Independent Junior Group Leader Research Position in Practice-led Public Engagement

Independent Junior Group Leader Research Position in Practice-led Public Engagement Specialty General medicine, Internal medicine Apply now Work time full-time Start date As soon as possible Employment period limited Application deadline Deployment location Charité Campus Charité Mitte; Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Wedding; Campus Benjamin Franklin, Steglitz Jobcode 7474 Salary group E15 Working at Charité The Berlin Hub for Science and Society (BHS2) is an integral bridging programme of the newly established Cluster of Excellence ImmunoPreCept, which explores the health–disease bifurcation for cell-based molecular prevention and interceptive medicine. Within this Cluster, BHS2 strengthens structured, evidence-based connections between biomedical research and society. Overview of the position The Berlin Hub for Science and Society (BHS2) is an integral bridging programme of the newly established Cluster of Excellence ImmunoPreCept, which explores the health–disease bifurcation for cell-based molecular prevention and interceptive medicine. Within this Cluster, BHS2 strengthens structured, evidence-based connections between biomedical research and society. BHS2 conceptualises public engagement as both a field of research and a practice within biomedical research ecosystems and investigates how engagement shapes (i) research trajectories and innovation dynamics, (ii) researcher competencies and institutional research culture, (iii) societal attitudes, health-related behaviours and trust formation, and (iv) policy discourses and evidence-informed decision-making. Our work is explicitly practice-led and research-informed, generating empirical evidence from engagement practice while also translating research insights into institutional and sector-leading approaches. The Cluster of Excellence ImmunoPreCept including BHS2 invite applications from outstanding individuals with a strong track record of impactful research and practice in science communication and public engagement with research (SCaPE). The successful candidate will establish and lead an independent junior research group with a clearly articulated, practice-inspired, and empirically grounded research agenda in public engagement research. The position offers a unique opportunity to shape an emerging field at the intersection of biomedical innovation, science–society relations, and institutional transformation within a dynamic interdisciplinary Cluster focused on precision prevention and interceptive medicine. This role involves both intellectual leadership and operational responsibility. The group leader will manage and further develop BHS2 as a recognized centre of excellence in practice-led public engagement research, strengthening its visibility and influence across academic, policy, and practitioner communities. The position includes active supervision of doctoral researchers and contributions to graduate training within the Cluster. You are engaged in academic work: Under Section 110(4), third sentence, the Berlin Higher Education Act provides for academic staff to be allocated a reasonable amount of time during working hours for their own further academic development. What we are looking for The successful candidate will be expected to: Shape and lead a novel research and innovation area at the interface of biomedical science and society, translating empirical insights into impactful engagement practices and institutional strategies Identify critical gaps within current SCaPE practice that would benefit from robust empirical investigation Develop an independent and internationally visible research program on science–society relations, responsible innovation, and health communication, closely connected to cutting-edge biomedical research and real-world societal challenges Build a strong interdisciplinary network and research group by collaborating with ImmunoPreCept investigators and establishing partnerships across biomedical sciences, social sciences, clinical practice, and societal stakeholders in Berlin and beyond Research Scope ImmunoPreCept advances a paradigm shift from treating manifest disease to intervening at the level of early molecular deviation, often before symptoms arise. This transformation raises profound societal, professional, ethical, and epistemic questions. The group leader is expected to develop a research program that critically examines the challenges associated with molecular prevention, pre-symptomatic intervention, and the integration of new biomedical avenues into healthcare systems, public discourse, and professional practice, such as: Societal and ethical dimensions of molecular prevention, including the negotiation of concepts such as “pre-disease” and “molecular risk,” and the implications of early, risk-based interventions for autonomy, responsibility, and clinical decision-making Challenges in science communication, trust, and misinformation in contested biomedical domains, as well as challenges in integra