Doctoral Researcher

Doctoral Researcher (M/F/d), EG 13 TV-H, fixed-term, part-time (currently 30 hours per week)
**Application deadline**:
01.10.2025
**Date of hire**: as soon as possible
**vacancy number**: 38730
**The research unit “Adaptation to drought and extremes**: The surface-soil-groundwater buffer under climate stress (ADAPT)” aims to investigate the effects of climate change management scenarios in order to counteract the increasingly widespread water deficits during summer droughts in Germany and Central Europe. As one objective, the project aims to identify a safe way to use treated wastewater as a resource for irrigating agricultural soils, bringing together expertise from a broad spectrum of geosciences, environmental technology, and agricultural sciences.
The main tasks of the position to be filled are to investigate the effects of drought, flooding, and irrigation with micropollutants on crop performance and root growth of wheat, forage crops, and horticultural crops under adapted soil management. The work involves various mesocosm experiments to test different soils and potentially resilience-enhancing agronomic measures for their ability to maintain functions relevant to plant growth even under abiotic stress. This position therefore deals with the agronomic relevance of extreme weather events and the management options that are the focus of ADAPT.
**Tasks**:

- Independent research to investigate the effects of drought stress, flooding, and irrigation with micropollutants on shoot and root growth in wheat, forage crops, and vegetables
- Independent planning and implementation of mesocosm experiments with undisturbed soil columns, as well as subsequent sample processing
- Evaluation of experimental data using statistical methods to quantify the effects of the investigated site and management factors on plant growth
- Publication of own research results in international journals.

**Requirements**:

- Completed university degree in agricultural sciences, biology, ecology, or similar
- Good agronomic knowledge
- Efficient and goal-oriented approach to work, independence, and commitment
- Willingness and ability to engage in interdisciplinary cooperation, strong communication skills
- Technical skills and enthusiasm for experimental work
- Very good written and spoken English.

**Beneficial additional qualifications**:

- Experience with field and pot trials
- Strong knowledge of crop production methodology (especially yield formation, root growth)
- Laboratory experience
- Knowledge of organic farming
- Class B driver's license

The work locations are the Hessian State Domain Frankenhausen in Grebenstein and Witzenhausen.
**Our Offer**:
As an employee of the University of Kassel
- you will be offered an interesting and diverse range of tasks within the framework of a modern and ambitious university,
- you will be part of an interdisciplinary team with a good and collegial working atmosphere,
- you will have the opportunity to participate in professional and interdisciplinary further education measures,
- is your workplace with good connections to public transport, which you can currently use free of charge.

In addition, you will benefit from the advantages of employment in the public service such as:

- an additional company pension (VBL),
- an optional child supplement in accordance with TV-Hessen, a family-friendly university (including childcare for emergencies),
- an annual bonus
- an entitlement to capital-accumulation benefits,
- a promotion of voluntary commitment,
- low-cost participation in university sports and a full range of fitness activities as part of Unifit, as well as workplace health management

You can find more jobs at stellen.uni-kassel.de
FAQ
bewerbungen[at]uni-kassel.de
The University of Kassel is very interested in the professional satisfaction of its employees. It is distinguished as a family-friendly university and, in the interests of equal opportunities, strives to offer everyone the same opportunities for development and to counteract existing disadvantages. It promotes the Family Welcome Service and also the Dual Career Service for positions that are scientifically and academically filled. One of the strategic goals of the University of Kassel is to significantly increase the proportion of women in research and teaching. Applications from women are therefore particularly welcome. Seriously handicapped and equivalent applicants are given preference if they have the same suitability, qualifications and professional performance. Full-time positions are generally divisible (except when filling civil servant positions). Applications indicating the Position Number, which may be in digital form, should be sent to the President of the University of Kassel, 34109 Kassel, Germany quoting the applicable reference number.