludiculture in four regions in Brandenburg over a 10-year period using a living lab approach. ZALF is leading module 4 ‘Accompanying Research’ hosting the topics socioeconomics, hydrological monitoring, bioindicators for greenhouse gas (GHG) assessment and, together with GFZ, the monitoring of GHG at two monitoring sites in rewetted grasslands. The partner HNEE provides a biodiversity monitoring and ATB a farm-level economic assessment in module 4. WetNetBB is part of the national network PaludiZentrale that follows similar goals in four other regions in Northern Germany.

We are offering a Full-Time position starting from 01 July 2023 for 4 years (with the option to extend) at our location in Müncheberg (subject to funding by the FNR) as a

Your tasks:

• establishment and coordinative organization of two monitoring sites in close collaboration with partner PIs of ZALF, GFZ and the land owners in the region of interest
• continuous measurement of microbiome gene marker & plant functional traits at two monitoring sites in Brandenburg
• bioindicator System for annual GHG budgets: Gradual development of a predictive model based on GHG fluxes,  soil microbiome and plant trait data
• preparation of reports
• publication of results in peer-reviewed journals and on scientific conferences
• coordination within the subproject WetNetBB-ZALF

Your qualifications:

• a doctoral degree in soil (microbial) ecology and/or plant ecology or wetland ecology
• scientific work experiences with wetlands and/or grasslands, interest in the ongoing debate on rewetting for GHG reduction
• team and results-orientated and self-organized working habit
• openness for transdisciplinary research
• excellent command in oral and written English is required, German language skills are favorable
• established expertise to publish scientific work in peer-reviewed journals
• operating experience in metagenomics and/or gene analyses
• established expertise in statistical analysis of ecological data is required – expertise in modelling is favorable
• interest or experiences in big data analytics and machine learning
• knowledge in GHG emission dynamics and assessment
• preferably a driving license

We offer:

• classification according to the collective agreement of the federal states (TV-L) up to E13 (including special annual payment) for 4 years. An extension is possible.
• an interdisciplinary working environment that encourages independence and self-reliance
• a collegial and open-minded working atmosphere in a dynamic research institution
• state of the art field and laboratory infrastructure incl. a high-performance cluster for data analysis and support of the Research platform Data and Simulation of ZALF.
• a company ticket for public transport
• numerous internal and external training course options
• close cooperation with WetNetBB-ZALF further team members working on socioeconomics (WG Ecosystem Service Governance,), site hydrology (WG Lowland Hydrology and Water Management,) and GHG measurements (WG Isotope Biogeochemistry & Gas Fluxes,) who will be hired in 2024.
• working place: Campus Müncheberg - the position will be shared between the WGs Microbial Biogeochemistry and Sustainable Grassland Systems (at Research Station Paulinenaue)
• ZALF offers 40% of working time in mobile work if tasks allow for

Women are particularly encouraged to apply. Meeting 80% of the desired qualifications should encourage candidates to apply. Applications from severely disabled persons with equal qualifications are favored.  It is generally possible to work in the position on a part-time basis. Please send your application preferably online . For e-mail applications, create a PDF document (one PDF file, max. 5 MB; packed PDF documents, archive files like zip, rar etc. Word documents cannot be processed and therefore cannot be considered!) with the usual documents, in particular a letter of motivation, CV, proof of qualification and certificates, stating the reference number 56-2022 until 10 June 2023.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us: Prof. Dr. Steffen Kolb (Led of WetNetBB-ZALF) and Dr. Joana Begmann (Lead of WG Sustainable Grassland Systems) Tel. +49 (0) 33432/82-326 (kolb(at)zalf.de ; [email protected] ).

For cost reasons, application documents or extensive publications can only be returned if an adequately stamped envelope is attached.  

If you apply, we collect and process your personal data in accordance with Articles 5 and 6 of the EU GDPR only for the processing of your application and for purposes that result from possible future employment with the ZALF. Your data will be deleted after six months.