Doctoral Candidate in Evolution and Systematics of Plants

Job advertisement

Vacancy ID: 080/2026

Closing date: 2026-04-30

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 Biodiversity, Ecology and Evolution and the Senckenberg Institute for Plant Form and Function (SIP) seek to fill the position of a

Doctoral Candidate in Evolution and Systematics of Plants

commencing as soon as possible.

We offer a part-time position (65%; 26 hours per week) for three years.

We are seeking a motivated doctoral candidate for the project “Integrative taxon-omics and machine learning to decipher reticulate plant speciation – a proof-of-concept from Thymus (Lamiaceae)”. The economically important genus Thymus comprises many di- and polyploid, widespread, and endemic species, ranging from Greenland to Europe, Africa, and Asia. Not much is currently known about the relationships between the species and their species status. The aim of the project is therefore to conduct phylogenomic, biogeographic, morphometric, and ecological analyses based on state-of-the-art analytical methods in order to reconstruct the evolutionary history of the species. As a doctoral candidate, you will be part of the newly established lab of Integrative Plant Taxonomy and an active collaboration with scientists from Germany, Europe, and North America. The position offers the opportunity to obtain an academic qualification (doctoral degree).

Your responsibilities:

DNA extraction and sequencing (whole genome resequencing) primarily based on herbarium material

Bioinformatic and AI-based evaluation of sequence data and conductance of phylogenomic, biogeographic, morphometric, and ecological analyses

Familiarization with the species of the genus Thymus and collaboration on the revision and description of species

Conducting collection trips in temperate and subtropical (Mediterranean) regions

Assistance in courses offered by the lab of Integrative Plant Taxonomy

Supervision of assistants and support in supervising undergraduate and graduate students

Publication of your work in renowned scientific journals and completion of a dissertation

Work on your own academic qualification project (doctorate)

Your profile:

Successfully completed graduate degree with a focus on systematic botany, evolution, bioinformatics, or comparable degrees

A high degree of independence and knowledge in the areas of plant systematics, next-generation sequencing (e.g., RAD-Seq, hybrid capture), phylogenomics, and at least one programming language (e.g., Python, R) are required

A drivers license for collection trips is needed

Knowledge of bioinformatic and deep learning-based approaches as well as morphometry, biogeography, and/or ecological modelling is desirable; Field experience in temperate and subtropical (Mediterranean) regions is also advantageous

We offer:

Newly built laboratories, IT, and outstanding botanical collections (Jena Botanical Garden, Herbarium Haussknecht)