Job advertisement

Vacancy ID: 277/2026
Closing date: 2026-10-27

The Friedrich Schiller University Jena is a dynamic and innovation-driven university centrally located in Germany. With a broad range of disciplines, it shapes the future through excellent research and teaching. Its scientific excellence is reflected in the profile areas Light – Life – Liberty, which provide pioneering insights and sustainable solutions for the society of tomorrow. Through close collaborations with leading research institutions, innovative companies, and renowned cultural organizations, it advances interdisciplinary developments. With around 17,000 students and approximately 10,000 employees, it defines Jena as a vibrant, internationally connected city of science and innovation.

Our Cluster of Excellence Balance of the Microverse combines expertise in life, material, optical and computational sciences to elevate microbiome studies from descriptive to hypothesis-driven and functional analyses. Our core mission is to elucidate fundamental principles of the interactions and functions in microbial communities in diverse habitats. For the Cluster management office we are looking for a highly committed

Scientific coordinator within the Cluster of Excellence Balance of the Microverse

commencing at the earliest possible date. The part-time position (75%, 30 hours per week) is offered as a fixed-term position until 31.12.2032.

This provides a unique opportunity for an ambitious science coordinator with research and scientific coordination experience to support our Cluster management at the interface of the university and non-university research institutions in Jena (including, amongst others, Leibniz and Max Planck Institutes). We are seeking candidates with experience in coordinating research activities, scientific reporting, consortium-wide communication, meetings and interactions between participating research groups. The position is part of a four-person management team, alongside a scientific manager, a science communication officer and an outreach manager. The successful candidate has a strong interest in the development of research strategies, science policy and networking. Excellent communication with scientists from different disciplines and a high level of independent organization are crucial. We are looking for a distinctive team player with a high degree of personal responsibility and a strong commitment to support our Cluster community.

Your responsibilities:

• Coordinate scientific events, such as seminar series, internal symposia, conferences
• Implement the Cluster’s International Scientists Exchange Program
• Coordinate internal committees, including the facilitation of committee meetings and contributing content across the respective topic areas
• Drive diversity and gender equality measures and support strategic development
• Oversee and maintain the Cluster’s publications database, including quality assurance
• Support the management office with recruitments of early career scientists
• Contribute to writing grant applications, reports and publications
• Provide subject-matter input for our science communication and outreach activities

Your profile:

• Education to PhD level in life or natural sciences in a Cluster-related research field
• Postdoctoral research experience and demonstrated experience in the scientific coordination of a collaborative research project or research consortium are explicitly desired
• Practical experience with the administration and coordination of DFG-funded research projects is highly desirable
• Distinguished project management and organizational skills, flexibility and ability to bring deadline-driven work to completion
• Excellent communication and scientific writing skills in both English and German
• Strong commitment and interest in conceptual-strategic work
• A highly integrative, team-minded personality with good inter-personal skills
• Experience in the management of collaborative research projects is advantageous

Are you hesitating because you don't meet one or some of our requirements? Please do not hesitate to apply and give us a chance to get to know you.

We offer:

• A responsible position within a highly motivated team and diversified tasks at the interface between research, administration and funding bodies
• A multifaceted and complex research environment with an open-minded and cooperative atmosphere, and a close collaboration of university and extra-university research institutions
• A comprehensive continuing education programme and individual qualification and development measures
• University health promotion including a wide range of university sports activities and a family-friendly working environment with a variety of offers for families
• Remuneration based on the provisions of the Collective Agreement for the Public Sector of the Federal States (TV-L) at salary scale E13 — depending on the candidate’s personal qualifications—, including a special annual payment in accordance with the collective agreement
• 30 days of vacation per calendar year plus two days off on December 24 and 31

The fixed-term position is advertised at 75% (30 hours per week) until 31.12.2032, with flexibility to discuss an increase to full-time at a later stage. The position may be extended depending on performance and availability of funding. The successful candidate will report to Prof. Kirsten Küsel, spokesperson of the Cluster as well as to Dr. Angela Köhler, head of Cluster management.

Candidates with severe disabilities will be given preference in the case of equal qualifications and suitability.

Are you eager to work for us? Then apply by 27.10.2026 using our online form.

For further information for applicants and the information on the collection of personal data, please refer to