Doctoral Researcher (m/f/div) in Microbial Genetic Engineering

Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology

Research area:

Members of the genus Fusarium are some of the few trans-kingdom fungal pathogens, being able to infect plants and, at the same time, cause severe superficial and invasive infections in humans. Recently, Fusarium species were listed in the high priority group of the World Health Organization's Fungal Priority Pathogens List. At the same time, Fusarium species are very potent and prolific producers of bioactive natural products, which could serve for the development of novel antiinfectives in the treatment of human diseases. In an interdisciplinary project funded by the Free State of Thuringia and the European Social Fund Plus (ESF), in collaboration with the junior research group Robotic-assisted Discovery of Antiinfectives of Dr. Luzia Gyr, we are working towards both combating pathogenic Fusarium species and exploiting them as producers of bioactive molecules.
We are seeking an excellent and enthusiastic PhD student to start in January 2026. The objective of the PhD project is to isolate and functionally characterize natural product biosynthetic gene clusters via a combination of bioinformatic tools, genetic engineering and chemical analyses.

Candidate’s profile:

• Master’s degree in (molecular) biology, microbiology, biochemistry, chemical biology, biotechnology, or a related discipline
• Strong interest in natural product research
• Educational background in one or more of the following subjects: microbiology, biochemistry, genetics, bioinformatics
• Practical experience in the handling and genetic manipulation of microbes as well as DNA-, RNA-, and protein-based techniques is desired
• Additional experience in bioinformatic and/or chemical analyses is an advantage
• Ability to perform team-oriented as well as independent work
• Willingness to work towards high-throughput sample preparation and analyses
• Very good communication skills in English

We offer:

The successful candidate will be hosted by the junior research group (Epi-)Genetic Regulation of Fungal Virulence of Dr. Slavica Janevska. We offer an interdisciplinary scientific project in a young and committed team, with excellent technical facilities and strong local, national, and international scientific collaborations. The PhD candidate will participate in the structured program of the Jena graduate school International Leibniz Research School or the Jena School for Microbial Communication. The Leibniz-HKI is embedded in the outstanding scientific environment of the Beutenberg Campus providing state-of-the-art research facilities and a highly integrative network of life science groups.

Salary is paid according to German TV-L (salary agreement for public service employees). As an equal opportunity employer, the Leibniz-HKI is committed to increasing the percentage of female scientists and therefore especially encourages them to apply.

Further information:

Dr. Slavica Janevska | +49 3641 532-1188

Applications:

Leibniz-HKI is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and promote diversity and inclusion in the workplace. It aims to increase the proportion of underrepresented groups in case of equal suitability. All qualified persons, regardless of color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or other classification protected by law will receive consideration for employment.

Complete applications in English should include a cover letter, a CV (if applicable, containing a complete list of publications), a brief statement of research experiences, a certificate of study / transcript of records, and the addresses of two possible referees and should be submitted via the Leibniz-HKI Leibniz-HKI online application system. The deadline for the advertisement is December 14, 2025, but applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.