Leading Scientist (f/m/x) in Soil Biogeochemistry Research

UFZ; Halle (Saale); Hybrid; EUR 70,000 - 98,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Line management responsibility

Mentoring and leadership training

International networking

Flexible working arrangements

Access to excellent research infra

Job summary

Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) in Halle (Saale) seeks a Leading Scientist to pioneer research on mineral-associated organic matter, soil fertility, and carbon storage. The role includes tenure-track potential and leadership of a research group at UFZ's Bad Lauchstädt platforms.

You will develop a robust, international research program, secure funding from EU/DFG, supervise doctoral researchers, and drive strategic collaborations while shaping the group’s scientific trajectory.

Qualifications

• PhD in soil science, geoecology or related field.
• Strong publication record relevant to career stage.
• Experience in coordinating experimental research projects.
• Hands-on experience with analytical methods in soil biogeochemistry and lab management.

Responsibilities

• Develop and lead the research on mineral-associated organic matter, soil fertility, and carbon storage.
• Secure third-party funding to staff a dedicated research group.
• Lead the research group and manage personnel, finances, and infrastructure.
• Coordinate development of analytical methods and SOPs with the department.
• Disseminate findings through publications, UFZ presentations, and international talks.

Skills

Research leadership

Fundraising

International collaboration

Communication skills

English proficiency

Supervision of students

Statistical analysis

Project management

Soil biogeochemistry methods

Education

PhD in soil science/geoecology or related

Job description

Leading Scientist (f/m/x) in Soil Biogeochemistry Research

Place of work

Halle (Saale) , Flexible and mobile working arrangements are supported in accordance with institutional policies.

Working time

100% (39 h/week)

The job position is available for full-time or part-time employment.

Contract limitations

limited contract/ The position offers a tenure track perspective. The fixed-term contract (initially 3 years and further 3 years after positive interim evaluation) will be based on the individual candidate's circumstances.

Salary

Remuneration according to the TVöD public-sector up to pay grade 13 including attractive public-sector social security benefits.

Contact

Your contact for any questions you may have about the job:
Marion Schrumpf
marion.schrumpf[at]ufz.de

Diversity and Inclusion

The UFZ values diversity and is actively committed to ensuring equal opportunities for all employees, regardless of their origin, religion, beliefs, disability, age or sexual identity.
We welcome people who represent diverse backgrounds, identities and perspectives. We therefore particularly encourage people who are affected by structural discrimination to apply to us.

The UFZ

The Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) is a world-leading institution in environmental research and a member of the Helmholtz Association, Germany’s largest scientific organisation. With approximately 1,200 employees across Leipzig, Halle, and Magdeburg, we have been conducting research since 1991 using a transdisciplinary approach to address the most pressing challenges of our time: biodiversity loss, climate change, and environmental pollution. Our goal is to translate excellent research into practical solutions for policymakers, business, and society, and to serve as a reliable partner in supporting transformation processes toward a sustainable and just future for current and future generations. We foster a culture of collaboration, openness, and diversity within a work environment that actively promotes creativity and personal development.

The job

To pioneer outstanding research on mineral-associated organic matter, soil fertility and carbon storage, e.g. at UFZ´s unique long-term platforms in Bad Lauchstädt, including the Global Change Experimental Facility (GCEF), the UFZ is seeking an excellent leader for the 6-year project "The Stable Soil Carbon Store: Formation, Persistence and Potential of Mineral-Associated Organic Matter under Agricultural and Forest Management". The project is structured into two three-year phases, with the second phase contingent on a successful interim evaluation. The position offers a tenure-track perspective.

