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 Carbon and Energy Flow in the Soil Microbiome is part of the national Priority Program PP 2322 Soil Systems (funded by Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, DFG). The project assesses changes in microbiome functions relevant for carbon storage and turnover responding to microbe-grazing through soil nematodes and links that to energy flow. The project is jointly conducted by the research group Microbial Biogeochemistry (MicGeo) at RA Landscape Functioning (ZALF) together with the Fachgebiet Ökologie at the Humboldt Universität zu Berlin (Prof. Dr. L. Ruess).

We are offering a fulltime position (40h/ week, part-time is possible) for at least 18 months at our campus in Müncheberg as a

• to design & conduct with the project partner at HU Berlin an experiment on nematode grazing and applying 13C-isotope labeling
• to develop and apply stable isotope probing (SIP) of DNA and/or RNA in soil samples
• to conduct & develop metagenome-based gene marker analysis to identify changes & adaptations of the soil microbial carbon pump
• to publish results in international peer-reviewed journals – target is more than 2 publications in 18 months
• to present key results on international conferences and on meetings & workshops of PP SoilSystems
• to collaborate actively within the project the partners at HU berlin, but also with partners in the PP Soil Systems and the MicGeo Team

• a very good graded doctoral degree in microbial ecology, microbiology, soil science, agricultural sciences or related disciplines
• a very good track record in the field of metagenomics and/or microbial ecology preferably in soils
• excellent English proficiency (spoken and written)
• proven hands-on experience with metagenomics and preferably also with SIP
• very good knowledge in required bioinformatics & ecological statistics (incl. R)
• a high personal motivation achieving goals and a high scientific curiosity
• we expect an open-minded and intercultural attitude to team work
• a high encouragement for independence and a self-reliant work mode

• a young, dynamic and international team - MicGeo
• work in an international leading agricultural research institution with disciplines from natural, social, data sciences
• classification according to the collective agreement of the federal states (TV-L) up to E13 (incl. special annual payment)
• a collegial, international and open-minded working atmosphere
• company ticket for public transport
• access to a network of leading scientific partners in the field of Soil Systems Ecology linking thermodynamics with carbon flow and soil ecology
• support for career development

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. Please send your application preferably online (see button online application below). 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 CV, proof of qualification and certificates, stating the reference number 66-2025 until 15. December 2025 to (see button e-mail application below).

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us: Prof. Dr. Steffen Kolb, Tel. +49 (0) 33432/82 326, Email Steffen.kolb@zalf.de.

Information on the DFG Priority Program SPP 2322: https://soilsystems.net/

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.