PhD​/Doktorand; m​/w​/d sedDNA

Subproject 6: “Reconstruction of North Frisia’s human-ecosystem interactions on molecular level”

As part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site “Wadden Sea”, the North Frisian Wadden Sea (Schleswig-Holstein, Germany) represents a globally unique ecosystem. At the same time, it is the remnant of a cultural landscape that has been intensively shaped by humans since the Middle Ages. Extreme storm surges caused large parts of this coastal region to drown. Numerous relics of the formerly cultivated land remain hidden within the tidal flats to this day.

They act as a “time capsule,” preserving archaeological remains of great value for the cultural heritage of the entire Wadden Sea region.

Starting in 2026, the Research Unit FOR 5837 “Times of Rise and Failure (TORF) – Integrative research on the cultural landscape development in the North Frisian Wadden Sea region during the Common Era” aims for the systematic multidisciplinary investigation and spatio-temporal reconstruction of the medieval coastal landscape of North Frisia (Schleswig-Holstein, Germany), that drowned during a severe storm surge in 1362 AD.

Using a multidisciplinary approach FOR 5837 brings together researchers from archaeology, history, geography, geology, geophysics, and microbiology across seven subprojects in close interdisciplinary collaboration. Participating institutions include Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU), Kiel University (Christian‑Albrechts‑Universität zu Kiel, CAU), the Leibniz‑Zentrum für Archäologie (LEIZA), the State Archaeology Department Schleswig‑Holstein (ALSH), and the Lower Saxony Institute for Historical Coastal Research (NIhK).

The Research Group for Ancient DNA Analysis at the Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology (IKMB), Kiel University, and the University Hospital Schleswig‑Holstein (UKSH), Kiel, Germany, invites applications for one PhD position in soil ancient DNA analysis (Subproject
6), starting on 01.04.2026 on a fixed‑term contract until 31.03.2030.

• Competitive salary according to TV‑L E13 (75%), subject to collective bargaining regulations
• Exciting research work in the Research Group for Ancient DNA Analysis
• Exceptional infrastructure (Ancient DNA Lab, NGS, bioinformatics) at the Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology
• Integration into the interdisciplinary Research Unit FOR 5837, stimulating collaborations with archaeologists and bio‑ or geoscientists
• Analyse ancient metagenomic data from archaeological and sedimentary contexts in the Wadden Sea region
• Reconstruct past land use, human activities, and subsistence practices in a dynamic coastal environment
• Investigate long‑term human–environment interactions using molecular and archaeological data
• Collaborate closely with the Subproject 6 partner group in Mainz, with a focus on fecal biomarker analyses
• Participate actively in fieldwork and sampling campaigns in the Wadden Sea region

• An MSc in a discipline relevant for the project (e.g. bioinformatics, biology, genetics, microbiology, ancient DNA analysis) is a prerequisite
• High interest in working in a very interdisciplinary environment and in archaeological questions is a must
• Expertise in processing non‑human genomic data, programming, database curation is a must
• ancient DNA data analysis is desirable
• Very good written and spoken English as well as a good command of German are required

We look forward to receiving your application on 04.02.2026, quoting reference number 27893.