The Senckenberg Society for Nature Research (SGN) invites applications for three Postdoctoral Researcher positions in Freshwater Ecology and Data Science. The positions are based in the Department of River Ecology and Conservation in Gelnhausen (near Frankfurt am Main), Germany.
Research Scope and Flagship Projects
Successful candidates will join a leading center for freshwater research and contribute to one or more of three major international projects:
- Synthesis Center on Freshwater Biodiversity Change in Europe: Analyzing over 30,000 freshwater biodiversity time series from across Europe covering fish, macroinvertebrates, macrophytes, diatoms, and benthic algae. The research aims to understand long-term biodiversity shifts and the impacts of multiple environmental stressors.
- EU Horizon Europe BEAGLE Project: A major European initiative focused on advanced biodiversity monitoring. It integrates environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling, automated field sensors (over 1,000 deployed across Europe), AI-assisted biodiversity assessments, and citizen science.
- Biodiversity Meets Data (BMD): Developing Virtual Research Environments (VREs) and interactive tools (e.g., R Shiny applications) to visualize ecological patterns, run predictive models, and simulate climate and land-use scenarios.
Key Responsibilities
- Analyze large-scale spatial and temporal ecological datasets.
- Prepare high-impact scientific manuscripts for peer-reviewed journals and project reports.
- Manage and perform quality control on European-scale biodiversity databases.
- Mentor and supervise graduate students within the department.
- Engage with project partners and present research findings at international conferences.
Position Structure and Benefits
- Duration: 2 years, with the possibility of extension.
- Salary: Remuneration under the TV-H E13 scale (standard postdoctoral scale of the State of Hesse).
- Includes flexible working hours, mobile working options, company pension plan, and free admission to Senckenberg museums.
Preferred Qualifications
- Ph.D. in Ecology, Aquatic Biology, Environmental Science, Bioinformatics, or a related field.
- Advanced programming and statistical analysis skills in R.
- Experience handling and analyzing large ecological databases or time series.
- Strong publication record in international scientific journals.
- Excellent written and spoken English.
How to Apply
Applications (including cover letter, CV, publication list, and contact details for two references) must be submitted via the Senckenberg online recruitment portal under Reference #04-26003. The review of applications begins immediately and will continue until the positions are filled.