Scientist in full time "GAIA Mission"

Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW) in the Forschungsverbund Berlin e.V.; Berlin; Vor Ort; EUR 55.000 - 75.000; Vollzeit

Benefits dieser Stelle

Full-time position with flexible hours

Salary in line with public collective bargaining law (TVöD)

Company pension scheme (VBL)

30 days holiday per year

Free admission to Tierpark Berlin

Pension scheme (VBL)

Zusammenfassung

A leading research institute in wildlife conservation in Berlin is seeking a full-time Scientist to contribute to the GAIA-MISSION project, focusing on wildlife research and technology development. The role involves analyzing data on carnivores and scavenger behavior, supervising students, and exploring innovative conservation strategies. Applicants should have a PhD in wildlife biology or ecology, programming skills in R and/or Python, and be fluent in English. This position offers an international working environment and competitive salary based on qualifications.

Qualifikationen

• Completed PhD in wildlife biology or ecology (or related discipline).
• Experience in spatial data analysis in biology or ecology.
• Programming skills in R and/or Python, ideally with machine learning experience.
• High interest and experience in researching birds and mammals.
• Intrinsic motivation to think freely and inspire the team.
• Flexibility and ability to work in an international team.
• Excellent command of English, both written and spoken.

Aufgaben

• Contribute to the scientific agenda of the GAIA-MISSION project.
• Analyze project data on carnivores and scavengers.
• Collaborate with the project’s scientific team.
• Supervise Master and PhD students.
• Explore new conservation applications.
• Engage in scientific publishing.

Kenntnisse

Spatial data analysis

Programming skills in R

Programming skills in Python

Researching birds and mammals

Collaboration in an international team

Ausbildung

PhD in wildlife biology or ecology

Tools

R

Python

Machine Learning

Jobbeschreibung

Overview

The Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (Leibniz-IZW) in the Forschungsverbund Berlin e.V., a part of the Leibniz Association, aims to understand and, where possible, ‘improve’ the adaptive capacity of wild animals to cope with global change. To this end, it focuses on the diversity of lifestyles, diseases and mechanisms of evolutionary adaptation of mammals and birds, on the limits of these mechanisms in natural and anthropogenically influenced environments, and on conservation strategies that take these into account. The Institute fulfils this mission through long-term, application-oriented, interdisciplinary basic research in evolutionary ecology, ecological dynamics, evolutionary genetics, wildlife diseases, reproductive biology and reproductive management.

For our Department of Evolutionary Ecology, we are seeking to appoint a

Scientist (m/f/div) in full time

in the third-party funded project “GAIA-MISSION”. The project is a follow-up project within the GAIA Initiative that combines wildlife research, technology development and effective conservation work. By bringing together the evolutionary intelligence of animals (mainly carnivores and scavengers), machine learning for behaviour classification and image recognition, and human intelligence, GAIA aims at creating a high-tech early warning system powered by satellite communication that can detect environmental changes and critical ecological incidents.

The position is an opportunity for Postdocs in wildlife biology or ecology (or closely related discipline) with a focus on movement ecology, spatial data analysis and/or scavenger/carnivore systems.

Responsibilities

• Working within and contributing to the scientific agenda of the project in the framework of the applied and granted GAIA-MISSION project.
• Analysing project data an carnivores and scavengers (e.g. lions, hyenas, ravens, albatrosses) from a holistic ecosystem perspective.
• Collaborating with the project’s scientific team.
• Supervising Master and PhD students.
• Exploring new science-based conservation applications.
• Scientific publishing.

Requirements

• Completed PhD in wildlife biology or ecology (or closely related discipline).
• Experience in spatial data analysis in a biological or ecological context.
• Programming skills in R and/or Python and ideally experience in machine learning.
• High interest and, ideally, experience researching birds and mammals.
• Intrinsic motivation to think freely, carve out your own niche and inspire the team.
• Flexibility and ability to work in an international team.
• Excellent command of the English language, both written and spoken.

Our offer

• An interesting and responsible position with room for manoeuvre in an international and dynamic scientific working environment in a beautiful location right next to the Tierpark Berlin-Friedrichsfelde.
• A comprehensive induction programme and a well-functioning team that will be happy to support you.
• Working on an equal footing between all those involved and respectful co-operation within the team.
• A full-time employment relationship of 39 hours per week in flexitime with part-time option.
• A salary in accordance with the public collective bargaining law TVöD (Bund) with an annual bonus payment. Depending on qualifications, experience and the tasks assigned, you will be graded up to pay group E13.
• Company pension scheme (VBL) and subsidised capital-forming benefits (VWL).
• Flexible working hours and possibility of mobile working to allow scope for work-life balance.
• 30 days holiday per calendar year, based on a 5-day week. In addition, 24 December and 31 December are days off.
• Excellent connectivity with public transport, to underground stations Tierpark (U5) or Friedrichsfelde-Ost (S5, S7, S75), as well as three tram lines and several bus routes.
• Employer subsidy for the annual public transport ‘job ticket’.
• Free admission to the Tierpark (current agreement between Leibniz-IZW and Tierpark Berlin) from Monday to Friday.

Owing to being a third-party funded project, this is a limited job offer. The position should preferably be filled as soon as possible and is initially limited until 31 July 2027. An extension for another 18 months directly following the first phase is being aimed for and highly likely.

We welcome applications regardless of gender, origin, sexual orientation and religion. Disabled persons will be given preferential consideration in case of equal suitability. The IZW lives the principles enshrined by the German “Charta of Diversity” (“Charta der Vielfalt”), has a diversity and inclusion strategy, is "Total-E-Quality" certified, promotes equality and actively supports a work-life balance. We promote diversity, so please convince us with your quality and competence.

Enquiries or questions should be directed Dr. Jörg Melzheimer (he) by email ([e-mail]), head of the GAIA Initiative at the Leibniz-IZW.

Are you interested

Then please apply by 8 Feb 2026 and submit your complete and informative application via our recruitment platform at 8 Feb 2026 including:

1. Short letter of motivation, highlighting your skills for this position
2. Resume (maximum 3 pages)
3. Digital copies of relevant degree/s
4. List of publications
5. "Arbeitszeugnisse” and/or recommendation letters and/or references

We look forward to receiving your application!