1 Postdoctoral Researcher - Natural Sciences (f/m/d) in the field of Liver Cancer Research

Düsseldorf University Hospital (UKD) is the largest hospital in the state capital and one of the most important medical centers in North Rhine-Westphalia. The 9,300 employees at UKD and its subsidiaries are committed to treating over 45,000 inpatients and 270,000 outpatients every year. The UKD stands for international excellence in patient care, research and teaching, as well as for innovative and safe diagnostics, therapy and prevention. Patients benefit from the intensive interdisciplinary cooperation between the 60 clinics and institutes. The particular strength of the University Hospital is the close integration of clinical and research work for the safe application of new methods. Tomorrows medicine is being created at the UKD. Every single day.

The Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Infectious Diseases (Director: Professor Dr. T. Lüdde) is seeking, as of April 2026

1 Postdoctoral Researcher - Natural Sciences (f/m/d) in the field of Liver Cancer Research

Within the framework of the Research Unit FOR 5889 funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG), entitled “The Dynamic Regulation of Stage Transitions in Chronic Liver Disease by Cell Death and Alarm Signals,” we are looking for a postdoctoral researcher in the natural sciences starting in April 2026. The position is offered at 100% full-time employment, with the salary level according to the German public service pay scale for the federal states (TV-L E13). The position is limited to a duration of four years. Employment will be in accordance with the German Academic Fixed-Term Contract Act (WissZeitVG, § 2 para. 2).

In addition to the project-specific research work, the position includes advanced qualification and training modules at the interface between basic life sciences and clinical research. Project P01 (Principal Investigator: Prof. Dr. T. Lüdde) addresses the question “How release- and effector mechanisms of DAMPs in sublethal hepatocyte necroptosis control transition points in hepatocarcinogenesis”.

What you offer

We are searching for a highly motivated and highly qualified postdoctoral researcher in the natural sciences (f/m/d) who has completed an excellent doctoral degree (Dr. rer. nat., PhD, or equivalent).

The applicant is expected to have following qualifications: A strong interest in working in an interdisciplinary environment, as well as the ability to build and actively shape productive collaborations between different research institutes and groups; strong analytical skills and structured problem-solving abilities combined with creativity and a pronounced enthusiasm for basic research in the fields of cell death and oncology; solid expertise and willingness to conduct experimental work using in vivo mouse models; active participation in scientific and informal events within the consortium; excellent oral and written communication and presentation skills; fluency in spoken and written English; strong teamwork skills along with a high degree of initiative and sense of responsibility.

We appreciate strong motivation and scientific curiosity, along with enthusiasm for experimental research in a competitive international environment; excellent organizational skills and efficient time management; willingness to contribute to administrative project-related tasks (e.g., communication with internal administrative offices and external authorities); experience in the analysis of large datasets, particularly transcriptomic or single-cell data. German language skills and basic skills in the programming language R are an advantage.