Postdoc / Research Associate in Plant-Soil-Microbe Interactions (m/f/d)
Reference number: L 46 32 06 25
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With about 17,000 students, more than 300 professorships and around 160 degree programs, the University of Kaiserslautern-Landau (RPTU) is the technical university of the state of Rhineland-Palatinate. As a place of top international research, it offers excellent working conditions and career opportunities. Those who study, research or work at RPTU experience a cosmopolitan environment and shape the future.
We are seeking a highly motivated candidate (m/f/d) to join us for 24 months as part of the DFG Emmy Noether project RELATE (Rhizosphere Mediation of Biosphere-Climate Feedbacks). The project aims to uncover the mechanisms by which plants influence the impact of climate change on carbon storage in wetland soils. The successful candidate (m/f/d) will become part of the recently established Plant Ecology Lab (Dr. Peter Müller) at the Institute for Environmental Sciences, RPTU Kaiserslautern-Landau. The position also offers excellent opportunities for collaboration with project partners at the University of Hamburg, GFZ Helmholtz Centre Potsdam, University of Münster, and the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (USA).
Your area of responsibility:
We are looking for an outstanding candidate (m/f/d) with a strong interest in working at the interface of plant ecology, biogeochemistry, and environmental microbiology. The successful applicant will employ a diverse set of methods to investigate how plant–soil–microbe interactions shape the carbon dynamics and greenhouse gas balance of floodplain, peatland, and marsh ecosystems. The position involves a range of approaches, including microbial community and functional gene analyses, chemical characterization of soils, vegetation, and porewater, gas flux measurements, planar optode imaging, and stable isotope tracing experiments. National and international field campaigns are an integral part of the project, and extended research stays at partner institutions may be required.The candidate is expected to publish research findings in peer-reviewed journals and present results at national and international conferences.
Your requirements profile:
- a PhD in Microbial Ecology, Biogeochemistry, Ecosystem Ecology, or another related field
- extensive knowledge in plant-soil microbe interactions and/or ecosystem carbon cycling
- interest in planning field or lab-based mesocosm experiments
- good communication skills and a strong work ethic
- a valid driving license for traveling to field sites is desirable
- advanced computer programming and statistical skills
- fluency in English
We offer:
Health promotion
Family Service Center
Vocational Training
Flexible working hour and
home office
Jobticket
Retirement provision
Sport & Fitness programms
Culture & Leisure offers
Local recreation in the Palatinate Forest
RPTU stands for diversity among all employees. We welcome applications from all interested parties, regardless of their ethnic and social origin, age, religion, gender, disability and sexual orientation or identity. Preference will be given to severely disabled persons and persons equivalent to them if they have the appropriate qualifications and suitability.
The RPTU aims to increase the proportion of women in areas where women are underrepresented. Applications from researchers from abroad are expressly encouraged. The position can also be filled on a part-time basis. The appointment will be subject to the German law on fixed-term contracts in science (WissZeitVG).
Your application:
We look forward to receiving your detailed application (CV, references, etc.) by 10.07.2025 at the latest.
Please submit your application using the "Online Bewerbung" button below or via our application portal (https://jobs.rptu.de).
For technical questions, please contact Jun.-Prof. Dr. Peter Müller (Tel.: 06341 205 31376, e-mail: peter.mueller@rptu.de).
