The Cluster of Excellence "Balance of the Microverse" of the Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Germany, combines expertse in life, material, optcal and computatonal sciences to elevate microbiome studies from descriptve to hypothesis-driven and functonal analyses. Our core mission is to elucidate fundamental principles of the interactons and functons in microbial communites in diverse habitats ranging from oceans and groundwater to plant and human hosts. We aim to identfy the shared characterises of disturbed or polluted ecosystems as well as infectous diseases on the microbiome level, and develop strategies for their remediaton by targeted interventons. Our full spectrum of expertse in the physical and life sciences will be leveraged to address these important issues in natural habitats as well as synthetc arenas in a collaborate manner. The affiliated early career program of the Jena School for Microbial Communication (JSMC) offers an ambitous, structured and interdisciplinary post-graduate training based on top-level fundamental research.

The Cluster of Excellence Balance of the Microverse invites applications for
2 Doctoral Researcher Positions and 1 Postdoctoral Researcher Position

We are recruitng engaging and motvated individuals to join our research cluster. Important for all candidates will be the willingness to collaborate widely and to look beyond traditonal disciplines to further our mission. What are the similarites and differences in the recruitment and maintenance of plant and animal microbiomes? What imaging technologies can best be adapted to study microbes in their natural environment with minimal artficial manipulaton? What can we learn about the resilience and stability of microbial communites in diverse environments such as soil, the oceans and ground water? How can we translate our understanding of microbiomes to positve societal impact? Answering these questons requires that we come together as a scientfic community to which we contribute expertse as well as a curiosity about unfamiliar subjects. We expect:

• A degree (MSc, PhD or equivalent) in natural sciences (Biology, Microbiology, Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Bioinformatcs, Physics or closely related fields). Candidates in the final stages of obtaining their degree are eligible to apply

• Desirable methodological skills: excellent background in molecular biology, biochemistry, cell biology, immunology and/or microbiology, hands-on knowledge of analytcal methods

• Highly motvated individuals with an interest in joining one of the interdisciplinary research areas of the Microverse Cluster

• The abililty to work creatvely and independently towards developing your own research project

• A collaborate personality with enthusiasm for actvely partcipatng in the dynamic Microverse community

• Excellent English communicaton skills, both written and spoken

We offer:

• A highly communicate atmosphere within a scientfic network providing top-level research facilites

• A comprehensive mentoring program and soft skill courses for early career researchers

• Jena - City of Science: a young and lively town with a vibrant local cultural agenda

The positons will be funded through the Excellence Strategy of the German federal and state governments, the Carl Zeiss Foundaton or the German Academic Exchange Service. The Friedrich Schiller University Jena is an equal opportunity employer and part-tme contracts can be discussed. Disabled persons with comparable qualificatons will receive preferental status. Applicatons are exclusively accepted via the JSMC Online Applicaton Portal: Please familiarize yourself with the currently available projects (www.microverse-cluster.de) and the applicaton process as described in the Online Applicaton Portal. Selected applicants will be invited to an online recruitment meetng taking place in May. Awarding decisions will be announced shortly thereafter, and candidates are expected to be available to start their projects in mid 2021. Application deadline: 29^th April 2021