Your tasks

• Research Concept & International Collaboration
  Develop and design key research questions within the three focus areas
  (i) mineral associated organic matter (MAOM) formation and stability under different management and environmental conditions
  (ii) microbial drivers of MAOM dynamics and plant nutrient supply
  (iii) management strategies to promote MAOM accrual for soil fertility, resilience and carbon storage
  and establish international research collaborations in these areas.
• Third-Party Funding Acquisition
  Secure third-party research funding (e.g., from the EU, DFG, or BMFTR) sufficient to establish and staff a dedicated research group supporting the project's focus areas (i)-(iii).
• Scientific Leadership
  Lead the research group and manage its resources supporting the project's focus areas (i)-(iii), including co-supervision of doctoral researchers and responsible planning, coordination, and oversight of personnel, financial, and infrastructure resources for the research group and, where relevant, the research infrastructure.
• Coordination & Management of the Research Infrastructure
  Strategically develop the required analytical methods and laboratory equipment, establish new standard operating procedures (SOPs) and quality assurance measures, and ensure the effective operation and needs-based adaptation of analytical procedures, in coordination with the department.
• Public Engagement & Dissemination
  Communicate the project's research findings through peer-reviewed publications, internal UFZ presentations, and international conference talks. Transfer scientific findings into policy, industry, and society, and initiate and maintain strategic collaborations.

We offer

• Line management responsibility for your own working group and a voice in strategic and financial decisions at department level
• Active integration into leading national and international research networks and support in building your professional profile
• Freedom to shape your own research agenda between basic and applied sciences, embedded in strong scientific networks
• Access to excellent research infrastructure and a well-equipped technical working environment to support your research
• Active mentoring and leadership training
• Clear target agreements and regular feedback discussions to support your ongoing career development
• A supportive, flexible working environment with strong support for work-life balance, accommodating individual needs, as well as support for international staff
• A vibrant region with high quality of life and cultural diversity

Your profile

• PhD in soil science, geoecology or a related field, with sound knowledge of soil biology, soil mineralogy and organic chemistry relevant to the study of soil organic matter
• Research expertise and an excellent publication record relative to your career stage in at least one of the following areas:
  • the assessment and turnover of soil organic carbon in bulk soil and in physical or chemical fractions;
  • the mechanisms of organic carbon stabilization, particularly in association with minerals;
  • the interactions between carbon and nutrient cycling;
  • the role of microbial communities in the formation and turnover of soil organic matter
• Experience in designing and coordinating experimental research projects, ideally including field experiments
• Hands-on experience with key analytical methods in soil biogeochemistry (e.g., elemental and isotope analysis, physical and chemical fractionation, spectroscopic or molecular methods) and, ideally, in managing laboratory instrumentation and quality assurance
• Strong statistical skills and an interest in collaborating with modelling experts
• Good record of third-party funding acquisition in relation to career stage (e.g., own grants, fellowships or significant contributions to funded proposals)
• Experience in (international) scientific cooperation, e.g., within project groups or scientific networks, and strong teamwork skills
• Experience in supervision (Bachelor, Master, and/or PhD) and/or leadership responsibilities
• Well-developed communication skills, including the ability to convey research findings to non-academic audiences
• Excellent written and spoken English skills

The UFZ

The Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) is a world-leading institution in environmental research and a member of the Helmholtz Association, Germany’s largest scientific organisation. With approximately 1,200 employees across Leipzig, Halle, and Magdeburg, we have been conducting research since 1991 using a transdisciplinary approach to address the most pressing challenges of our time: biodiversity loss, climate change, and environmental pollution. Our goal is to translate excellent research into practical solutions for policymakers, business, and society, and to serve as a reliable partner in supporting transformation processes toward a sustainable and just future for current and future generations. We foster a culture of collaboration, openness, and diversity within a work environment that actively promotes creativity and personal development.

The job

To pioneer outstanding research on mineral-associated organic matter, soil fertility and carbon storage, e.g. at UFZ´s unique long-term platforms in Bad Lauchstädt, including the Global Change Experimental Facility (GCEF), the UFZ is seeking an excellent leader for the 6-year project "The Stable Soil Carbon Store: Formation, Persistence and Potential of Mineral-Associated Organic Matter under Agricultural and Forest Management". The project is structured into two three-year phases, with the second phase contingent on a successful interim evaluation. The position offers a tenure-track perspective.

