At the University of Göttingen -Public Law Foundation-, Abt. Forstentomologie der Fakultät für Forstwissenschaften und Waldökologie, there is a position as
doctoral researcher (all genders welcome)
Entgeltgruppe 13 TV-L/50%
to be filled. Starting date is 12/1/2026. The position is limited to 30.11.2030.
We are seeking a highly motivated person to conduct scientific research in the project „Environmental and physiological drivers of spring activity of moth communities in Central European forests“. In this project, we aim to study the effects of habitat features (e.g. forest structure) and abiotic factors (e.g. temperature) on overwintering processes and spring phenology of moths inhabiting Central European forest ecosystems. We want to understand the spatiotemporal occurrence of ecologically relevant species and to assess the effects of changing environmental conditions on communities.
We will use field data (obtained from trapping) and link them with environmental parameters to infer the effects of habitat conditions on moth activity. Eco-physiological experiments will be performed under controlled conditions with selected species to study the effects of temperature on terminating dormancy and energy budgets, as well as timing of spring flight. The results will allow to predict seasonal activity patterns of moth communities and improve our understanding of the underlying regulatory mechanisms.
Within this 4-year project, the candidate should complete his/her PhD at the Department of Forest Entomology and the Department of Forest Nature Conservation of the University of Göttingen.
The PhD candidate will be supervised by Prof. Dr. Martin Schebeck, Prof. Dr. Andreas Schuldt, Dr. Kevin Roberts, and Dr. Carlo Seifert. Here you can learn more about the Department of Forest Entomology (https://www.uni-goettingen.de/en/701459.html) and the Department of Forest Nature Conservation (https://www.uni-goettingen.de/en/588022.html).
Your tasks
- Realization and coordination of field work in Central Germany
- Assessing the spring activity of moths in the context of environmental conditions
- Performing eco-physiological experiments in the laboratory to understand temperature-dependent processes underlying spring phenology of moths
- Publication of results in scientific journals and attendance at scientific conferences
Your profile
- A Master’s degree in biology, ecology, forestry, agriculture or a related field
- Experience and interest in ecological/entomological experiments in the field and the lab
- Experience and interest in the identification of arthropods
- Experience in statistics and data analysis using R
- Fluent in English (German is a plus)
- Driver’s license class B
Please submit your application (as a single pdf file) including 1) a letter of motivation (1 page), 2) your CV including, if applicable, a list of publications and congress contributions, 3) a short summary of your Master’s thesis (1 page), and 4) relevant certificates as well as contact information of two references.
For more information about the project please contact Prof. Dr. Martin Schebeck via
[email protected]
Die Universität Göttingen strebt in den Bereichen, in denen Frauen unterrepräsentiert sind, eine Erhöhung des Frauenanteils an und fordert daher qualifizierte Frauen nachdrücklich zur Bewerbung auf. Sie versteht sich zudem als familienfreundliche Hochschule und fördert die Vereinbarkeit von Wissenschaft/Beruf und Familie. Der beruflichen Teilhabe von schwerbehinderten Beschäftigten sieht sich die Universität in besondere Weise verpflichtet und begrüßt deshalb Bewerbungen schwerbehinderter Menschen. Bei gleicher Qualifikation erhalten Bewerbungen von Menschen mit Schwerbehinderung den Vorzug. Eine Behinderung bzw. Gleichstellung ist zur Wahrung der Interessen bereits in die Bewerbung aufzunehmen.
Hinweis: Wir weisen darauf hin, dass die Einreichung der Bewerbung eine datenschutzrechtliche Einwilligung in die Verarbeitung Ihrer Bewerbungsdaten durch uns darstellt. Näheres zur Rechtsgrundlage und Datenverwendung finden Sie im Hinweisblatt zur Datenschutzgrundverordnung (DSGVO).
The University of Göttingen is an equal opportunities employer and places particular emphasis on fostering career opportunities for women. Qualified women are therefore strongly encouraged to apply in fields in which they are underrepresented. The university has committed itself to being a family-friendly institution and supports their employees in balancing work and family life. The University is particularly committed to the professional participation of severely disabled employees and therefore welcomes applications from severely disabled people. In the case of equal qualifications, applications from people with severe disabilities will be given preference. A disability or equality is to be included in the application in order to protect the interests of the applicant.
Please upload your application in one pdf file including the usual documents until 9/28/2026 on the application portal of the university using this link:
http://obp.uni-goettingen.de/de-de/OBF/Index/76648 . For more information get in touch with Carolin Kroll directly via E-Mail:
[email protected], Tel. +551 39 23602 .
Please note:
With submission of your application, you accept the processing of your applicant data in terms of data-protection law. Further information on the legal basis and data usage is provided in the Information General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
