Doctoral Researcher in Biophotonics

Job advertisement

Vacancy ID: 186/2026

Closing date: 2026-07-31

The Friedrich Schiller University Jena is a dynamic and innovation-driven university centrally located in Germany. With a broad range of disciplines, it shapes the future through excellent research and teaching. Its scientific excellence is reflected in the profile areas Light – Life – Liberty, which provide pioneering insights and sustainable solutions for the society of tomorrow. Through close collaborations with leading research institutions, innovative companies, and renowned cultural organizations, it advances interdisciplinary developments. With around 17,000 students and approximately 10,000 employees, it defines Jena as a vibrant, internationally connected city of science and innovation.

The Institute of Physical Chemistry at the Faculty of Chemistry and Earth Sciences seeks to fill the position of a

Doctoral Researcher in Biophotonics

commencing on 01 October 2026. We offer a part-time position (65%, 26 hours per week), with a fixed-term employment until 30 June 2030.

The DFG-funded Collaborative Research Centre 1768 “VirusREvolution: Decoding tools for virus research” is a highly ambitious research centre at Friedrich Schiller University with the joint goal to develop novel tools for virus discovery, characterisation, regulation, interaction, and visualisation ( ). Its integrated research training group is educating doctoral researchers in a structured, interdisciplinary training program and invites applications for doctoral and postdoctoral researcher positions in various fields of research.

In this doctoral project 'Raman spectroscopy: A tool for Host Response and Virus Characterisation', you will combine advanced Raman spectroscopy workflows with machine learning algorithms to translate complex spectral data into actionable phenotypic insights for viral research.

Your responsibilities:

Research in sample preparation protocols optimised specifically for Raman analysis, providing a robust foundation for elucidating virus infection cycles

Systematically integrate Raman spectroscopy data with multiomics datasets (genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolomic) for the analysis of virus interactions across different host systems

Participation in the Collaborative Research Centre VirusREvolution and close collaboration with the tandem project partner

Engage in regular discussions with other group and project members

Collaborate with BSc and MSc students working in associated projects

Publish papers and present your work at national and international scientific meetings

Your profile:

A highly motivated candidate with a Master of Science or equivalent degree in physical chemistry, chemical biology, microbiology or a related discipline

Knowledge and skills in the application in cell- and microbiology (cell culture, microscopy, staining methods, sample preparation)

Knowledge in optics and Raman spectroscopy

Knowledge in bioinformatics methods, virus genomics and biological data analysis is desirable

Strong analytical thinking and problem-solving

Ability to work independently and in a collaborative team

Excellent skills in English are required, both written and spoken

We offer:

Embedding in a cross-disciplinary research group and a large, ambitious research consortium

Affiliation to an Integrated Research Training Group, offering close support and a comprehensive education program for hard skills and transferable skills, supported by the Jena Graduate Aca