Doctoral School of Microbiology and Environmental Science - Doctoral Positions (STEM CALL 2026)

Your personal sphere of influence:Project background: Microorganisms in drylands must endure long periods of drought, interrupted by unpredictable and very short periods of rain. Dormancy – a state of reduced metabolic activity – has long been regarded as a prerequisite for desert soil microorganisms to survive such drought periods. However, as dormancy cannot be sustained indefinitely, phases of resuscitation must also play an important role for long-term survival of desert soil microorganisms and thus for maintaining microbial diversity in one of the harshest environments on the planet. This PhD position is embedded in the ERC project WinMicAct, in which we are investigating the capability of microbial communities in desert biological soil crusts to utilize different water sources (rain and others) for reactivation and their associated microbial activities.Your future tasks:You will combine field work (at the Tabernas Desert in Spain and the Succulent Karoo in South Africa) with lab-based experiments to address fundamental questions about microbial survival and resuscitation, and thus about the limits of microbial life. This will be achieved by applying genome-resolved metatranscriptomics, stable isotope tracing combined with single-cell activity assays (e.g. a recently developed heavy water-NanoSIMS assay), and process measurements.
This is part of your personality:We are looking for a highly motivated candidate with an excitement and enthusiasm for soil microbiology and for learning new methodological skills required for the project. A successful applicant will have a MSc degree in microbiology or ecology with a focus on microbial ecology, or a related discipline. Practical experience in microbiology or molecular biology techniques is highly favored. Experience in techniques to investigate diverse microbial communities (e.g. 16S rRNA gene-amplicon sequencing), in assessing microbial activity (e.g. stable isotope tracing), or in genome/-omics analysis is advantageous, but not required. Bioinformatics skills such as working knowledge of R and scripting languages, as well as a solid knowledge of statistical data analysis would be of additional advantage but are not mandatory. Ability to work independently and on a team, as well as good communication skills in English (written and spoken) are essential.
What we offer:The successful candidate will be embedded in the working group of Dagmar Woebken at CeMESS – an internationally leading centre in microbial ecology research – an internationally leading centre in microbial ecology research. The Centre offers a diverse and stimulating work environment. The PhD candidate will be enrolled in the Doctoral School in Microbiology and Environmental Science, which offers interdisciplinary training at the interfaces of microbiology, ecology and environmental science. The candidate will be at the forefront of a highly topical research topic, intersecting soil microbial ecology, microbial physiology and bioinformatics. The candidate will combine field work, lab-based experiments and omics-data and will have access to diverse facilities for state-of-the-art analyses and unique instruments for single-cell activity assays.Excellence in research: Join one of Europe’s leading universities with internationally recognised scholars.Vibrant research environment: Engage with top research groups, archives, libraries, and cross-disciplinary centres—supported by seminar series, colloquia, and visiting fellows.Structured doctoral training: Benefit from close supervision and gain access to high-quality methods workshops, transferable skills development, and opportunities to present your work and receive expert feedback.Fair salary: A basic gross salary of EUR 3.714,80 (on a 40h/week basis) per month, 14 times a year.Model 2: The employment duration is 4 years. Initially limited to 1.5 years, the employment relationship is automatically extended to 4 years if the employer does not terminate it within the first 12 months by submitting a non-extension declarationInternational networks: Connect to a global community and collaborative projects that encourage mobility and knowledge exchange.Inclusive culture: We foster equal opportunity, diversity, and a collegial environment where talent thrives.
It is that easy to apply (in English):Applications are submitted exclusively via the University of Vienna PhD Selection Tool. Please follow the “Apply” button on the Call website.Please provide the following information and documents for upload:Personal information and contact detailsInformation on education, training, and professional experienceMotivation statementApplication deadline: 27 March 2026, 12 am CETIf you have any questions, please refer to the FAQs on the Callwebsite.For any remaining questions, please contact: you have any questions, please contact:David look forward to new personalities in our team!The University of Vienna has an anti-discriminatory employment policy and attaches great importance to equal opportunities, the advancement of women and diversity. We place particular emphasis on enhancing women’s representation among the academic and general university staff, particularly in leadership roles, and therefore expressly encourage qualified women to apply. Given equal qualifications, preference will be given to female of Vienna. Space for personalities. Since 1365.Application deadline: 03/27/2026
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