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Nestled in a modern city surrounded by nature and with an exceptional standard of living, ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ offers excellent working conditions in a vibrant scientific community.

The Department of Phytophotonics at the Institute for Botany / Hannover Centre for Optical Technologies welcomes applications for the following position to be filled from August 1, 2025: Research Assistant (Doctoral Candidate) with specialising in multimodal imaging (salary scale 13 TV-L, 65 %)

The fixed-term position is for a duration of 36 month in accordance with the project duration.

Your role

In the Phytophotonics department, you will work as part of an interdisciplinary team at the interface between plant sciences and optical technologies. The focus is on various spectroscopic and imaging methods for the contactless detection of plant conditions.

The position is advertised as part of the international joint project ‘MULTIFUSE: Advanced Multimodal Sensing and Data Fusion for Early Digital Detection of Plant Stress Symptoms’, which is funded within the call ‘Digital Transformation and Robotics in Sustainable Agriculture between Europe and Japan’ as part of the European Interest Group CONCERT-Japan. The sub-project of the Phytophotonics department comprises the multimodal detection of plant stress symptoms.

Further information on the project and the partners involved can be found on the internet:
  

The focal topics of the sub-project include:

• Development of experimental protocols for the induction of abiotic and biotic stress factors in a defined, compact test system (Phenowell®) on Arabidopsis thaliana
• Multimodal recording of stress symptoms using the following and possibly other methods:
  o       Hyperspectral (and RGB) imaging
  o       Chlorophyll fluorescence measurement
  o       Optical coherence tomography (OCT)
• Further development of an existing method for registering imaging data
• Development of multimodal stress indicators for recognising and differentiating stressors
• Supporting the project management in international cooperation and coordinating the scientific interface with the project partners with regard to further measurement methods
• Continuous literature research on plant stress detection using optical methods and corresponding data processing
• Writing reports and participating in workshops and conferences

The successful candidate will be employed at ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ and will be part of an international and interdisciplinary project team consisting of five European and one Japanese partner. In addition, it is intended to link the doctoral candidate with the Leibniz School of Optics of the DFG Cluster of Excellence PhoenixD.

Who are we looking for?

The prerequisite for recruitment is a university degree in biology/plant sciences or horticultural sciences. In the case of proven expertise in plant sciences, applications with a scientific/technical background (physics, computer science, etc.) can also be considered.

In addition, we are looking for a candidate with the following:

• A high level of motivation to collaborate at an interdisciplinary interface and for international/intercultural communication
• Experience in processing imaging data is a plus
• Experience with the named imaging modalities or other optical technologies for plant phenotyping is a plus

Equal opportunities and diversity are core values at ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ. Our goal is to tap into individual potential and open up possibilities. We therefore welcome applications from anyone interested in the position, irrespective of gender, nationality, ethnic origin, religion or ideology, disability, age, sexual orientation and identity.

We strive towards a balanced and diverse workforce and a reduction in under-representation in accordance with the Lower Saxony Equal Rights Act (Niedersächsisches Gleichberechtigungsgesetz – NGG). We therefore also welcome applications from women for the above-mentioned position. Preference will be given to equally-qualified candidates with disabilities.

Why join us?

With more than 5.000 employees, ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ is one of the largest and most attractive employers in the Hannover region. We offer a vibrant interdisciplinary and international working environment, and promote personal and professional development ranging from subject-related skills to leadership and languages.

Part-time employment as well as remote work (mobile work, work from home) can be arranged upon request. We support employees with , through services such as back-up childcare, childcare during school holidays, and parent-child offices, as well as providing individual advice regarding family responsibilities and caring for dependants.

To promote health and well-being among employees, we offer an extensive with over 100 different sports, as well as a fitness centre with a sauna and climbing space. Health management measures, such as courses on stress management, good nutrition and relaxation, aim to ensure a healthy workplace.

 

Additional information

Further information on the Phyotophotonics department can be found on the Internet at:
  

Please submit your application and supporting documents by June 29, 2025 electronically to