Scientific Project Assistant Predoctoral, Life Sciences

University of Vienna; Wien; Hybrid; EUR 29,000 - 34,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

600+ courses for doctoral training

Structured doctoral training via VDSEE

Flexible hours with partial remote工作

Job summary

University of Vienna seeks a Scientific Project Assistant (predoctoral) to join a marine microbiology project. You will sample sea surface microlayer and underlying waters, participate in a major oceanographic cruise, and lead single-cell activity assays while developing metagenomic data analyses.

You will work 30 hours per week over 3.5 years, with doctoral training through the VDSEE and opportunities to present at international meetings. English is the working language.

Qualifications

• Completed Master’s degree or equivalent qualification in marine biology, microbiology, biological oceanography, biogeochemistry or a closely related field by the employment start date.
• Experience in molecular or microbiological laboratory methods and in fluorescence microscopy, and skills in bioinformatics (e.g. R, Linux command line).
• Excellent command of written and spoken English; working language is English.
• Team player with high social and communicative skills; able to collaborate with Vienna, Oldenburg, Kiel and shipboard colleagues.
• Willingness to travel to Kiel for monthly sampling (about 3 days) during the first year and to join the RV METEOR cruise in 2028.
• Desirable: CARD-FISH, flow cytometry or omics data experience; sea-going experience; presentations.

Responsibilities

• Sample the SML and underlying water in northern Germany with project partners during the first project year (about 3 days per month).
• Participate in the RV METEOR research cruise across the Atlantic (Feb/Mar 2028), including sampling and shipboard experiments.
• Measure activity of bacterial groups at single-cell level using CARD-FISH, BONCAT and RSG with flow cytometry and microscopy.
• Extract nucleic acids, prepare metagenomic/metatranscriptomic samples and analyze data bioinformatically (about 85% lab/field, 15% bioinformatics).
• Co-supervise MSc students in the lab; teaching may be added later.
• Aim for a doctoral thesis comprising three papers within the VDSEE and present results at conferences.

Skills

Molecular biology

Fluorescence microscopy

Bioinformatics (R, Linux)

English proficiency

Team player

Willingness to travel

Sea-going experience desirable

Education

Master's degree in marine biology or related field

Tools

CARD-FISH

Flow cytometry

Omics data analysis tools

Job description

• 48 VwGr. B1 Grundstufe (praedoc) Limited until: 01.07.2030 Reference no.: 6362

At the University of Vienna, almost 11,000 people work together on the big questions of the future. Approximately 7,700 of them are academic staff members. These are individuals who, with their curiosity and their continuous pursuit of excellence, engage in international cutting‑edge research and teaching. With us, you will also find space to unfold your potential.

We are looking for an enthusiastic, curious and communicative colleague who enjoys working in the laboratory, in the field and at sea as part of an international team. Does that sound like something for you?

Scientific project assistant predoctoral

50 Faculty of Life Sciences

Startdate: 01.02.2027 | Working hours: 30 | Collective bargaining agreement:

The working group of Marine Microbial Biogeochemistry at the Department of Functional and Evolutionary Ecology of the University of Vienna investigates how microorganisms shape carbon cycling and biogeochemical processes in the ocean, from coastal waters to the deep sea.

As a scientific project assistant (predoctoral), you will join the research team around Dr. Thomas Reinthaler in the FWF-funded project “Variability of Ecologically Relevant Bacterioneuston (VERA)”. The project is carried out in collaboration with the University of Oldenburg and is embedded in a larger research group with prominent German universities and research institutes.

You will investigate which bacteria are active in the sea‑surface microlayer, the boundary layer between ocean and atmosphere, and how they vary over a seasonal cycle and along an Atlantic transect. By combining single‑cell activity measurements with metagenomics and metatranscriptomics, you will identify the traits that allow key taxa such as SAR11 and Roseobacteraceae to thrive at the air‑sea interface.

The start of the contract is 1 February 2027. The employment period is 3.5 years from the beginning of the contract.

As a team, an open, collaborative and respectful working environment is important to us.

Your Future Tasks

You actively participate in research and teaching, which means:

• You sample the SML and the underlying water in northern Germany together with our project partners at GEOMAR in Kiel, during the first project year only (about 3 days per month, first sampling in February 2027).
• You take part in the research cruise of RV METEOR across the tropical and subtropical Atlantic (February/March 2028), including sampling and shipboard experiments.
• You measure the activity of specific bacterial groups at the single‑cell level using CARD‑FISH, BONCAT and Redox Sensor Green (RSG), combined with flow cytometry and microscopy.
• You extract nucleic acids, prepare metagenomic and metatranscriptomic samples and analyse the data bioinformatically (about 85% laboratory and field work, 15% bioinformatics).
• You co‑supervise MSc students in the laboratory; teaching can be added at a later stage if you wish.
• You aim for a doctoral thesis comprising three papers within the Vienna Doctoral School of Ecology and Evolution (VDSEE) and present your results at international conferences and project meetings.
• You collaborate closely with the project partners at the University of Oldenburg and GEOMAR Kiel.

This Is Part Of Your Personality

• Completed Master's degree or equivalent qualification in marine biology, microbiology, biological oceanography, biogeochemistry or a closely related field by the employment start date
• Experience in molecular or microbiological laboratory methods and in fluorescence microscopy, and skills in bioinformatics (e.g. R, Linux command line) together with the motivation to expand them
• Excellent command of written and spoken English, as English is the working language of our laboratory
• You are a team player with high social and communicative skills, as you will work closely with colleagues and partners in Vienna, Oldenburg, Kiel and on board ship
• Willingness to travel to Kiel for monthly sampling (about 3 days) during the first project year, and to join the RV METEOR research cruise in 2028
• Desirable: experience with CARD‑FISH, flow cytometry or omics data, sea‑going experience, scientific presentations

What We Offer

Employment

The employment duration is 3.5 years at 30 hours per week (75%). Doctoral training and degree‑related activities are additional to the contracted hours.

Work‑life balance

Our employees enjoy flexible working hours and can partially work remotely, apart from fieldwork and cruise periods.

Inspiring working atmosphere

You are part of an international academic team in a healthy and fair working environment, with access to state‑of‑the‑art facilities for microbial ecology and to the Life Science Compute Cluster of the University of Vienna.

Good public transport connections

Your workplace is easily accessible by public transport.

Internal further training & coaching

Opportunity to deepen your skills on an ongoing basis. There are over 600 courses to choose from, free of charge. As a member of the Vienna Doctoral School of Ecology and Evolution you also have access to structured doctoral training.

Fair salary

• 48 VwGr. B1 basic level (praedoc). At 2026 rates, the 30‑hour position corresponds to approximately EUR 2,832 gross per month (14 times per year); the applicable collective‑agreement rate at the 2027 start date will apply.

Equal opportunities for all: We welcome every additional/new personality to the team!

Get off to a great start in your new job

The Welcome Compass helps you settle into your new role at the University of Vienna and life in Vienna.

If You Have Any Questions, Please Contact

Thomas Reinthaler

[e-mail]

We look forward to new personalities in our team!

The University of Vienna has an anti‑discriminatory employment policy and attaches great importance to equal opportunities, the advancement of women and diversity. We place particular emphasis on enhancing women’s representation among the academic and general university staff, particularly in leadership roles, and therefore expressly encourage qualified women to apply. Given equal qualifications, preference will be given to female candidates.

University of Vienna. Space for personalities. Since 1365.

Data protection

Application deadline

11/20/2026