Website University of Kiel
The Institute of Phytopathology at the Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Department of Soil-Plant-Microbiomes, is seeking to fill the following position as of April 15, 2026.
Research Associate (PostDoc)
with the aim of habilitation
The position is a fixed-term appointment initially for three years. The regular weekly working hours are those of a full-time employee (currently 38.7 hours). Classification will be in pay group 14 TV-L, provided the relevant collective bargaining agreement requirements are met. The position is intended to support the candidate’s own academic development, e.g., through a postdoctoral research project, and includes teaching obligations of 4 semester hours per week.
Your tasks:
- Conducting independent research in the field of bioinformatics-based microbiome research
- Generation, integration and analysis of multi-omics datasets on bacterial and fungal communities in soil and plants
- Participation in research projects on interactions between plants and pathogenic as well as symbiotic microorganisms.
- Development of own research focus with the aim of habilitation
- Teaching in Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programs in the fields of: Bioinformatics / Computational Biology, Microbiology / Microbiome Research, Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions
- Supervision of students and collaboration on scientific publications
Your profile:
- Completed university degree with a doctorate (PhD / Dr. rer. nat.) in bioinformatics, computational biology, microbiology, molecular biology or a related field.
- Extensive practical experience in: genome and comparative genome analysis, metagenomics and metatranscriptomics, processing and integration of multi-omics datasets
- Solid programming skills in Python and/or R, ideally with experience in workflow management systems (e.g., Snakemake, Nextflow)
- Experience in handling microbiome datasets (e.g., soil, rhizosphere, plant-associated microbiome)
- Ability to teach in German and English (knowledge comparable to language level C1), or willingness to learn German within a reasonable timeframe.
- Good communication skills, teamwork skills and motivation to develop one’s own scientific profile with a habilitation perspective.
Personal skills:
- Independent, structured and responsible work ethic
- High motivation for interdisciplinary scientific collaboration
- Interest in teaching and enjoyment of working with students
- Willingness to learn and use new methods and technologies
Kiel University sees itself as a modern and cosmopolitan employer. We welcome your application regardless of your age, gender, cultural and social background, religion, worldview, disability, or sexual identity. We promote gender equality. You can read more about our values in our Code of Conduct .
The Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel is committed to the employment of people with disabilities: Applications from severely disabled persons and those with equivalent status will be given preferential consideration if they are equally qualified.
We expressly welcome applications from people with a migration background.
The university is committed to increasing the proportion of female scientists in research and teaching and therefore strongly encourages suitably qualified women to apply. In cases of equal suitability, qualifications, and professional performance, women will be given priority.
Please send your application as a PDF file with the usual documents (cover letter, CV, certificates) by email to: by February 15, 2026
Prof. Bahar S. Razavi
We expressly waive the requirement to submit photographs/application photos and therefore ask you to refrain from doing so.
Here you can download the job postings as a PDF document.
The Department of Soil and Plant Microbiome, Institute of Phytopathology of Kiel University (Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel), invites applications for an
Research Assistant (m/f/d)
with perspective towards habilitation
from April 15 th , 2026 for the next 3 years. The salary is based on the German public pay scale (TV-L 14) according to previous experiences with a weekly workload corresponding to a full-time position with 38.7 hours.
We are seeking a motivated and talented scientist to strengthen our research on the soil and plant microbiome, including fungal and bacterial communities in both beneficial and pathogenic contexts, as well as their molecular interactions with plants.
We welcome applications from candidates with:
- A completed doctoral degree (PhD / Dr. rer. nat.) in bioinformatics, computational biology, microbiology, molecular biology, or a closely related field
- Strong practical expertise in:
- Genome and comparative genomics analysis
- Metagenomics and metatranscriptomics
- Handling and integrating multi-omics datasets
- Solid programming skills in Python and/or R, including experience with workflow systems such as Snakemake, Nextflow, or similar tools
- Experience with microbiome datasets, ideally from soil, rhizosphere, or plant-associated systems
- Ability to teach in German and English (C1 level), or willingness to acquire German proficiency within a reasonable timeframe
- Good communication skills, teamwork ability, and an interest in developing an independent research profile towards habilitation
Preferred Qualifications (advantageous):
To further strengthen our interdisciplinary microbiome research, experience in one or more of the Bacteriology , Mycology , Virology , Protistology areas as well as following areas is highly valued:
- Experience with long-read sequencing technologies (Nanopore, PacBio) or hybrid genome assemblies
- Experience in studying molecular plant–microbe interactions, including effector biology or plant immune responses
- Previous involvement in grant writing, international research projects, or academic teaching
- Knowledge of microbial ecology, co-occurrence network analysis, or community modeling
These additional areas of expertise enrich the department’s research portfolio and offer opportunities to develop a strong, independent research trajectory.
Your Tasks
- Conduct independent research in bioinformatics-driven microbiome science
- Contribute to research on interactions between pathogens/symbionts and their plant hosts
- Develop your own research lines
- Teach in master’s programs
- Supervise students, contribute to publications, and participate in proposal writing
- Collaborate within the department and institute-wide research activities
The Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel sees itself as a modern and cosmopolitan employer. We welcome your application regardless of your age, gender, cultural and social origin, religion, worldview, disability or sexual identity. We support gender equality. You can read more about our values in our Code of Conduct .
The University also supports the employment of disabled persons. Persons with disabilities will, with appropriate qualifications and aptitudes, be employed preferentially.
The University strongly encourages women with appropriate qualifications to apply for the position. Women with equivalent qualifications, competence and expertise will be given preference.
We also support the application of people with a foreign background.
The position offers a varied and interesting role at the largest university in Schleswig-Holstein in a city with a high quality of life. As a family-friendly employer, we offer flexible working arrangements and good conditions for combining family and work. In addition, we provide attractive further training opportunities, health promotion programs, a job ticket and discounted university sport programs.
We are committed to promoting work–family balance and part-time employment. Applicants interested in part-time work are explicitly encouraged to apply; part-time requests will be considered where operationally feasible.
Please send your application with the usual documents (cover letter, CV, certificates, publication list and teaching record) by 15 th February 2026 to email address: bs.razavi@outlook.com
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