Christoph Scherber

The University of Bonn, a renowned international research university in Germany, in collaboration with the Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change (LIB), is offering a part-time (65%) Research Assistant position for doctoral candidates. This opportunity is within the DFG-funded Cluster of Excellence "PhenoRob – Robotics and Phenotyping for Sustainable Crop Production" (EXC2070/2) in Core Project 5. The research focuses on the technological development of novel approaches for automated biodiversity monitoring in the field, collecting and analyzing data on biodiversity and the effects of diversified cropping systems on ecosystem processes and interaction networks between organisms. Key research areas include biodiversity monitoring, robotics, phenotyping, ecology, agricultural sciences, environmental technology, and engineering sciences. The successful candidate will conduct independent research as part of their dissertation, design and analyze ecological field experiments, process field and laboratory data, perform statistical evaluations, publish results, and collaborate in project organization. The position offers the opportunity to pursue a doctorate, participate in a company pension scheme, access university sports activities, and benefit from flexible working hours and remote work options. Applicants must hold a master's degree in biology, ecology, agricultural sciences, or related fields, possess knowledge in measurement or environmental technology, and have species knowledge in at least one group (plants, insects, birds). Excellent English skills and a team-oriented, flexible attitude are essential. The University of Bonn is committed to diversity and equal opportunities, encouraging applications from women and candidates with disabilities. Applications should be submitted by 17 February 2026, quoting the reference number PhenoRob2/CP5, in PDF format to Prof. Dr. Christoph Scherber at [email protected]. For more details, contact Prof. Scherber directly.

FoodDiverse CRC 1780 at the University of Bonn is recruiting 24 doctoral researchers and 8 postdoctoral researchers in the broader field of sustainable food systems and food system diversification . The programme is funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) and is organized around projects in Germany and Ghana, in close partnership with the University of Ghana. Research topics span agricultural economics , agronomy , soil health , biodiversity , agroforestry , nutrition , public health , environmental economics , bioinformatics , molecular microbial ecology , remote sensing , machine learning , and statistics . Examples of open positions include doctoral roles in soil and plant nutrient analysis, soil ecology, crop science/agronomy, biodiversity research, agroforestry, agricultural economics, and environmental economics, plus postdoctoral roles in bioinformatics and molecular microbial ecology and in agricultural economics. The projects examine how diversification affects soil and plant biodiversity, ecosystem services, dietary diversity, human health, resilience, market outcomes, and policy impacts. Applicants should match the project-specific expertise requested in each call, such as laboratory analysis, fieldwork, geospatial analysis, statistical modeling, econometrics, or machine learning. The page notes that detailed project descriptions and further instructions are available on the application portal. Deadline: applications are welcome until 14 June 2026 . How to apply: visit the FoodDiverse application portal, review the project list, and submit your application according to the instructions provided on the page.