Research Associate (m/f/d)

Rheinland-Pfälzische Techn. Univers. Kaiserslautern-Landau Standort Landau; Landau in der Pfalz; In loco; EUR 42.000 - 54.000; Part-time

Vantaggi offerti da questo lavoro

Salary according TVöD/TV-L E13 (65%)

Interdisciplinary team

International collaboration

Graduate training

Descrizione del lavoro

The Rheinland-Pfälzische Technische Universität Kaiserslautern-Landau (RPTU) invites applications for a PhD position in the Energy Structures: Energy Sustains Dissipative Structures in Soil Systems project, hosted across Landau and UFZ Leipzig. The role blends experimental calorespirometry development with thermodynamic modelling of soil carbon storage.

You will work with cutting-edge calorimetry systems, collaborate across disciplines and institutions, publish results, and contribute to the DFG

Competenze

• Master's degree or equivalent in a related field.
• Interest in interdisciplinary soil science research.
• Willingness to work with novel analytical methods.

Mansioni

• Contribute to understanding carbon and energy fluxes in soils.
• Develop and refine calorespirometric methods at RPTU Landau.
• Collaborate across Landau and UFZ Leipzig and publish results.

Conoscenze

Soil science

Environmental sciences

Interdisciplinary work

English (written)

Calorimetry

Thermodynamics

Formazione

Master's degree or equivalent in soil science, environmental sciences, biochemistry, biology, chemistry, or a related field

Strumenti

Calorimetry

IMC

TG-DSC-QMS

Descrizione del lavoro

With about 15,000 students, more than 300 professorships and around 160 degree programs, the RPTU University Kaiserslautern-Landau is the technical university of the state of Rhineland-Palatinate. As a place of top international research, it offers excellent working conditions and career opportunities. Those who study, research or work at RPTU experience a cosmopolitan environment and shape the future.

As part of the DFG-funded project Energy Structures: Energy Sustains Dissipative Structures in Soil Systems (https://soilsystems.net/projects-partners/2-p1-energy-structures/), the RPTU in Landau and the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) in Leipzig jointly offer a PhD position.

Place of work:

50% at RPTU in Landau (32.5%) and 50% at UFZ in Leipzig (32.5%), according to agreement and project requirements

Your area of responsibility:

The aim of the project is to understand how and under which conditions carbon and energy are transformed and stored in soils. Through incubation experiments and thermodynamic modelling, you will quantify matter and energy fluxes and characterize their efficiency and limitations. In doing so, you will investigate how energy inputs from organic substrates affect dissipative processes in soil microbial communities and whether dissipative structures develop in soils that govern matter and energy fluxes and thereby promote soil carbon storage.

To achieve this aim, you will primarily work with a newly developed calorespirometric system at RPTU in Landau, which you will also further develop. In Leipzig, you will work with a newly developed plug‑flow reaction calorimeter at UFZ. The measurements will be complemented by key chemical and biological analyses of the soil and its microbial community, including isothermal microcalorimetry (IMC), thermogravimetry–differential scanning calorimetry–quadrupole mass spectrometry (TG‑DSC‑QMS), phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) analyses, elemental analyses and molecular biological analyses.

The project is part of the DFG Priority Programme SPP 2322 SoilSystems (https://soilsystems.net/). You will benefit from the interdisciplinary collaboration within the programme's nationwide research consortium. Close collaboration, in particular with Trier University, is also planned.

We offer:

• Top-level research at the interface between research centre and university, with an excellent reputation nationally and internationally
• The opportunity to benefit from the expertise of two research institutions
• Excellent technical infrastructure and equipment
• Work in interdisciplinary and international teams
• Excellent connections to national and international research networks
• Comprehensive support and optimal training courses by our graduate schools (HIGRADE at UFZ and ZGaPL at RPTU)
• Salary according to the German public sector pay scale TVöD/TV‑L, pay grade E13 (65%)

Your requirements profile:

• Master's degree or equivalent in soil science, environmental sciences, biochemistry, biology, chemistry, or a related field
• Strong interest in complex and interdisciplinary processes in soil systems
• Interest, willingness and ability to integrate new scientific concepts into soil science research
• Prior experience in one or more of the following areas is an advantage, but not a prerequisite: soil science, environmental microbiology, calorimetry, and thermodynamics; Willingness to expand your expertise into complementary fields is expected
• Curiosity and openness to learning new methods, critically evaluating and further developing existing approaches, and exploring new methodological solutions
• Willingness to independently learn new methods, troubleshoot and develop creative solutions to methodological challenges
• Openness to incorporating modelling approaches and aspects of microbial ecology into your research
• Willingness to work in an interdisciplinary and international team
• Very good written and spoken English skills

More informations given on our homepage: https://jobs.rptu.de/jobposting/f03b170329d9425cfa5355ad0c4fe4ba72fea9bb0

Application deadline: 15.11.2026 at the latest.

The job interviews are scheduled to take place in calendar weeks 48 and 49.