Research Associate (m/f/x) in Tree Growth Physiology

At TUD Dresden University of Technology the Faculty of Environmental Sciences is looking for a Research Associate to work together in a larger project consortium with German partners (Chairs of Forest Botany and Forest Growth & Woody Biomass Production from TU Dresden and Staatsbetrieb Sachsenforst) and partners from the Czech Republic (among others the Department of Forest Ecology at Czech University of Life Sciences Prague and Forests of the Czech Republic). The project is funded by the Interreg Sachsen – Tschechien 2021-2027 programme. As part of the European Territorial Cooperation objective, Interreg supports cross-border cooperation projects that promote the further development of the Saxon-Czech border region and encourage integration. The main objective of the project "The future of beech forests in the Ore Mountains in times of climate change" is to develop a strategy to promote biodiversity in beech forests and increase their resilience to climate change. For details, please refer to the Interreg project webpage ().

For TUD diversity is an essential feature and a quality criterion of an excellent university. Accordingly, we welcome all applicants who would like to commit themselves, their achievements and productivity to the success of the whole institution.

In this project, the Chair of Forest Botany at the Institute of Forest Botany and Forest Zoology offers a project position as Research Associate (m/f/x) in Tree Growth Physiology (subject to personal qualification employees are remunerated according to salary group E 13 TV-L) starting April 1, 2026. The position comprises 65 % of the full-time weekly hours and is currently limited until December 31, 2028, with the possibility for an extension to 3 years. The period of employment is governed by § 2 (2) Fixed Term Research Contracts Act (Wissenschaftszeitvertragsgesetz - WissZeitVG). Tasks: Within this collaborative research project, the research associate will be responsible for the installation and maintenance of microclimatic sensors and automated dendrometers for monitoring the effect of different degrees of thinning (canopy release) and thus forest structure on the vitality of beech derived from high-resolution stem diameter variations. This experimental approach will be supported by dendroecological analyses from 50 beech sites across the border differing in structure and age, which will be established, sampled and processed as a team effort.

Requirements:

an excellent university degree in ecology, forestry, environmental sciences, or a related discipline with field and/or lab experience proven scientific publishing skills (see required documents) is essential, while advanced knowledge in statistical analyses with R is a plus proven experience in working in diverse teams, team-oriented and willing to learn and work independently a German driver’s license (class B) is mandatory advanced command of English is essential while basic knowledge of German is desirable

We offer:

joint scientific studies together with further PhD student in other projects working on the future of beech an inspiring, international and interdisciplinary working environment, specialized in forest ecology, dendroecology, ecophysiology and plant hydraulics attractive working conditions and opportunities for further professional development at TUD

For project-related questions, please contact Prof. Dr. Bernhard Schuldt ( [email protected] ).

TUD strives to employ more women in academia and research. We therefore expressly encourage women to apply. The University is a certified family-friendly university. We welcome applications from candidates with disabilities. If multiple candidates prove to be equally qualified, those with disabilities or with equivalent status pursuant to the German Social Code IX (SGB IX) will receive priority for employment.

Please submit your detailed application with the usual documents (among others motivation letter, curriculum vitae, certificates and grades) by March 6, 2026 (stamped arrival date of the university central mail service or the time stamp on the email server of TUD applies), preferably via the TUD SecureMail Portal by sending it as a single pdf file to [email protected] or to:

TU Dresden, Chair of Forest Botany, Prof. Dr. Bernhard Schuldt, Helmholtzstr. 10, 01069 Dresden, Germany.

Please submit copies only, as your application will not be returned to you. Expenses incurred in attending interviews cannot be reimbursed.

Reference to data protection: Your data protection rights, the purpose for which your data will be processed, as well as further information about data protection is available to you on the website: .

Company

TU Dresden

Excellence – A matter close to our hearts

Excellence? Elitism? Opportunity or risk? The Excellence Programme, initially launched in 2005 by the German government has aroused passionate debate right from the start and still has the potential to polarise opinion.

TU Dresden (TUD) looks at it this way: excellence is all about performance and having the right attitude. For everyone here at TU Dresden – one of eleven Universities of Excellence in Germany since 2012 – it is also a matter very close to our hearts. Firstly because of the extra motivation and impetus generated, and secondly, because of the way we handle this role.

Our vision for the future can be summed up as follows: “Let us become one of the leading centres for research and teaching, with our own individual character and a special talent for networking, able to attract the best minds in Germany and from further afield.” After all, it is a well-known fact that excellence in research and teaching presupposes excellent conditions. Or, to put it figuratively, for excellent crop yields, you need the right soil and weather.

TU Dresden is a comprehensive university with 18 faculties and works in close collaboration with its top performers: three Clusters of Excellence, including the “Centre for Tactile Internet” (CeTI) , the Cluster “Complexity and Topology in Quantum Matter” (ct.qmat) and the Cluster “Physics of Life” (PoL) . The guiding principle here is that strong individual elements become even stronger when they work together.

The vision for the future takes this principle beyond the confines of the university: with the research network DRESDEN-concept ( D resden R esearch and E ducation S ynergies for the D evelopment of E xcellence and N ovelty), TU Dresden has been creating an alliance of research and cultural facilities in the city, an “excellent playground for excellent people”. This bond is unique in Germany and has evolved over many years. It is not necessary to create anything new here, as it is simply a matter of building further storeys on top of an already solid structure. The measures envisaged as part of the DRESDEN-concept contribute to the overall development of TU Dresden and form an integral part of the university strategy.

Excellence is understood and practised in Dresden as an opportunity for the entire university, and in this spirit, TU Dresden takes those measures that lead to excellence – by the university, for the university – in cooperation with colleagues here and all over the world. But at the same time neither elitist nor exclusive. TUD’s excellence comes from the heart – from and for our about 32,400 students, 600 professors and about 8,400 members of staff. In this way, excellence becomes the basis, the objective, the approach and the driving force. And that’s why being a top performer can also be so rewarding and enjoyable.

Campus Image © Nils Eisfeld

Company info

Location

Dresden
01069 Dresden
Germany