Scientific project assistant predoctoral

Biological sciences » Biological engineering Organisation/Company Universität Wien Research Field Biological sciences » Biology Biological sciences » Biological engineering Researcher Profile Recognised Researcher (R2) Application Deadline 20 Nov 2026
- 00:00 (UTC) Country Austria Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Part-time Hours Per Week 30 Offer Starting Date 1 Feb 2027 Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No Offer Description At the University of Vienna, almost 11,000 people work together on the big questions of the future. Approximately 7,700 of them are academic staff members. These are individuals who, with their curiosity and their continuous pursuit of excellence, engage in international cutting-edge research and teaching. With us, you will also find space to unfold your potential. We are looking for a/an ... Scientific project assistant predoctoral 50 Faculty of Life Sciences Startdate: 01.02.2027 |

Working hours
30 | Collective bargaining agreement: §48 VwGr. B1 Grundstufe (praedoc) Limited until: 01.07.2030 Reference no.: 6362 The working group of Marine Microbial Biogeochemistry at the Department of Functional and Evolutionary Ecology of the University of Vienna investigates how microorganisms shape carbon cycling and biogeochemical processes in the ocean, from coastal waters to the deep sea. We are looking for an enthusiastic, curious and communicative colleague who enjoys working in the laboratory, in the field and at sea as part of an international team. Does that sound like something for you? Apply to join our team You will investigate which bacteria are active in the sea-surface microlayer, the boundary layer between ocean and atmosphere, and how they vary over a seasonal cycle and along an Atlantic transect. By combining single-cell activity measurements with metagenomics and metatranscriptomics, you will identify the traits that allow key taxa such as SAR11 and Roseobacteraceae to thrive at the air-sea interface. The start of the contract is 1 February 2027. The employment period is 3.5 years from the beginning of the contract. As a team, an open, collaborative and respectful working environment is important to us. You actively participate in research and teaching, which means:
- You sample the SML and the underlying water in northern Germany together with our project partners at GEOMAR in Kiel, during the first project year only (about 3 days per month, first sampling in February 2027).
- You take part in the research cruise of RV METEOR across the tropical and subtropical Atlantic (February/March 2028), including sampling and shipboard experiments.
- You measure the activity of specific bacterial groups at the single-cell level using CARD-FISH, BONCAT and Redox Sensor Green (RSG), combined with flow cytometry and microscopy.
- You extract nucleic acids, prepare metagenomic and metatranscriptomic samples and analyse the data bioinformatically (about 85% laboratory and field work, 15% bioinformatics).
- You co-supervise MSc students in the laboratory; teaching can be added at a later stage if you wish.
- You aim for a doctoral thesis comprising three papers within the Vienna Doctoral School of Ecology and Evolution (VDSEE) and present your results at international conferences and project meetings.
- You collaborate closely with the project partners at the University of Oldenburg and GEOMAR Kiel. This is part of your personality:
- Completed Master's degree or equivalent qualification in marine biology, microbiology, biological oceanography, biogeochemistry or a closely related field by the employment start date
- Experience in molecular or microbiological laboratory methods and in fluorescence microscopy, and skills in bioinformatics (e.g. R, Linux command line) together with the motivation to expand them
- Excellent command of written and spoken English, as English is the working language of our laboratory
- You are a team player with high social and communicative skills, as you will work closely with colleagues and partners in Vienna, Oldenburg, Kiel and on board ship
- Willingness to travel to Kiel for monthly sampling (about 3 days) during the first project year, and to join the RV METEOR research cruise in 2028
- Desirable: experience with CARD-FISH, flow cytometry or omics data, sea-going experience, scientific presentations Additional Information

What we offer
Employment: The employment duration is 3.5 years at 30 hours per week (75%). Doctoral training and degree-related activities are additional to the contracted hours. Work-life balance: Our employees enjoy flexible

working hours
and can partially work remotely, apart from fieldwork and cruise periods. Inspiring working atmosphere: You are part of an international academic team in a healthy and fair working environment, with access to state-of-the-art facilities for mi