Research Associate position – Grassland and Forage Sciences

THESE ARE YOUR TASKS:

• Research in the field of grassland and forage sciences
• Acquiring and conducting research projects, including supervising project staff.
• Supporting ongoing research at the professorship
• Scientific, research-based teaching comprising 4 semester hours per week (exercises, practicals, lectures) in the field of grassland and forage sciences, with the aim of enabling students to conduct independent scientific work.
• Supervising student (final) theses
• Designing, preparing, administering and correcting students’ academic examinations
• Independent development of a network with (grassland) farmers, agricultural companies, researchers, as well as with politics, administration and funding providers.
• Creating press releases and social media posts
• Organizing and conducting scientific events
• Publishing the research results

THIS IS WHAT MAKES YOU A GOOD FIT FOR US:

• Completed university degree (state examination, diploma, master’s degree or comparable qualification) in agricultural sciences or comparable fields with the best possible result
• Completed doctorate in the field of grassland/forage science or related disciplines
• sound practical knowledge of grassland species and their agricultural potential
• proven knowledge in setting up experiments and in statistics
• Experience in grassland and/or forage research
• Experience in teaching (grassland/forage production) and in acquiring third-party funding is desirable.
• Minimum level of physical fitness for field and laboratory work
• sound knowledge of German and English, both spoken and written
• Willingness to familiarize oneself with new topics and scientific curiosity
• Practical experience in agriculture is desirable.
• Excellent communication skills with various stakeholders, as well as a structured way of working.
• Teamwork skills for working in an international team

WE AS EMPLOYERS:

Equal opportunities are important to us. We welcome applications from suitable candidates with severe disabilities or equivalent status. We aim to increase the proportion of women in research and teaching and therefore encourage suitably qualified women to apply. We also welcome applications from people of other nationalities or with a migration background.

WE OFFER YOU:

Flexible working hours

30 days
of annual leave

Annual bonus/
Company pension scheme

Family Office

Health Management
& University Sports

Welcome Center

Further training opportunities
(IT, languages, professional development)

Mobile working

Career advice for
early-career researchers

Bicycle leasing

Employee parking

Cafeteria – Employee Rate

December 24th & 31st are public holidays

FURTHER INFORMATION:

We will determine your salary level individually, taking into account your previous professional experience.

The position is available on a part-time basis (20 hours/week) until April 30, 2028. During this time, the current incumbent can provide training. From May 1, 2028, there is the possibility of filling the position full-time on a permanent basis.

We look forward to receiving your application (cover letter, CV, and school leaving certificate including your final grade) by July 5, 2026 at the latest. We can only consider applications submitted through our website. Please submit your documents using the “Apply Online” button at the end of each job posting. Unfortunately, we cannot accept applications via email.

Application documents that are incomplete may be disregarded in the further course of the selection process.

Unfortunately, we cannot cover application and travel expenses.

Become part of the team

As one of the few professorships for grassland and forage sciences in Germany, we are embedded in a very strong network of researchers and farms. Forage production often takes place on marginal sites, in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania on (former) peat soils. This presents specific challenges that we address. Our research focuses on optimizing nutrient flows (stoichiometry, co-limitation, greenhouse gas emissions), the contribution of grassland/forage production to the development of sustainable farming strategies, autonomous grazing management, grassland management as paludiculture, and plant-environment interactions (e.g., with microplastics).

We look forward to receiving your application!