Postdoctoral Researcher – Ecologist

For its River Ecology and Conservation Division in Gelnhausen, the Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, is seeking to fill a postdoctoral researcher position as an ecologist.

The institute

Founded in 1817, Senckenberg Society for Nature Research is one of the world’s
leading research institutions in the field of biodiversity. At our twelve sites in Germany,
scientists from over 40 nations conduct cutting-edge research on an international scale.

The position

We are looking for an enthusiastic ecologist with a background in community
ecology, macroecology, metacommunities, and/or analysis of ecological time series. The applicant should have a strong track record of scientific publications.


The position is embedded in the EU-funded project Biodiversity Meets Data (BMD; https://bmd-project.eu/). The BMD project aims to provide a toolbox equipped with a suite of Virtual Research Environments (VREs) that are co-designed with the stakeholders to deliver biodiversity assessments, biodiversity trend analyses, identification of drivers of change, and projections to future climatic and land cover scenarios at local, regional, national and European scales across the terrestrial, freshwater and marine realms. For this, a suite of thematic VREs will be developed that allow an easy-to-use application of models on available and harmonised biodiversity and environmental data. The project provides access to a wide range of spatial and temporal biodiversity and environmental data, and a fantastic opportunity to become part of European networks of established researchers, postdocs, and graduate students
working with monitoring data.


Further, we provide an opportunity to contribute to the Synthesis Centre on Freshwater
Biodiversity Change in Europe, a new research topic within Senckenberg. The Synthesis Centre has already compiled > 30,000 freshwater biodiversity time series across 30 European countries from rivers and lakes, covering invertebrates, fish, macrophytes, diatoms, and benthic algae, and established a large pan-European network of > 150 researchers. The large datasets from the Synthesis Center require careful quality assurance/quality control and data management, and provide a unique opportunity to address a broad variety of fundamental and applied ecological questions, including those related to community ecology, freshwater and terrestrial (invertebrate) ecology, time series analyses, multiple stressors responses, and conservation (see https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-023-06400-1 for an example).

Your tasks

  • Contributing scientifically to the BMD project through developing VREs and identifying available biodiversity and environmental data resources relevant to VREs
  • Attending virtual and physical project meetings
  • Managing big biodiversity datasets, including quality assurance/quality control and methods for automation
  • Analysing spatio-temporal biodiversity and environmental data, to elucidate spatio-temporal patterns and trends in taxonomic and functional diversity and drivers thereof
  • Preparing project reports and scientific manuscripts
  • Mentoring graduate students
  • Giving oral presentations at national and international conferences

Your profile

  • PhD in Ecology or a related field
  • Solid background in (macro-) ecology and biodiversity research
  • Solid background in zoology (preferred)
  • Advanced skills in statistical analyses, using R
  • Project management and report writing
  • Strong track record of international scientific publications
  • Excellent written and oral communication and project presentation skills in English

The offer

  • Access to an international network of scientists, policymakers and research
    organizations
  • An attractive job within the inspired and dynamic working environment of an
    internationally recognised research institution
  • Flexible working hours, mobile working options
  • Assistance with child care and care for family members („audit berufundfamilie“)
  • Employee ID card with free admission to Senckenberg museums
  • Annual special payment, collectively agreed vacation entitlement, and company pension plan (ZVK)

Further details

  • Location: Gelnhausen
  • Employment scope: full-time / minimum 75%
  • Type of contract: limited to two years / an extension is possible
  • Remuneration: collective agreement of the state Hesse, TV-H E13

How to apply?

Please send your application (letter of motivation with a short description of your previous and current research foci, a CV, certificates of academic achievements, a list of publications, as well as letter(s) of recommendation) electronically (as a single PDF) to recruiting@senckenberg.de stating the reference #04-25008 by September 12, 2025 or apply online, using the application form on the website
www.senckenberg.de/de/karriere/bewerbung/

Senckenberg is committed to diversity. We benefit from the different expertise, perspectives and personalities of our staff and welcome every application from qualified candidates, irrespective of age, gender, ethnic or cultural origin, religion and ideology, sexual orientation and identity or disability. Applicants with a severe disability will be given special consideration in case of equal suitability. Senckenberg actively supports the compatibility of work and family and places great emphasis on an equal and inclusive work culture

If you have any specific questions about the position, please contact Prof. Dr. Peter
Haase at peter.haase@senckenberg.de . For data protection information on the processing of personal data as part of the application and selection process, please refer to the privacy policy on our website at www.senckenberg.de/en/imprint/ . Please visit our website at www.senckenberg.de for further information about the Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung.