2026 PhD Position in Invertebrate Genomics/Bioinformatics at the Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung

Senckenberg – Leibniz Institution for Biodiversity and Earth System Research (SGN) , headquartered in Frankfurt am Main, is seeking to fill the PhD position in Invertebrate Genomics / Bioinformatics at the Department of Marine Zoology at the Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt.

Table of Content

• Summary
• Benefits
• Requirements
• Application Documents
• Application Deadline
• How To Apply

Summary

• Application DeadlineMarch 4, 2026
• Study LevelPhD
• SponsorSenckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung
• Eligible CountryAll Countries

Benefits

• Access to an international network of scientists, policymakers, and research organizations
• Integration with the EUROWORM project partners with expert collaborators across Europe
• Training in state-of-the-art methods in comparative genomics, phylogenomics, and organismic biology
• A dynamic working environment in Frankfurt, a diverse and vibrant city offering a high quality of life
• Flexible working hours – mobile working options – Support with childcare or caring for family members (certified by the “audit berufundfamilie”) – employee ID card with free admission to municipal museums – annual special payment – ??collectively agreed vacation entitlement – ??company pension plan (ZVK)

Requirements

• Master's degree (or equivalent) in biology, zoology, bioinformatics, genomics, or a related field
• Strong interest in biodiversity, marine invertebrates, and answering evolutionary questions with comparative genomic analyses
• Experience with formulating scientific questions, planning and executing a research project
• Proficiency in common bioinformatics tools (command line-based) and scripting languages ??such as R, Python, Unix/shell
• Excellent command of written and spoken English
• Ability to work both independently and in a collaborative, interdisciplinary environment

Desirable skills

• The following qualifications would be considered an asset. We explicitly encourage candidates to apply even if they do not meet these additional criteria.
• Experience in preparing tissue samples for molecular work, including the extraction of high-molecular weight DNA and RNA
• Preparation of next-generation sequencing (NGS) libraries, particularly PacBio and Arima Hi-C libraries
• Experience with long-read sequencing data and hybrid assembly strategies.
• Demonstrated experience in genomics, genome assembly, and/or annotation, ideally with non-model organisms and in bioinformatic analyzes of large data sets
• Familiarity with genome quality assessment, contamination screening, and troubleshooting of sequencing datasets
• Familiarity with phylogenomic pipelines and comparative genomics workflows

Application Documents

• Letter of motivation with a short description of your previous research experience and how it relates to the advertised position
• A CV
• Certificates of academic achievements
• List of publications and conference participation, if available
• As well as letter(s) of recommendation)

Electronically (as a single PDF)

Application Deadline

How To Apply

• Please send your application, including Application Documents electronically (as a single PDF) stating the reference #01-26009 by 04th March 2026:              
  Senckenberg Society for Natural Research,
  Senckenberganlage 25,
  60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany,
  Email: [email protected]

For more information, kindly visit the Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung webpage.