Research Assistant (Doctoral Researcher/PhD)

The position is offered for a period of 3 years. The starting date is 1st October 2025. The position is part-time (65 % of regular working hours) with salary and benefits commensurate with a public service position in the state Hesse, Germany (TV-H E 13, 65 %).

The goal of the BMFTR-funded project "BiodivKI-2: Monitoring Moth Biodiversity (Lepidoptera) Using Automated Camera Traps and Artificial Intelligence (LEPMON)" is to develop a powerful AI system that enables nationwide monitoring of nocturnal insects. To achieve this, we are developing camera-light traps (CLTs), an appropriate data management system, and are using artificial intelligence (AI) to enable large-scale species identification of moths and other insects. Since high-performance AI requires a large number of manually labeled training images, it can be beneficial to involve citizens in the collection and classification of images. This is where the work of the position to be filled comes in:

Tasks:

• organise and conduct a citizen science campaign in collaboration with LEPMON project partners
• explore how citizen science, automated cameras and gamification can support biodiversity monitoring (literature review)
• investigate how participating in Project LEPMON influences and motivates citizen scientists (survey)
• analyse how moth communities vary across broad land-use categories
• scientific services in research, including authoring and publishing peer-reviewed scientific articles and presenting research findings in team meetings and at scientific conferences

The position is limited to a time period deemed adequate for the completion of a doctoral degree. As part of the assigned duties, there will be ample opportunity to conduct the independent scientific research necessary for the completion of a doctorate. The limitation complies to § 2, 1 WissZeitVG.

Profile:

• MSc degree (or equivalent) in biology, nature conservation, environmental sciences, informatics or a related field
• effective team player with strong collaboration skills
• excellent writing and presentation skills in English and good proficiency in German or a willingness to learn
• experience in statistical analysis
• experience with systematic reviews or perspective papers, survey design and analysis, gamification, citizen science and/or an interest in the ecology of nocturnal insects is desirable
• willingness to collaborate across disciplines, especially at the interface with social science research

Disposition to own scientific qualification is expected.

We actively support the professional development of junior researchers by the offers of Marburg Research Academy (MARA), the International Office and the Higher Education Didactics Office.

We offer:

• an interdisciplinary research environment within a friendly working atmosphere as part of the LEPMON project, involving researchers from Friedrich Schiller University Jena, the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), and the Museum Koenig
• regular exchange with other research groups
• ticket for free use of public transportation in the state Hesse, Germany
• german retirement plan (VBL) benefits

Contact for more Information

We support women and strongly encourage them to apply. In areas where women are underrepresented, female applicants will be preferred in case of equal qualifications. As a certified family-friendly university, we support our employees in balancing family and career. A reduction of working time is possible. Applicants with a disability as discribed in SGB IX (§ 2 Abs. 2, 3) will be preferred in case of equal qualifications. Application and interview costs can not be refunded.

Please apply by 17th August 2025 using the application-button below.

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