2 PhD Student Positions and 1 Post-Doctoral Position

The DFG-funded Collaborative Research Center

CRC 1644 “Phenotypic plasticity in plants – mechanisms, constraints and evolution”,

hosted at the University of Potsdam jointly with its partner institutions MPI for Molecular Plant Physiology in Potsdam, Hasso Plattner Institute Potsdam, IGZ Großbeeren, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin and University of Cologne, is excited to announce openings for:

2 PhD Student Positions

ID no. 349/2024

and 1 Post-Doctoral Position

ID no. 350/2024

Fields:            Plant Biology, Computer Vision, Computational Modeling, and Data Integration

Duration:       until 31 December 2027

Location:       University of Potsdam (within commuting distance from Berlin)

Plants have colonized almost every habitat on Earth, thanks to their remarkable ability to adapt their growth and development to varying environments. This ability, known as phenotypic plasticity, is the capacity of a single genotype to produce different phenotypes in different environments. Understanding the molecular basis and evolution of phenotypic plasticity is a fundamental goal in biology and the focus of CRC 1644.

Join Our Interdisciplinary Research Consortium

To achieve groundbreaking insights into plant phenotypic plasticity, CRC 1644 integrates expertise across genetics, cell and developmental biology, physiology, evolutionary biology, functional ecology, computational biology, and mathematical modeling. Our research aims to transform our understanding of phenotypic plasticity as a crucial trait for breeding and the survival of plant populations amidst environmental changes.

About The Positions:

• 1 PhD position in the Schneider lab (project B22) to develop a robotic phenotyping platform using image analysis tools and elements of computer vision to uncover the genetic basis of phenotypic plasticity of the Arabidopsis vasculature to water stress. 1 PhD position in the Nikoloski Lab (project B41) aiming at integrating thermodynamic constraints and metabolomics data into metabolic models of the central metabolism of Arabidopsis leaves to study the plasticity of photorespiration.  1 Postdoc position in the central research unit (project Z22) aiming at the development and application of network-based bioinformatics and quantitative genetic approaches to study reaction norms, the underlying plasticity genes, and their role in cellular networks.

What We Offer:

• Access to a large, interdisciplinary, local network of researchers State-of-the-art research facilities Numerous Opportunities for developing hard and soft skills Commitment to increasing the proportion of women in STEM research

More Information:

For detailed information on the scientific framework, the individual projects, terms of employment, candidate responsibilities, required qualifications, and the online application procedure, visit our website: CRC 1644.

Your application:

Your application should include a CV, a letter of motivation stating the positions (with project/ID numbers) you are applying for and explaining why you wish to pursue a PhD / postdoc and why you have chosen the respective projects to apply for, relevant certificates, names, and addresses of two academic referees, and the completed form that you can find here for download: https://www.uni-potsdam.de/en/ppp/job-portal/jobs.

Please apply by the deadline of 30.08.2024 via email to [email protected].

Potsdam, 22.07.2024