University Assistant postdoctoral Universität Wien

Job description:

The University of Vienna is a cosmopolitan hub for more than 10,000 employees, of whom around 7,500 work in research and teaching. They want to do research and teach at a place that suits their ideas and work together towards answering the big questions of the future. You also appreciate the exchange between disciplines, cultures and generations? We are looking for a/an

University Assistant postdoctoral

Among the many reasons to research and teach at the University of Vienna there is one in particular, which has convinced around 7,500 academic staff members so far. They see themselves as personalities who need space for continuous striving for top international research and scientific excellence. At the same time they enjoy support and liberties that are not a given at other institutions. Does that sound like something for you? Welcome to our team!

Your personal sphere of play:

Your future position is at the Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research in the Plant Phylogenomics Group within the Division of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany. Research in our group focuses on how genome-level processes (e.g. gene duplication, horizontal gene transfer, introgression) and natural selection have shaped the morphological, molecular, and phylogenetic diversity of plants. Ongoing projects include the evolution of floral scent in Onagraceae, the evolution of sexual systems in Schiedea (Caryophyllaceae), and the origin and genomic basis of heterotrophy in liverworts. Generally, all projects in the group address two common questions: What are the genomic signatures that coincide with the origin of fundamental life history traits, and what is the relationship between these processes/traits and diversification? To address these questions, we use a diversity of approaches, all with a heavy emphasis on using both gene and species phylogenies.

We are currently offering a postdoctoral position for up to six years. This position is not funded by a third-party project and therefore allows the successful candidate to develop their own projects within the scientific framework of the Plant Phylogenomics Group or related areas. Of course, collaborating on and lending expertise to existing projects is also expected. We are particularly interested in candidates with strong wet-lab experience in genomics and extensive experience in phylogenomics and molecular systematics.

We welcome applicants who would bring a new organismal focus to the group and are open to people working on any lineage of land plants. The Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research is part of the faculty of Life Sciences with 10,000 students and a highly international team of > 1000 employees.

Your future tasks:

Participate in research, teaching, mentoring, and group administration, which means:

• You will continue to build your independent research profile in your field
• You participate in and contribute to ongoing research projects
• You develop new projects and apply for third-party funding
• You publish in international journals as both the lead author and as a co-author on papers from the group to which you contribute
• You serve as the instructor of record for courses related to your area of expertise within the scope of the provisions of the collective bargaining agreement
• You supervise or co-supervise MS and PhD students in the group, with an emphasis on training students in skills related to your area of specialization
• You contribute to group administration, such as the preparation of reports and personnel management
• You contribute to the maintenance of wet-lab and dry-lab infrastructure

This is part of your personality:

• Completed doctoral/PhD studies in plant systematics and phylogenomics, or a closely related field. Candidates who have not yet completed their PhD studies but can demonstrate a date of completion prior to the start of this position will also be considered.
• A strong record of publication in journals related to plant systematics and plant comparative genomics
• Extensive wet-lab experience in plant genomics (preparation of genomic libraries for long-read sequencing etc.)
• Expertise in at least one lineage of land plants (i.e., a taxonomic focus)
• Experience with at least one coding language or a strong background in statistics
• Experience with high-performance computing in a Linux environment
• A record of presenting your research at scientific conferences
• Excellent knowledge of written and spoken English (C1)
• A commitment to collaboration and communication within a team

What we offer:

It is that easy to apply:

• Please submit the following documents

  • Your full scientific curriculum vitae
  • A letter of intent (cover letter) explaining why you are interested in the position and how it is a good match for your experience and goals
  • A summary of research interests, including past experience and future directions (two pages maximum)
  • Doctoral Degree or intended date of completion
  • Contact details of three persons who could provide reference letters
  • Via our job portal/ Apply now -  button

If you have any questions, please contact:

Norman Wickett  

norman.wickett@univie.ac.at

We look forward to new personalities in our team! 
The University of Vienna has an anti-discriminatory employment policy and attaches great importance to equal opportunities, the advancement of women and diversity. We lay special emphasis on increasing the number of women in senior and in academic positions among the academic and general university staff and therefore expressly encourage qualified women to apply. Given equal qualifications, preference will be given to female candidates.

University of Vienna. Space for personalities. Since 1365.

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​Application deadline: 05/15/2026 (MM-DD-YYYY)

Apply now