The UFZ
The Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) with its 1,100
employees has gained an excellent reputation as an international competence
centre for environmental sciences. We are part of the largest scientific
organisation in Germany, the Helmholtz association. Our mission: Our research
seeks to find a balance between social development and the long-term
protection of our natural resources.
The job
The UFZ offers four PhD positions in the framework of the PhD college
“Fostering pollutant-sink functions of blue-green infrastructures: towards
local urban water cycles in climate-resilient cities - CLEANER” within the
Thematic Area Environmental Engineering and Biotechnology. The aim of CLEANER
is to identify the control options for biodegradation of urban pollutants in
two blue-green infrastructures - tree trenches and root wetlands - and develop
technical solutions based on the joint research within the PhD college
(seewww. ufz.de/cleaner for more information).
Project start: 1 st May 2023.
Your tasks
You develop and construct a model tree trench system,
You assess the performance of the tree trench in terms of urban pollutants
removal over an annual growth period by analyzing pollutant fate from
rhizosphere to phyllosphere and leachate vessels,
You analyze shifts of the fungibiome and bacteriome to elucidate microbial
key players,
You characterize pollutant transformation pathways by multi-element
compound-specific isotope analysis (ME-CSIA) and metabolite analysis,
You conduct organic priming experiments to trigger the biodegradation of
key urban pollutants,
You collaborate with all other PhD candidates of CLEANER,
You present results at international conferences and prepare publications
in peer-reviewed scientific journals.
We offer
Excellent technical facilities which are without parallel
The freedom you need to bridge the difficult gap between basic research
and close to being ready for application
Work in inter-disciplinary, multinational teams
Excellent links with national and international research networks
Excellent support and optimal subject-specific and general training with
our HIGRADE graduate school
Remuneration in accordance with the TVöD public-sector pay grade 13
Your profile
A master degree in Environmental Science, Microbial Ecology, Microbiology
or related areas
Knowledge in plant physiology, and/or stable isotope analytics is
advantageous,
High motivation and teamplayer skills are expected,
Excellent communication skills (English required, German desirable),
A driver's license to drive in Germany is required.
Additional skills are of added value:
Skills in IT and data evaluation,
High degree of organisation and ability to work independently,
Motivation to work in an interdisciplinary team.
Knowledge in basic laboratory analysis.