Professor Position in Animal Ecology

Professor Position in Animal Ecology (90–100%)

The Faculty of Science and Medicine of the University of Fribourg, Switzerland, announces the opening of an open-rank position of Professor in Animal Ecology in the Department of Biology (teaching domain: Ecology and Evolution).

1. GENERAL CONDITIONS

We seek a colleague with an outstanding scientific track record in fundamental research on animal ecology, using quantitative, state-of-the-art approaches with a strong field component. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, biotic interactions, community ecology, conservation biology, ecological modelling, and eco-evolutionary feedback loops. The successful candidate will develop an internationally recognized, competitive research program sustained by external funding.

This position includes teaching at both the undergraduate and postgraduate levels; it requires fluency in English and a willingness to acquire French and German. The candidate is expected to contribute to the Master’s program in “Environmental Biology – From Genes to Ecosystems”.

Qualified applicants must have a clear research and teaching vision and proven teaching and communication skills. The position may be filled at the level of Assistant Professor (tenure track) or Full Professor (tenured).

The University of Fribourg is a signatory to the DORA declaration and attaches great importance to a qualitative assessment of academic performance. The University of Fribourg is an equal opportunity employer and strives towards gender balance and diversity at all levels.

2. APPLICATION PROCEDURES

Please apply exclusively through the official Faculty of Science and Medicine recruiting tool by clicking on the following link: https://scimed-recruiting.unifr.ch

Application deadline: March 31, 2026.

Please upload the following documents via the link above:

• A cover/motivation letter specifying the position applied for (Professor in Animal Ecology), addressed to the Dean, Prof. Michael Walch, President of the Search Committee.
• A complete curriculum vitae, including a copy of the highest degree diploma and indication of managerial experience.
• A full publication list, with the five most important contributions highlighted.
• The five most important publications.
• A record of past and present funding.
• A two-page description of future research plans.
• A statement and record of teaching experience and interests.
• An overview of infrastructure needs.
• The names and full contact details of three referees.

3. ACADEMIC ENVIRONMENT

The Department of Biology (https://www.unifr.ch/bio/en/) is organized into five teaching domains that represent the full breadth of biology: Biochemistry, Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Ecology and Evolution, Neurobiology and Developmental Biology, and Plant and Microbial Sciences. It has a flat hierarchy and aims to fairly share the resources among individual research groups. The Department currently consists of 26 research groups, 14 of which are headed by permanent professors; two by ERC or SNSF-funded professors, and ten by permanent group leaders.

Many research groups are arranged around common research platforms (core facilities: https://www.unifr.ch/bio/en/services/facilities/) that play a vital role in the continuous attraction of third-party-funded projects, ERC grantees and SNSF-financed professors and research fellows. The Department of Biology has state-of-the-art facilities including a Metabolomics and Proteomics platform, a Bioinformatics/Statistics platform, and an Imaging/Microscopy platform, the latter two being shared with the Section of Medicine. In addition, the Department of Biology and the Section of Medicine share an animal facility coordinated by the Head of Animal Facilities. Our close vicinity to the Universities of Bern, Neuchâtel, and Lausanne also offers significant collaborative synergy in terms of both research and teaching.

4. TEACHING

The Department of Biology offers teaching at all academic levels, with:

• two bachelor programs: (1) Bachelor in Biology https://www.unifr.ch/bio/en/studies/bachelor/bsc-in-biology/ (2) Bachelor in Biochemistry https://www.unifr.ch/bio/en/studies/bachelor/bsc-in-biochemistry/
• three master programs: (1) Master in Environmental Biology – From Genes to Ecosystems https://www.unifr.ch/bio/en/studies/master/master-in-environmental-biology/ (2) Master in Molecular Life and Health Sciences https://www.unifr.ch/bio/en/studies/master/master-in-molecular-life-and-health-sciences/ (3) Master in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, offered together with the University of Bern https://www.unifr.ch/bio/en/studies/master/msc-in-bioinformatics/
• three doctoral degree areas: https://www.unifr.ch/bio/en/studies/doctorate/ (1) PhD in Biology (2) PhD in Biochemistry (3) PhD in Bioinformatics

and is part of the Fribourg Graduate School of Life Sciences and Medicine: https://www.unifr.ch/bio/en/studies/graduate-school-fglm/

5. RESEARCH

Research at the Department of Biology is divided into five main research areas: Biochemistry, Bioinformatics and Computation Biology, Ecology and Evolution, Neurobiology and Developmental Biology, and Plant and Microbial Sciences.

For details of the research activities in the Department see: https://www.unifr.ch/bio/en/research/

For details on the research in the Ecology and Evolution domain see: https://www.unifr.ch/bio/en/research/eco-evol/

In brief, ecological and evolutionary research in the Department is currently focused on Community Ecology, Conservation Biology, Evolutionary Genomics and Genetics, Invasion Biology, Statistical and Dynamical Modelling in Ecology, and Theoretical Ecology.

6. LANGUAGES

The University of Fribourg is bilingual (French and German). Knowledge of the second language (oral level B1) is expected. If this requirement is not met, the candidate must acquire it within two years of taking up the position.

Teaching for biology students at the Bachelor level is given in French and/or in German; teaching at the Master and PhD levels is given in English. Undergraduate students are expected to understand both French and German but may take exams in either language. The administrative languages are French and German.

7. INFRASTRUCTURE AND FUNDING

Infrastructure

The candidate will receive appropriate laboratory and office space (for 5–10 researchers). The candidate will have access to state-of-the-art shared infrastructure in the Department, maintained by a technical support group. As a member of the Ecology and Evolution domain, the candidate will have shared access to a wet lab, a molecular lab, and cars for field research. The Department also hosts state-of-the-art Imaging, Metabolomics & Proteomics, and Bioinformatics Platform. The Department collaborates closely with the Interfaculty Bioinformatics Unit (https://www.bioinformatics.unibe.ch/) and the Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) Platform at the University of Bern (https://www.ngs.unibe.ch/).

The University’s computer service provides all departmental members (academic and technical staff) with state-of-the-art PCs or Macs and appropriate word-processing, reference, statistical, and graphics software. Specific research software can also be supported.

Personnel and financial resources

The new Professor will receive the following resources:

• a 100% postdoc position
• a 50% lab technician position
• shared support by administrative assistants
• an installation (start-up) credit for research activities amounting to CHF 100,000
• an annual share of the Department’s operating budget (for consumables and equipment), calculated according to standard procedures of the Department of Biology
• computational resources

8. CONTACT FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

Prof. Dominique Glauser President, Department of Biology University of Fribourg Chemin du Musée 10 CH-1700 Fribourg / Switzerland Email: dominique.glauser@unifr.ch