SystemLink 14 doctoral research positions

SystemLink opens its 3rd cohort of doctoral researchers and offers 14 doctoral research positions at the iES Landau, RPTU. To start on 1st October 2025.

What is SystemLink?

SystemLink – Crossing boundaries: Propagation of in-stream environmental alterations to adjacent terrestrial ecosystems is a research group funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) the iES Landau, Institute for Environmental Sciences, University (RPTU) Kaiserslautern–Landau, Campus Landau, Germany. SystemLink focuses on the bottom-up and top-down mediated interactions in terrestrial ecosystems, which propagate from aquatic environments as a result of their exposure to anthropogenic stress. The research is guided by the theoretical framework of stressor propagation within meta-ecosystems with related hypotheses.

SystemLink presentation diagram
Image from https://systemlink.rptu.de/jobs/

Your area of ​​responsibility:

The 14 PhD researchers will jointly work on a large field study across Europe on aquatic-terrestrial ecosystem linkages under anthropogenic stress. Motivation to work in the field over an extended period of time, to travel across Europe and to work in collaborative teams is a prerequisite. Each doctoral research project will contain an individual component, which may be work in the lab, experimental mesocosm or environmental modelling. What to expect:

  • An international research environment with an entire group of doctoral researchers working closely together
  • An individualized course program complementing the research program.

The field study will consist of many topics, from which you should choose which 3-5 you prefer to work on. A justification for the prioritized topics should also be provided in your application. The work areas are: biogeochemistry, ecology, ecological modelling, ecotoxicology, environmental analytics, environmental chemistry, environmental modelling, environmental physics, animal ecology, food web ecology, invasion ecology, plant ecology, hydrology, molecular genetics, and stable isotope analyses.

Your requirements profile:

Successful candidates will:

  • hold a diploma / Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in environmental sciences (biology, chemistry, data science, hydrology, ecotoxicology, physics, physical geography, modelling);
  • have motivation to actively work in the field and in teams, to publish research articles, and to finish the PhD within three years;
  • have a valid class B driving license (or equivalent) and be able to work under physical strain.

Your application:

Please send your applications (1 pdf file, max 10 MB), specifying which topic(s) you apply for. Please include a 1-page motivation letter, a reference letter, degree certificates, a CV and a list of publications/presentations. The application deadline is 14 March 2025. Potential candidates should be prepared to participate in a selection workshop. The starting date is 01.10.2025 and until 30.09.2028, field studies will start in 2026 and potentially extend into 2027.

Please submit your application using the online application in the application portal (RPTU Job Offers). For further details on the announced positions and the application procedure please see https://systemlink.rptu.de/ or contact the speaker of SystemLink: Ralf Schulz (r.schulz@rptu.de).