Research Scientist and Project Coordinator (m/f/d) in the field of Zooplankton Biodiversity

Senckenberg Society for Nature Research (SGN), headquartered in Frankfurt am Main, is seeking to fill the following position at its institute Senckenberg am Meer, German Centre for Marine Biodiversity Research in Hamburg, starting as soon as possible

Research Scientist and Project Coordinator (m/f/d) in the field of Zooplankton Biodiversity

(full time / part-time )

Location: Hamburg

Employment scope: full-time / part-time options available

Type of contract: temporary contract limited until 30.09.2029

Remuneration: collective agreement of the state Hesse, TV-H E13



The Senckenberg Society for Nature Research is a member of the Leibniz Association and has been investigating the “Earth System” worldwide for more than 200 years, examining the past, analysing the present, and developing projections for the future. We conduct integrative geobiodiversity research with the aim of understanding nature in all its complexity and diversity in order to preserve it as the foundation of life for future generations and to ensure its sustainable use. Across eight institutes and five research stations throughout Germany, scientists from more than 40 countries conduct research at the highest international level.

As part of the institute “Senckenberg am Meer” located in Wilhelmshaven, with its two departments Marine Research and German Centre for Marine Biodiversity Research (DZMB), the Hamburg research site, which belongs to the DZMB, focuses on researching taxonomy and systematics of marine life forms.

The position is based within the Zooplankton Working Group and is part of the joint project ZooM-In (Innovative Methods for National Zooplankton Monitoring), contributing to the further development and standardization of modern methods for marine biodiversity monitoring. The project is funded by the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMUKN) through the National Biodiversity Monitoring Centre’s initiative Sustainable Biodiversity Monitoring.

The project will be carried out in close cooperation with the Helmholtz Institute for Functional Marine Biodiversity (HIFMB) as well as federal and state authorities.

Your tasks

• Project management of the project ZooM-In
• Organisation of and participation in monthly expeditions (March-October, 3-4 days per months) to the North Sea
• Organisation of project workshops
• Assessment of zooplankton biodiversity by imaging technologies
• Cross validation of zooplankton biodiversity assessment by traditional microscopy, molecular genetics and imaging methods
• Communication of project results to stakeholders
• Publication of project results in peer-reviewed journals
• Writing of a project report

Your profile

• Master degree in marine biology or natural sciences
• Expertise in the application of plankton imaging technologies (ZooScan and/or PlanktoScope)
• Relevant knowledge on molecular genetic analyses of organisms, ideally metabarcoding of zooplankton
• Experience in data analyses, preferably using R
• Experience with sea-going expeditions on research vessels and sampling of plankton, resilience to motion sickness
• Willingness to participate in interdisciplinary work
• Very good communication skills, ability to work in a highly collaborative, interdisciplinary and international environment
• Very good command of English (written and spoken)
• Sound command of the German language is essential for this position

We offer

• access to an international network of scientists, policymakers and research organizations
• an attractive job within the inspired and dynamic working environment of an internationally recognized research institution
• flexible working hours – mobile working options – employee ID card with free admission to Senckenberg museums – annual special payment – collectively agreed vacation entitlement – company pension plan

Senckenberg is committed to diversity. We benefit from the different expertise, perspectives and personalities of our staff and welcome every application from qualified candidates, irrespective of age, gender, ethnic or cultural origin, religion and ideology, sexual orientation and identity or disability. Applicants with a severe disability will be given special consideration in case of equal suitability. Senckenberg actively supports the compatibility of work and family and places great emphasis on an equal and inclusive work culture.

How to apply?

Please upload your application (letter of motivation with a short description of your previous and current research foci, a CV, certificates of academic achievements, list of publications as well as letter(s) of recommendation, if available) (as a single PDF, max. 10 MB) on our career page https://www.senckenberg.de/de/karriere/ by 8 November 2026.

Please note that applications for this position can only be accepted if they are submitted via our online application portal. This ensures that your application is processed correctly and can be considered as part of the selection procedure. Applications sent by email to the Recruiting Team or directly to individual staff members cannot be considered.

For data protection information on the processing of personal data as part of the application and selection process, please refer to the privacy policy on our homepage at .

For further information about the Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung please visit .

Contact

Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung

Senckenberganlage 25

60325 Frankfurt a.M.

If you have any specific questions about this role, please contact Prof. Dr. Jasmin Renz at [email protected].

Please note that applications for this position can only be accepted if they are submitted via our online application portal. This ensures that your application is processed correctly and can be considered as part of the selection procedure. Applications sent by email to the Recruiting Team or directly to individual staff members cannot be considered.