Postdoctoral researcher

Arbeitsort

Bonn

The University of Bonn is an international research university with a wide education and research profile. With a 200‑year history, approximately 31,500 students, more than 6,000 staff, and an excellent reputation at home and abroad, the University of Bonn is one of the most important universities in Germany and is recognized as a university of excellence.

The professorship of Agro‑Ecological Modeling at the Institute of Crop Science and Resource Conservation, within the Faculty of Agricultural, Nutritional and Engineering Sciences, is inviting applications for a

starting as soon as possible. This is a full‑time position for 3 years with the possibility of extension for another 3 years upon positive evaluation. The position is limited according to § 2 Abs. 1 WissZeitVG, aimed at supporting the scientific qualification of the postdoctoral researcher, such as the development of an independent research profile and preparation for a long‑term academic career.

Founded in 2024 within the Cluster of Excellence Pheno Rob, our Agro‑Ecological Modeling research group is dedicated to research addressing the biodiversity crisis, with a particular focus on agriculture. We develop and apply advanced quantitative techniques to tackle critical questions and research challenges in landscape and agro‑ecology, as well as biodiversity conservation. By integrating basic and applied research, we are laying a foundation for developing sustainable solutions that align human activities with the natural environment in a rapidly changing world.

Our key research areas include advancing and innovating: (1) Biodiversity and ecosystem monitoring, (2) Integrated biodiversity modeling across spatial and temporal scales, and (3) Transdisciplinary conservation research that bridges theory and practice. We are looking forward to welcoming a new colleague who is enthusiastic about contributing their own ideas and initiatives to these research areas and who enjoys working in an open‑minded, interdisciplinary, international and creative team.

• Advance monitoring and modeling workflows to investigate habitat selection, species occupancy, and ecological interactions in agroecosystems, while contributing to the further development of state‑of‑the‑art research methods and the testing of ecological theory.
• Coordinate and conduct fieldwork to collect biodiversity data using digital monitoring technologies at the experimental sites of the University of Bonn and at other locations in Germany, Sweden and other European countries.
• Build an independent research profile that both reflects your vision and strengthens the group’s overarching research agenda.
• Lead and contribute to third‑party funding proposals, both independently and collaboratively with colleagues.
• Engage in scientific collaboration with researchers from Pheno Rob, our faculty, the University of Bonn, and regional and international partners, fostering cross‑ and transdisciplinary partnerships.
• Engage in outreach and public events to share research insights with both the general public and policy stakeholders.
• Teach courses in BSc and MSc programs, particularly in MSc Nature Conservation and Landscape Ecology, with a commitment of 3 hours per week (4 SWS) during lecture periods.
• Supervise and mentor bachelor and master students on thesis projects related to your own research.
• Present your research results at international conferences and publish them in peer‑reviewed scientific journals.

• PhD in (landscape) ecology, conservation biology, ecological modeling, environmental sciences, or related fields, with expertise in biodiversity monitoring and modeling; agroecosystem experience is a plus.
• Strong background in statistical, probabilistic and/or mechanistic modeling, spatial data analysis (preferably in R or Python) and/or AI applications for analyzing complex ecological and environmental data.
• Experience in, and willingness to, conduct fieldwork.
• Field‑based species identification skills (birds and/or plants) are an advantage.
• Publication record in international peer‑reviewed journals.
• Previous experience in teaching…