Lab Head (m/f/d) – Surgical Research (Oncoimmunology and Tumor Metabolism for Colorectal Cancer)

The Department of General and Visceral Surgery (Head: Prof. Dr. Stefan Fichtner-Feigl), University Medical Center Freiburg offers as soon as possible the position of a

Lab Head (m/f/d) – Surgical Research (Oncoimmunology and Tumor Metabolism for Colorectal Cancer) About us:

• The Department of General and Visceral Surgery conducts basic, translational, and clinical research at the interface of immunology and oncology with a strong focus on colorectal cancer (CRC) and the tumor microenvironment, including microbiome-driven mechanisms, murine and human organoid systems, and cutting-edge next-generation sequencing approaches.
• You will work in an international, interdisciplinary environment together with basic scientists, surgeons, clinician scientists, and bioinformaticians.

Your role:

• Lead and strategically develop a laboratory program in surgical research focused on oncoimmunology and tumor metabolism in colorectal cancer within the scientific framework of TRR417 (
• Design and execute high-impact basic and translational studies interrogating the CRC tumor microenvironment, immune modulation, and metabolic crosstalk
• Establish, optimize, and supervise advanced model systems
• Murine in vivo models (including transgenic/knockout lines)
• Human organoid platforms, including murine organoid-driven metastatic CRC mouse models and ex vivo tissue culture workflows
• Oversee high-end next-generation sequencing pipelines
• Single-cell multi-omics (e.g., scRNA-seq and related modalities) and spatial transcriptomics
• Coordinate data generation with bioinformatics partners and ensure reproducible analysis pipelines in line with TRR417 standards
• Build and manage compliant biobanking workflows (solid tissue and liquid biospecimens)
• Drive collaborative projects within TRR417; ensure scientific fit and active contribution to the consortium’s objectives
• Mentor and supervise team members (PhD students, postdocs, technicians); foster an inclusive, high-performance lab culture
• Contribute to grant applications, reporting duties, and high-quality scientific publications

Your profile:

• PhD/Dr. rer. nat. (or equivalent) and completed postdoctoral training
• Proven expertise in:
  • Oncoimmunology and/or tumor metabolism with a strong scientific track record; prior experience in colorectal cancer research is advantageous but not mandatory
  • Murine experimental models and human organoid systems
  • High-end NGS: single-cell and spatial technologies
  • Biobanking of solid and liquid specimens
• strong publication record commensurate with a lab leadership role; experience in third-party funding is an advantage
• demonstrated ability to lead teams, manage complex projects, and collaborate across disciplines (wet lab, clinical, and computational)
• excellent communication skills in English; German language skills are a plus but not mandatory
• clear motivation and concept for aligning your research with the aims of TRR417; please outline this fit in your cover letter

We offer:

• an exciting leadership role in an internationally visible research environment with state-of-the-art infrastructure
• close collaboration with partners in TRR417 across immunology, oncology, microbiology, and bioinformatics
• an interdisciplinary team culture spanning basic scientists, surgeons, clinician scientists, and bioinformaticians
• Employment, salary, and benefits according to the German public sector (TV-L) pay scale
• unless prevented by operational or legal reasons, full-time positions are generally open to job sharing; where candidates are equally suitable, severely disabled applicants will be given priority. Employment decisions are made by the Personnel Department.

General information: Salary is assigned according to a pay scale. Unless prevented by operational or legal reasons, full-time positions are generally open to those wishing to job share. Where two candidates are equally suitable for a post, severelydisabled