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PhD Researcher (f/m/x) - Understanding the Impact of Pesti-cide Exposure and Heat Stress on Bumble Bee Health and Behavior

Helmholtz Zentrum für Umweltforschung UFZ
Leipzig
Vollzeit
28.03.2025
Vollzeit
Helmholtz Zentrum für Umweltforschung UFZ

PhD Researcher (f/m/x) - Understanding the Impact of Pesti-cide Exposure and Heat Stress on Bumble Bee Health and Behavior

Stellenbeschreibung

Place of work

Leipzig

Working time

65% (25.35 h / week)

Contract limitations

limited contract / 36 months

Salary

Remuneration according to the TVöD public-sector up to pay grade 13 including attractive public-sector social security benefits.

Contact

Your contact for any questions you may have about the job:
This work will be supervised by Prof. Martin von Bergen as university supervisor and Dr. Ulrike Rolle-Kampczyk and Dr. Nico Jehmlich as UFZ supervisors.

Your application

Please submit your application via our online portal with your cover letter, CV (please omit your photo, age, or marital status) and relevant attachments.

Diversity and Inclusion

The UFZ has a strong commitment to diversity and actively supports equal opportunities for all employees regardless of their origin, religion, ideology, disability, age or sexual identity.
We look forward to applications from people who are open-minded and enjoy working in diverse teams.

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

Within the new PhD cohort SafePol (Safeguarding Pollinators facing multiple stressors in multifunctional landscapes) at UFZ we offer four PhD positions. In SafePol we aim to unravel the impact of heat stress and pesticide exposure in multifunctional landscapes on bumble bees. Therefore, (1) we will investigate the link between external and internal exposure of bumble bees to pesticides and other chemicals, (2) we will explore the effect of multiple stressors on bumble bee health and behaviour using proteomics and metabolomics, (3) we will monitor bumble bee colonies in agricultural landscapes and identify their collected pollen, (4) and finally we will simulate bumble bee populations facing multiple stressors. Position (2) will be filled in the Department of Molecular Toxicology.

Your tasks

The successful candidate will investigate relationships between exposure to pesticides and their mixtures and the effects of heat stress alone or combined with exposure effects. The focus will be on investigating these external stress events on the cognitive function and behavior of bumblebees.

In the overall context, the aim is to gain a better understanding of pollinator health.
To achieve these goals, the successful candidate will

  • Establish and supervise bumblebee breeding
  • Expose bumblebees in cooperation with PhD1
  • Conduct behavioral observations in different experimental contexts
  • Prepare bumblebee samples for metaproteomic and metabolomic analysis methods
  • Perform mass spectrometric analysis of the samples
  • Evaluate and interpret the obtained data
  • Write publications for peer-reviewed scientific journals and present results at international conferences
  • Communicate and disseminate research results to various target groups, e.g. internal and external project partners and stakeholders

We offer

  • Excellent supervision and optimal professional and interdisciplinary qualification through our HIGRADE graduate programme
  • The freedom to master even the most demanding challenges between basic research and practical application
  • The opportunity to work in interdisciplinary, international teams and benefit from a wide range of perspectives
  • Firstclass integration into national and international research networks to work together on global challenges
  • Excellent research infrastructure and research data management to optimally support your work
  • A wide range of options for balancing care responsibilities and work through our family office
  • Competent support and advice for international colleagues arriving at the UFZ from the ‘International Office’
  • Special annual payment, capital-forming benefits and subsidised Deutschland-Job-Ticket
  • A workplace in a vibrant region with a high life quality and social and cultural diversity

Your profile

  • A university degree (Master, Diploma) in ecotoxicology, biochemistry, biology or related
  • Experience as a beekeeper or in dealing with insect populations is essential
  • Expertise in mass spectrometry techniques
  • Proficiency in data evaluation/ programming (e.g. R)
  • English language proficiency (CEFR level C1 or higher),
  • Strong interpersonal skills and a desire to cooperate closely with other members of the PhD cohort,
  • Excellent teamwork capabilities in a multidisciplinary, international team.

The following experiences are beneficial but not mandatory:

  • Experience in sample preparation of different biological materials
  • Experience in bumble bee dissection
  • Experience in publishing and presenting research findings in peer-reviewed journals and at scientific conferences,
  • Experience with one or more fields of research: Ecotoxicology, Stress ecology, statistics
  • Some knowledge of German is helpful for navigating life in Germany but is not required for the job.


Application deadline: 30.03.2025

More information about jobs at the UFZ:
www.ufz.de/career

LinkedIn @UFZ

Family Support

International Office

Accessibility

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion