ERC-funded position as a Five-Year Postdoctoral Researcher (all genders welcome)

ERC-funded position as a Five-Year Postdoctoral Researcher (all genders welcome)

ERC-funded position as a Five-Year Postdoctoral Researcher (all genders welcome)

The Department of Applied Bioinformatics, Institute for Microbiology and Genetics, at the Georg-August-Universität Göttingen is looking to fill the position of a

Regular working hours will be 39.8 hours per week with a limited contract of five years. This position is suitable for part-time work.
This position should be filled by 1 May 2026. Salary: Pay grade 13 TV-L 100%.

We are seeking a highly motivated wet‑lab postdoctoral researcher to join an ERC‑funded research programme investigating how streptophyte cells—spanning unicellular algae and land plants—process environmental information and translate it into growth and physiological responses.

This position focuses on rapid cue perception and early response cascades, integrating genetics, phosphoproteomics, microfluidics, calcium imaging, and multi‑omics time series in two experimental systems:

• The moss model Physcomitrium patens
• The transformable zygnematophyte alga Closterium

The project will be in close collaboration with the Weijers and Sprakel labs at WUR Wageningen.

Land plants evolved from streptophyte algae. Comparative genomics and systems biology have revealed that key signalling modules—light perception, cell wall integrity sensing, kinase cascades, plastid–nucleus communication, and phytohormone pathways—are conserved between embryophytes and unicellular Zygnematophyceae. Now, we move beyond homology and correlation to functionally dissect conserved signalling hubs and reconstruct the hierarchy of streptophyte environmental response networks.

Our overarching goal is to test the hypothesis that land plants and their closest algal relatives share a deeply conserved molecular programme that governs the flow of information from environmental input to cellular response—operating for over 600 million years of evolution.

Your profile

We seek a scientist who thrives at the interface of molecular genetics and systems biology.

Required

• PhD in plant biology, molecular biology, cell biology, or related field
• Strong experience in at least one of the following:
• CRISPR/Cas9 or plant/algal transformation
• Protein biochemistry, phosphoproteomics, or similar
• Demonstrated publication record
• Ability to independently drive complex experimental projects

Highly Desirable

• Experience with suspension cultures or microfluidics
• Background in signalling, kinase cascades, or stress physiology
• Interest in evolutionary biology
• Collaborative mindset and enthusiasm for interdisciplinary science

The University of Göttingen is an equal opportunities employer and places particular emphasis on fostering career opportunities for women. Qualified women are therefore strongly encouraged to apply in fields in which they are underrepresented. The university has committed itself to being a family‑friendly institution and supports their employees in balancing work and family life. The University is particularly committed to the professional participation of severely disabled employees and therefore welcomes applications from severely disabled people. In the case of equal qualifications, applications from people with severe disabilities will be given preference. A disability or equality is to be included in the application in order to protect the interests of the applicant.

Please send your application that includes a CV, publication list, motivation letter, and the names as well as contact information of at least two references in electronic form within to

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