Senior scientific director of the Lower Saxony Institute for Historical Coastal Research (A16) in conjunction with the Professorship for Coastal Palaeoecology (W3)
Salary Scale: A16 in conjunction with W3
Working Hours: 100%
Institution: Lower Saxony Institute for Historical Coastal Research (NIhK), Faculty V – Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment (ICBM)
Place of work: Wilhelmshaven and Oldenburg
Application deadline: 2026-04-19
First day of work: 2027-01-01
Duration: permanent
Notes: The professorship will be established as part of a joint appointment procedure between the university and the NIhK in accordance with the Thuringian model.
About us
The NIhK is a non-university research institute of the State of Lower Saxony operating under the auspices of the Lower Saxony Ministry of Science and Culture. It investigates the closely interwoven developments of settlement, landscape and vegetation in the coastal zones of northern Germany and neighbouring landscapes from the end of the last glacial period to the modern era. At the NIhK, natural and cultural sciences work closely together in an interdisciplinary manner, particularly in the disciplines of coastal and quaternary geology, geoarchaeology, soil science, geophysics, landscape, settlement and burial ground archaeology, historical geography, archaeobotany and vegetation history.
The ICBM is an interdisciplinary institute belonging to Faculty V – Mathematics and Natural Sciences – at the University of Oldenburg, with locations in Oldenburg and Wilhelmshaven. The ICBM is the only university institute in Lower Saxony that covers broad areas of marine science in both research and teaching. The institute comprises 26 working groups from various disciplines, particularly the natural sciences, including biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics and social sciences. The ICBM operates the Spiekeroog Coastal Observatory and is the home institute of the research vessel Sonne.
NIhK and ICBM offer a creative, international and inspiring working environment in which interdisciplinary cooperation in research and teaching is promoted at regional, national and international levels. The unique infrastructure available at both institutions offers exceptional opportunities for the development of new research concepts.
Your responsibilities
* As director of the NIhK, you will be responsible for managing the natural sciences department at the NIhK and for designing relevant research programmes and projects on issues relating to the palaeoecology and landscape history of the coastal regions of Northwestern Europe.
* Your research will focus on the interactions between the basic geological and ecological conditions and the changes caused by human activities in prehistoric and early historic coastal areas.
* The focus of your professorship will be to represent the field of coastal palaeoecology in research and teaching.
* In doing so, you will strengthen the NIhK and the ICBM in research and teaching in a team‑oriented manner.
* You will actively participate in cooperation or joint projects of the NIhK and the ICBM. We hope that you will also take advantage of the opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration with other institutes and departments of the university and its scientific environment.
* You mentor and promote the academic career development of students and employees.
* You represent the teaching subject palaeoecology in the bachelor's and master’s degree programmes with a scope of 2 LVS. The focus will be on landscape development in the coastal regions of Central Europe with its specific characteristics.
* You offer courses in German and English.
* As the universities of Oldenburg and Bremen are connected by a cooperation agreement, active participation in the cooperation is expected.
* You participate in academic self-governance.
* You promote a university culture that is diverse and equitable.
Your profile
Requirements:
* You meet the appointment requirements specified in section 25 of the Lower Saxony Higher Education Act (NHG).
* Your research focuses on archaeobotany and vegetation history or historical geobotany or geoarchaeology.
* You have a proven track record in research through your palaeoecological studies with a focus on Holocene landscape history.
* Your research achievements are demonstrated in particular by contributions to international peer‑reviewed journals.
* You have successfully acquired competitive third-party funding and have experience in managing third-party funded projects.
* You have experience in coordinating and leading scientific working groups.
* You have a cooperative working style that promotes a diverse and equitable working environment.
* You have experience in mentoring and promoting academic career development.
* You have German and English language skills at C2 level.
* You demonstrate your ability to connect to the described research and teaching areas in a concept of max. three pages each.
Desirable:
* You have experience working with cultural and social science disciplines, especially prehistoric and early historical archaeology.
* You already have experience in cultural education.
* You are willing to use data science methods and artificial intelligence for comparison with observational data.
* You are willing to establish and apply new research approaches for methodological development, such as stable isotope measurement, sedaDNA analysis, and the use of chemical/ molecular biological proxy data.
* You have management experience, particularly in the areas of financial administration and human resources management.
We offer
* A creative, international and inspiring working environment. We promote interdisciplinary cooperation within the university, with universities and research institutions around the world, as well as renowned university institutes and external research institutions.
* Extensive service and advisory offerings, e.g. for international researchers, for reconciling family and work or for applying for national, European and international research funding.
* A diverse range of professional development opportunities for all career levels, as well as services for occupational health promotion.
* A certified family-friendly university on a lively and sustainable campus with good infrastructure.
* A wide range of opportunities for shaping research concepts and developing creative methodologies as part of the dual leadership of the NIhK.
Our standards
The NIhK and the University of Oldenburg are committed to transparent and quality-assured procedures. We strive to increase the proportion of women in leadership positions at the NIhK as well as the proportion of female professors at the University, and encourage female scientists to apply. Women will be given preference in the selection process in case of equal qualifications.
Applications from persons with disabilities or those with equal status will be given preference in the selection process in case of equal suitability, qualifications, and professional performance. In order to protect your interests, please indicate in your application letter whether you have a disability or equal status.
Contact
If you have any questions about working at NIhK, please contact Prof. Dr. Hauke Jöns (Scientific Director at NIhK) or, for questions about the professorship at ICBM, Prof. Dr. Oliver Wurl .
Apply now
Please apply by 2026-04-19only via the application web portal. Please apply in English if possible.