Call for Research Project Applications - Ref. #01-25063

Senckenberg Gesellschaft fuer Naturforschung; Deutschland; Vor Ort; EUR 40.000 - 60.000; Vollzeit

Zusammenfassung

A leading research institution in biodiversity located in Germany is seeking applications for the Southeast-Asia Biocultural Evolution Research Fund for young scientists. The selected candidate will conduct research on human evolution with funding support of €75,000 per year for two years. Applicants must have a recent doctorate in relevant fields and demonstrate good English skills. This position is based in Frankfurt, Germany.

Qualifikationen

• Citizenship of a Southeast-Asian country required.
• Doctorate should be no older than 10 years.
• Affiliated to a university or official research institution.

Aufgaben

• Submit project applications for field and laboratory research.
• Outline project budget and timeline as part of application.
• Contribute to Senckenberg research programme on Biocultural Evolution.

Kenntnisse

Good command of English

Ausbildung

Doctorate in geosciences, life sciences, or archaeology

Jobbeschreibung

Organisation/Company Senckenberg Gesellschaft fuer Naturforschung Research Field Geosciences Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1) Positions PhD Positions Country Germany Application Deadline 30 Nov 2025 - 23:59 (Europe/Berlin) Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Not Applicable Offer Starting Date 1 Jan 2026 Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme Reference Number 01-25063 Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

Founded in 1817, Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung (SGN) 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. Our headquarter is located in the thriving commercial metropolis of Frankfurt (Mainhatten) in the heart of Germany, which also hosts one of our most famous facilities, the Senckenberg Natural History Museum.

The Senckenberg Society for Nature Research, the Daimler and Benz Foundation, Gerda Henkel Foundation and the Werner Reimers Foundation will jointly bestow the Southeast-Asia Biocultural Evolution Research Fund for 2026 - 2027 (“Research Fund”) for a research project in a thematic context of human evolution and palaeo-biodiversity in South-East-Asia.

At the Senckenberg Research Institute Frankfurt, we call for applications for

the Southeast-Asia Biocultural Evolution Research Fund 2026 - 2027

More than one million years ago, early hominins found their way from Africa via Central Asia to Southeast Asia, opening a new geographical chapter in the early prehistory and dispersal of members of the genus Homo. Many questions about the routes, how and when exactly these migrations took place, and about evolutionary biocultural implications involved in that important period of human prehistory remain to be answered. The scientific funding programme therefore invites young scientists in Southeast Asia to submit project applications for field and/or laboratory research, in particular for explorations and excavations of new fossil sites.

South-East-Asian palaeontological and palaeoanthropological research at the Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt goes back to pioneering works of the world-renowned palaeontologist Gustav Heinrich Ralph von Koenigswald, who joined Senckenberg in 1968, funded by the Werner Reimers Foundation.

The funding programme supports promising and creative research ideas offering to early-stage scientists (m/f/d) from a Southeast-Asian country up to 10 years after the doctorate to apply for an academic scholarship. Applicants may apply for costs for travels, accommodation, transports, fieldwork equipment and consumables, as well as allowances for field assistants, lab works, or own living expenses, publications and a scientific workshop / colloquium. Costs should be outlined along with a project timeline in a detailed budget plan submitted with the project description and objectives.

The methodological approach for the planned research project can be chosen freely within the context of human evolution in Southeast-Asia. The project should contribute to the Senckenberg research programme on Biocultural Evolution. Applicants must demonstrate a very good command of English.

• You are holding a citizenship of a Southeast-Asian country

• You have a doctorate in geosciences, life sciences, or archaeology

• The doctorate is no longer than 10 years ago

• You are affiliated to a university or an official research institution

Languages ENGLISH Level Good

Research Field Geosciences

Additional Information

The Research Fund comprises of € 75.000 per year, for two years, with a possible extension for an additional third year (pending on report output review). It may include travel, fieldwork and labwork expenses, allowances (up to € 2.500 per month) and budget for a project related research colloquium or workshop in Southeast-Asia or in Germany.

Selection process

Are you interested?

We look forward to your application documents (in English language) mentioning the reference number (ref. #01-25063) sent as a single PDF document until 30.11.2025by e-mail only.

Please include:

• Letter of motivation for your application for the Southeast-Asia Biocultural Evolution Fund 2026 - 2027
• Academic transcripts, grades and certification (e.g. Bachelor, Master, Diploma, PhD)
• Brief description of your current activities (studies or professional activities)
• Max. three-page outline of your planned research project, including detailed budget plan
• Letter of support (e.g. from a faculty member, supervisor or employer). This letter should be also written in English.
• Applicants must demonstrate good language skills in English, e.g. in form of a certificate from a language test or language course.

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 homepage at https://www.senckenberg.de/en/imprint

Additional comments

Location

Your home institution, and temporarily the Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum, Frankfurt

Type of contract

For the duration of the project affiliation with Senckenberg Society for Nature Research. Project Funding for 24 months / or: period from 01.01.2026 – 31.12.2027.

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.

Work Location(s)

Number of offers available 1 Company/Institute Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung Country Germany State/Province Hessen City Frankfurt am Main Postal Code 60325 Frankfurt am Main Street Senckenberganlage 25 Geofield