Your tasks

• Research Concept & International Collaboration
  Develop and design key research questions within the three focus areas
  (i) mineral associated organic matter (MAOM) formation and stability under different management and environmental conditions
  (ii) microbial drivers of MAOM dynamics and plant nutrient supply
  (iii) management strategies to promote MAOM accrual for soil fertility, resilience and carbon storage
  and establish international research collaborations in these areas.

• Third-Party Funding Acquisition
  Secure third-party research funding (e.g., from the EU, DFG, or BMFTR) sufficient to establish and staff a dedicated research group supporting the project's focus areas (i)-(iii).
• Scientific Leadership
  Lead the research group and manage its resources supporting the project's focus areas (i)-(iii), including co-supervision of doctoral researchers and responsible planning, coordination, and oversight of personnel, financial, and infrastructure resources for the research group and, where relevant, the research infrastructure.
• Coordination & Management of the Research Infrastructure
  Strategically develop the required analytical methods and laboratory equipment, establish new standard operating procedures (SOPs) and quality assurance measures, and ensure the effective operation and needs-based adaptation of analytical procedures, in coordination with the department.
• Public Engagement & Dissemination
  Communicate the project's research findings through peer-reviewed publications, internal UFZ presentations, and international conference talks. Transfer scientific findings into policy, industry, and society, and initiate and maintain strategic collaborations.

We offer

• Line management responsibility for your own working group and a voice in strategic and financial decisions at department level
• Active integration into leading national and international research networks and support in building your professional profile
• Freedom to shape your own research agenda between basic and applied sciences, embedded in strong scientific networks
• Access to excellent research infrastructure and a well-equipped technical working environment to support your research
• Active mentoring and leadership training
• Clear target agreements and regular feedback discussions to support your ongoing career development
• A supportive, flexible working environment with strong support for work-life balance, accommodating individual needs, as well as support for international staff
• A vibrant region with high quality of life and cultural diversity

Your profile

• PhD in soil science, geoecology or a related field, with sound knowledge of soil biology, soil mineralogy and organic chemistry relevant to the study of soil organic matter
• Research expertise and an excellent publication record relative to your career stage in at least one of the following areas:
  • the assessment and turnover of soil organic carbon in bulk soil and in physical or chemical fractions;
  • the mechanisms of organic carbon stabilization, particularly in association with minerals;
  • the interactions between carbon and nutrient cycling;
  • the role of microbial communities in the formation and turnover of soil organic matter
• Experience in designing and coordinating experimental research projects, ideally including field experiments
• Hands-on experience with key analytical methods in soil biogeochemistry (e.g., elemental and isotope analysis, physical and chemical fractionation, spectroscopic or molecular methods) and, ideally, in managing laboratory instrumentation and quality assurance
• Strong statistical skills and an interest in collaborating with modelling experts
• Good record of third-party funding acquisition in relation to career stage (e.g., own grants, fellowships or significant contributions to funded proposals)
• Experience in (international) scientific cooperation, e.g., within project groups or scientific networks, and strong teamwork skills
• Experience in supervision (Bachelor, Master, and/or PhD) and/or leadership responsibilities
• Well-developed communication skills, including the ability to convey research findings to non-academic audiences
• Excellent written and spoken English skills

Further information on the job and the application

The anticipated starting date is March 1, 2027.

Applications must be submitted by November 22, 2026.

Short interviews are planned to take place online on November 27 and30, 2026, followed by in-person interviews at UFZ Halle on December 18, 2026. As part of the selection process, candidates invited to the in-person interviews on December 18 are asked to deliver a presentation outlining their vision for the position and their strategic approach to developing their research programme, followed by a structured interview with the committee.

Please note that external experts will support the selection process alongside UFZ representatives.

Outstanding performance in fulfilling the project may provide the opportunity to obtain a permanent position.