W3-Professorship in Human Ecology

At the Department of Geosciences,Senckenberg Centre for Human Evolution and Palaeoenvironment, a position is available starting as soon as possible.

The successful candidate is expected to carry out independent research and teaching in Human Ecology. The preferred candidate should have conducted long-term interdisciplinary research on human-environmental interactions, including human biological and cultural adaptations to the environment, the role of human societies as central elements of their habitat, as well as their environmental impact.

Well-documented expertise in human ecology, anthropology, archaeology, ethnoarchaeology, or related fields is required. Long-term participation in and/or leadership of fieldwork, work with indigenous communities, and a broader evolutionary outlook is strongly desired.

The successful candidate will be integrated into the Senckenberg Centre for Human Evolution and Palaeoenvironment (SHEP) and is expected to link their research to existing strengths, as well as to related university structures such as the Senckenberg Society for Natural History Research and the Institute for Ecology and Evolution. The Department of Geosciences expects active participation in teaching at the bachelor and master levels, for example in the fields of archaeological sciences, human evolution, or archaeology and prehistory.

Senckenberg is committed to studying the causes and effects of biodiversity loss in the Anthropocene. As part of our strategic development, we have launched a long-term research effort on “Anthropocene Biodiversity Loss”, encompassing the modules “Collectomics”, “Biodiversity Genomics”, and “Solution Labs”. Objectives include transforming natural history collections into the digital era, studying biodiversity from genome to ecosystem levels, and providing exploratory spaces for science and society to develop common solutions to Anthropocene challenges.

To meet these challenges, Senckenberg and the Institute for Social-Ecological Research (ISOE) are implementing inter- and transdisciplinary “Synthesis and Solutions Labs” (short: “Solutions Labs”). Designed as national and international think tanks, they contribute to the integration and evaluation of knowledge and the development of evidence-based options for action to protect and foster biodiversity.

Required qualifications include a PhD or equivalent degree as well as postdoctoral qualifications and teaching experience equivalent to the requirements of a full professorship.

The University of Tübingen is committed to equal opportunity, diversity, and inclusion. Female scientists, in particular, are explicitly invited to apply, as are applicants from outside Germany. Applications from equally qualified candidates with disabilities will be given preference.

General information on professorships, hiring processes, and the German academic system can be found here.

Please submit your full application through the application site of the University of Tübingen at https://berufungen.uni-tuebingen.de by May 22nd, 2025.

Questions concerning the call for applications and the application portal can be directed to the Dean of the Faculty of Science at the University of Tübingen, Professor Dr. Thilo Stehle (career@mnf.uni-tuebingen.de).