The State Museum of Natural History Stuttgart (SMNS) with its two locations Museum am Löwentor and Schloss Rosenstein is one of the largest natural history museums in Germany with over 180 employees. It sees itself as a future-oriented research and educational institution. With the support of the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Science, Research and the Arts, the focus on biodiversity and evolutionary research is being comprehensively expanded. This will enable the SMNS to make an even greater contribution to solving current and future challenges such as the biodiversity crisis. In addition, together with the University of Hohenheim, we are forming the Competence Centre Biodiversity and Integrative Taxonomy (KomBioTa).
We offer to the next possible date a
PhD position (m/f/d) in plant ecology within Plant Functional Ecology research group, Botany department
(Salary scale E 13 TV-L, 65%, limited to 3 years)
Project and job description:
Current research on climate change's impact on vegetation has mainly focused on temperature and precipitation, largely ignoring wind as a significant climate driver. Climate change influences wind intensity and frequency, which can significantly affect plant communities. Wind interacts with temperature and precipitation, modifying their impacts on plant performance, including water use efficiency and leaf temperature. Additionally, wind affects plant interactions, such as competition and facilitation, which are crucial for community dynamics. Despite its importance, most studies on climate change have overlooked wind, creating a research gap regarding its effects on plant populations and communities. This DFG-funded project aims to address this gap by providing experimental evidence of the significance of changing wind conditions in the context of climate change.
The successful applicant will work on the topic as part of his/her own research project, combining extensive common garden experiments (manipulation of wind, air temperature and plant-plant interactions on grassland plants) and lab work with analyses of ecological data (plant traits related to carbon and balance and energy budget).
The PhD student will be based at both the SMNS Botany Department and the University of Tuebingen, and should enroll in a PhD programme at the University of Tuebingen (https://tinyurl.com/3x9m4kdk). The project will be supervised by Dr. Pierre Liancourt (https://tinyurl.com/msa3rkap), in collaboration with Dr. Viktoria Ferenc and Dr. Anita Roth-Nebelsick (SMNS), and Dr. Maria Majekova and Prof. Katja Tielboerger (University of Tuebingen).
Requirements:
- M.Sc./Diploma degree or equivalent in biology/ecology or related program by the time of the start of the project
- Experience in conducting experimental studies with plants
- Experience in field and laboratory work
- Statistical and analytical skills (experience in R is a plus)
- Knowledge of the English language; knowledge of German is an advantage (but not required)
- Teamwork and communication skills
Our offer:
- The opportunity to pursue your academic career in an internationally renowned research museum
- An interdisciplinary, collaborative and team-oriented research environment
- Opportunities to participate in national and international conferences
- Intensive academic and personal supervision
- Attractive workplace in the centre of Stuttgart with flexible and family-friendly working hours
- Support in acquiring German language skills if required
- Monthly public transport allowance of €25 (JobTicket BW)
The salary is based on the German civil service salary scale E13 TV-L in part-time (65%). The position is limited to three years. Applications in the English language are to be considered exclusively. Please send your application, including a cover letter, CV and certificates exclusively online (in one file, max 10 MB) to phd-botany(at)smns-bw.de by 15 June 2025. Job interviews are scheduled for 25 June 2025. Invited candidates should give a max. 15-minute presentation on their research background, their interest in the project and their methodological skills.
For further information, please contact Dr. Pierre Liancourt: pierre.liancourt(at)smns-bw.de.
The SMNS promotes equal opportunities for its employees and therefore welcomes applications from all people regardless of gender, cultural and social background, age, religion, ideology, disability or sexual identity. We are particularly committed to promoting equality between women and men and therefore expressly encourage qualified women to apply. Severely disabled applicants will be given preference if equally qualified.
Data protection information for applicants can be found on our homepage under ‘Jobs’.