Stellenausschreibungen

As part of the second funding phase, the International Doctorate Program "Measuring and Modelling Mountain Glaciers and ice caps in a Changing Climate" (IDP M³OCCA) at the Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) announces

The Doctorate Program aims at developing methods, sensors and models for improved monitoring and understanding of glacier changes. The individual doctoral projects range from the further development of a multi-frequency digital radar system and tomographic SAR methods for deriving snow and firn structures, to machine learning approaches for analyzing satellite data and radargrams with regard to various glaciological variables. Further subprojects will focus on improving geophysical models concerning glacier ice dynamics, snow drift and local meteorology, and firn densification. In addition, one project addresses the closer integration of ice-dynamic modeling and permafrost research in high alpine environments. Accordingly, the IDP brings together expertise from Geography, Geosciences, Geophysics, Computer Science, and Electrical Engineering.

The program is funded by the Elite Network Bavaria of the Bavarian State Ministry of Science and the Arts, and is coordinated at FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg with joint participation of the Technical University Munich, the Bavarian Academy of Sciences and the German Aerospace Center in Oberpfaffenhofen. The accompanying training program includes content from all participating disciplines, offered through colloquia, workshops, and research retreats.

Notwendige Qualifikationen:

• Successfully completed Master's degree. Applicants from universities outside Germany must hold the equivalent of a Master's degree
• Good reporting and presentation skills
• Good proficiency in German or English (CEFR level C1)
• Ability to work independently, to critically assess own results and to cooperate within a wider research team across disciplines
• More required skills are listed for the individual announcements of the subproject

Befristetes Forschungsvorhaben

The working language within the IDP is English. More information on the IDP, the specific descriptions of the subprojects and the contact details of the respective supervisor can be found under https://www.idp-mocca.forschung.fau.de/job-announcements/

All positions run for 4 years and are set to begin on 1 June 2026.

Vollzeit-/Teilzeitstelle: 75%/100%

Institut für Geographie der Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg

The successful candidate will join our dynamic academic community to conduct and publish outstanding research, deliver excellent teaching at both undergraduate and graduate levels, and evelop their academic profile at the intersection of Cultural Geography and Nature-Society Geography. We especially welcome applicants with an interest in environmental challenges and who are keen to develop expertise in areas such as urban political ecology, climate urbanism, critical infrastructure studies, critical landscape studies, sound studies and sensory geographies, digital ecologies, posthuman/animal geographies, and/or environmental inequalities and justice.

This is a 65% full-time equivalent (FTE) position, based on a fixed three-year contract with the possibility of further extension. Remuneration is in accordance with pay grade E13 of the German public-sector collective agreement (TV-L). The envisioned start date is 1 February 2026.

Job description

• Working as doctoral researcher you will develop, implement, and write a doctoral dissertation corresponding to the profile of the Society-Environment Research Group.
• You will co-author and single author peer-reviewed publications in international academic journals and present research results at international conferences
• You will plan, administer, and deliver classes of 3,25 lecture hours per week (SWS). Your teaching and supervision efforts will mainly be centred on students pursuing degrees in cultural

geography.

• You will take on responsibility for a fair share of administrative and organisational tasks at the Chair in Cultural Geography and Society-Environment Research and contribute to academic self-management at the Institute of Geography.

Notwendige Qualifikationen:

• has successfully completed a university degree (MA/MSc., Magister, Diploma) with excellent results in human geography or a related field such as urban studies, political ecology, environmental humanities, anthropology, sociology
• has excellent written and spoken English language skills (incl. academic writing) and has good knowledge of German or willingness to learn German (CEFR B2 certificate after three years)
• is able to work independently, as well as collaboratively within an international research team
• has proven knowledge of working empirically with qualitative social science/human geographical research methods (e.g., successfully completed methods seminars)
• has enthusiasm for and ideally some experience in university teaching

What we offer

• This 3-year 65% doctoral position comes with an internationally competitive salary, stipulated in accordance with the German collective agreement for the public sector (TV-L E13; minimum gross salary: 37,500€ p.a.)
• A fully equipped workplace at the Institute for Geography
• You will have the chance to collaborate and exploit synergies between your own work and ongoing projects of the Society-Environment Research Group and its affiliated leading international scholars.
• As member of the newly established Society-Environment Research Group, you will have the opportunity to shape its future research and teaching activities, collaborate on grant applications, design workshops and conferences, and develop innovative outreach formats (e.g., film screenings, public talks, exhibitions, podcasts) together with the other members of the group.
• You will be encouraged to vigorously pursue your own ideas, strengthen your track record of independent academic publications, and energetically advance your own academic career.
• You will receive supervision and support in your academic career development by the Chair, Professor Sandra Jasper, who has an exceptionally successful track record of mentoring early career researchers (DFG Walter-Benjamin, Alexander-von-Humboldt-Fellowship, DAAD Professorship).
• Generous support for participation in a wide range of national and international conferences, workshops and methods-training courses.
• A high level of freedom when it comes to establishing your work processes with flexible working hours, remote work options, and excellent family-work compatibility

As the FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg wishes to raise the proportion of women in research and teaching, female academics are expressly encouraged to apply. Furthermore, this post is suitable for those who are registered disabled. Registered disabled persons are given preference over non-disabled applicants who do not otherwise have statutory preferential status if their overall personal aptitudes, skills and qualifications are equal.

Biointerfaces Lab is offering

The thesis will include evaluation of solubility and biocompatibility of caryophyllene, caryolanol and three caryolanol derivatives (acetate, amide and thiol), followed by the dose-response study of the TRPV1 activity isolated in HEK293 cells. If the time allows, the model system will be evaluated in primary neurons.

The new Sesquiterpenoid modulators are derivatives of caryolanol, which is formed in the body during digestion from caryophyllene and modulates GABAA receptors. Caryolanol and its derivatives could also be promising modulators of the TRPV1 ion channel and may have important role in controlling neuronal processes, such as pain reception.