Postdoctoral position (m/f/d) "Biogeochemistry of seagrass blue carbon"

GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel is a foundation under public law jointly financed by the Federal Republic of Germany (90%) and the State of Schleswig-Holstein (10%). It is one of the internationally leading institutions in the field of marine research.

Through our research and our commitment to the transfer of knowledge and technology, we contribute significantly to the preservation of the function and protection of the ocean for future generations.

The research unit Marine Evolutionary Ecology of the research division Marine Ecology (PI Prof. Thorsten Reusch) is offering a

Postdoctoral position (m/f/d)

"Biogeochemistry of seagrass blue carbon"

for 24 months with a desired starting date of 1 March 2027.

Background and Project Description 

As part of the ANK (Action Program for Natural Climate Protection) project ZOBLUC (Seagrass – Zostera marina as a Blue Carbon Store in the Baltic Sea), this postdoctoral position focuses on investigating the storage, stability, and dynamics of organic carbon (Corg) in Baltic seagrass meadows. The main objectives are to quantify and determine the origin of “Blue Carbon”, assess its stability against microbial degradation, and investigate the processes governing its accumulation, transport, and transformation.

The key responsibilities include:

Quantification and source identification of organic carbon (Corg): Investigating organic carbon storage in seagrass meadows at sites with varying degrees of exposure using stable isotope analysis. Appropriate biomarkers will be used to identify and quantify the origin of organic carbon stored in sediment cores, with particular emphasis on the proportion derived from seagrass. In addition, lateral carbon transport to beaches will be investigated in collaboration with the EOM research group at Kiel University.

Experimental investigation of organic carbon dynamics: Conducting controlled experiments in the Kiel outdoor benthocosms to investigate the effects of temperature, the abundance and diversity of benthic fauna, and sediment grain size on carbon storage and turnover. This includes assessing the stability of stored “Blue Carbon” and its microbial degradation.

Biomass export and modelling: Quantifying the export of aboveground seagrass biomass and developing a predictive model to estimate the amount of material washed ashore as a function of season, wind direction, and wind strength. The modelling approaches will be validated through controlled experiments.

Dissolved exudates: Investigating the release and microbial processing of dissolved organic compounds from seagrass plants and epiphytic algae, and assessing the stability of the dissolved organic carbon (DOC) released.

The research will be conducted within an interdisciplinary and collaborative team comprising marine biologists, geographers, and experimental scientists. Geographers at Kiel University will survey and map seagrass meadows and quantify the export of biomass washed ashore. Other team members will support the experimental work in the research facilities. Extensive existing datasets on natural organic carbon (Corg) stocks in seagrass meadows in the western Baltic Sea are also available.

Candidate Profile
Requirements for a successful application:

• A PhD / doctoral degree in ecology, biological oceanography, biogeochemistry or a related field
• Relevant scientific publications in the areas described above
• Experience in at least one of the following areas is required:
  • Investigating organic carbon stocks and conducting biogeochemical assessments
    of material fluxes
  • Biomarker or isotope analysis of sediment cores
  • Conducting marine mesocosm experiments
• Excellent English language skills are required for working within our internationally composed team
• Willingness to participate in field expeditions and sampling campaigns

Desirable Qualifications:

• Scientific diving certification
• Knowledge of seagrass ecosystems or other macrophytes
• Knowledge of Baltic Sea coastal and marine ecology

At a workplace, directly on the Kiel Fjord with many leisure and recreational opportunities, we offer you:

• Good conditions for work-life balance: We offer, among other benefits, the possibility of mobile working and individual working time arrangements, vacation courses for the children of our employees and good support in finding a place in a day-care centre at the Kiel site
• Support services for professional and personal life situations
• An exciting work environment with the opportunity to provide important impetus for the development of sustainable solutions
• Exciting topics in an international environment
• Work in the field of marine and climate research, a forward-looking area with social significance
• 31 vacation days plus additional time off at Christmas and New Year’s Eve
• Corporate Benefits for employees
• Company pension plan and capital-forming benefits

The position is available for a funding period of 24 months. The salary depends on qualification and could be up to the class E13 TVöD-Bund of the German tariff for public employees. This is a full position according to 100% of a full-time equivalent. The position cannot be split as the goals / milestones outlined in the ZOBLUC project proposal have to be fulfilled by January 2029. Flexible working time models are possible.

GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel seeks to increase the proportion of female scientists and explicitly encourages qualified female academics to apply. GEOMAR is an equal opportunity employer and encourages scientists with disabilities to apply. Qualified disabled applicants will receive preference in the application process.

Please send your complete application for this post not later than 15 November 2026 under the following link: 

Online application

As soon as the selection procedure has finished, all your application data will be removed according to data protection regulation.

For further informal inquiries, regarding the position and research unit please contact Prof. Thorsten Reusch (treusch(at)geomar.de).

For all other questions, send us an e-mail to bewerbung(at)geomar.de. In doing so, please refer to the keyword “ZOBLUC”.

For further information on GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel or the Helmholtz Association, please visit www.geomar.de or www.helmholtz.de.

GEOMAR is committed to an objective and non-discriminatory personnel selection. Our job advertisements address all people. We expressly renounce the submission of application photos.