Great career opportunities in our highly multidisciplinary collaborative research centre SFB 1372 - Magnetoreception and Navigation in Vertebrates.

In SFB 1372, we are going to discover how vertebrate navigation and magnetoreception work. 16 different projects covering many scientific disciplines from quantum mechanics and biophysics via biochemistry, molecular biology and neuroscience, all the way to behavioral biology and genetics make up SFB 1372. To achieve our goal, we are looking to hire a highly motivated and enthusiastic PhD candidate.

Applications are invited for a

(65% E13 TV-L)

starting as early as possible for four years in Oldenburg, Germany.

The position is embedded in the subproject Nav01 of SFB 1372 (www.sfb1372.de). The PhD candidate will be part of the research group "Animal Navigation" (https://uol.de/en/animal-navigation) headed by Prof. Henrik Mouritsen at the University of Oldenburg, Germany.

We are working with lab-controlled testing conditions for the behavior of migratory songbirds and aim to prove magnetic detection occurring in the birds’ retinas involves the quantum spin dynamics. You will be working in the project being in charge for the behavioral experiments, analyzing behavioral changes due to interference of the magnetic sensing mechanism. Further, the project includes histochemical and molecular biological lab work. The position is ideal, if you like to work with birds, doing behavioral experiments on an exciting question in an international and interdisciplinary group of researchers.

• Completed scientific university studies (diploma (Uni) / Master) in biology or veterinary medicine
  
• Experience with behavioral experiments and enjoying to handle birds
  
• Experience in animal navigation mechanisms and magnetic sensing mechanisms
  
• Experience in Molecular Biology and/or Physiology
  
• Intrinsic motivation for a career in academia
  
• High levels of enthusiasm, motivation and ability to work effectively as part of an interdisciplinary team
  
• Having enough physical understanding and ability to independently manipulate magnetic fields
  
• Fundamental understanding of Statistics and experimental planning
  
• Willingness to work in unusual hours (evening and night) in the migratory season
  
• Good spoken and written English

You will get the opportunity to make major new discoveries which will have the great potential to be publishable in the best journals (see our publication record).

SFB 1372 is hosted by the University of Oldenburg and includes colleagues from the Institute of Avian Research Wilhelmshaven, Ruhr University Bochum, Freie Universität Berlin, University of Oxford and Weizmann Institute of Science Tel Aviv. You will become part of a large diverse team working closely together on related questions and you will have access to a very wide range of superb modern equipment, techniques and expertise.

In addition, you will become part of our SFB 1372 research training group offering soft and scientific skill courses, lectures as well a mentoring programme and support with career development.

Family and scientific career is supported by us and all involved institutions. We are aware of the power of diversity. In order to increase the percentage of female faculty and staff members, female candidates with equal qualification will be given preference. Applicants with disabilities will be preferentially considered in case of equal qualification

Your application should include a letter of motivation, a detailed CV, a publication list, names and phone numbers of at least two personal references, university and high school certificates.

Please send your application as a single pdf-file to Dr. Tina Schlüter sfb1372@uol.de, University Oldenburg, Postfach, 26111 Oldenburg. All applications received before the 6th of February, 2023 will be considered.