Postdoctoral Position (w/m/d) in Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services under Forest Change

Postdoctoral Position (w/m/d) in Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services under Forest Change

NEU

Vollzeit

Forschung und Lehre

The Excellence Cluster Future Forests at the University of Freiburg invites applications for a Postdoctoral Researcher (PostDoc – w/m/d) position in Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services under Forest Change. Postdoctoral Position (w/m/d) in Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services under Forest Change

Bewerbungsfrist: 31. Mai 2026

Veröffentlichungsdatum: 20. Februar 2026

Eintrittstermin: 1. Oktober 2026

Arbeitsumfang: Fulltime position

Kennziffer: 00004868

Beschreibung

Full-time (100%) fixed-term position for 3 years (third-party funded), with the possibility of job sharing (two 50% appointments).

Remuneration according to TV-L 13.

Starting date: October 2026 or as soon as possible thereafter.

The Excellence Cluster Future Forests at the University of Freiburg invites applications for a Postdoctoral Researcher (PostDoc – w/m/d) position in Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services under Forest Change.

The successful candidate will contribute to research at the interface of biodiversity dynamics, ecosystem services, and human well-being, working within two closely connected research themes:

Biodiversity assessment and soundscape analysis (Theme A4)

Investigating how novel species interactions and emergent biological communities shape biodiversity under forest change. This includes assessing biodiversity — with a particular focus on birds — and quantifying soundscape quality as an ecosystem service in response to structural transformation, invasive tree species, and forest disintegration.

The project explores how long-term changes in forest structure — such as increasing dominance of non-native tree species or widespread tree mortality — alter both ecological communities and the benefits forests provide to society. By combining biodiversity monitoring with perceptual and health-related research, the position contributes to an integrative understanding of forest transformation under global environmental change.

The position is primarily intended as a full-time appointment. However, it may be split into two part-time positions if suitable candidates apply.

Applicants should indicate whether they are applying for the full position or for one specific research area. Joint applications are welcome; in this case, a short joint statement describing the planned division of tasks and collaboration should be included.

The Excellence Cluster Future Forests at the University of Freiburg is an interdisciplinary research center dedicated to questions of adaptation and transformation of forests and their societal use in the face of global change. Future-oriented research on the complex interactions between forests and society is conducted here with outstanding international visibility, supported by the German Research Foundation. Future Forests brings together more than 50 researchers from four faculties as well as non-university partner institutions.

Your Tasks

Conduct independent scientific research and publish in the fields of biotic interactions, biodiversity–ecosystem service relationships, landscape ecology, and environmental psychology, including:

Quantification of soundscape composition and acoustic diversity.

Spatio-temporal mapping of soundscape aesthetic values and identification of key drivers.

Bioacoustic analysis of acoustic communities (species identification).

Assessment of human perception of visual and acoustic diversity at the regional scale using experimental virtual reality approaches.