Forests are facing an intensification of environmental disturbances due to changes in climate and management. These pose threats to forest biodiversity and the ecosystem services forests provide to society, such as watershed protection, timber production, and recreation. Trees are especially challenged by disturbances, as evidenced by multiple recent tree mortality events reported in many forests globally. Reductions in tree health may reduce the potential of forests to mitigate ongoing climate change, and to act as a large carbon sink also in the future.
Uncertainty on the future fate of forests, in part, stems from the fact that most current research on forest functional responses to disturbances focuses on the leaf or aboveground plant scale, providing limited insight into how disturbances affect belowground biological and geochemical processes. Belowground processes are crucial, however, as they sustain the storage of about 30%-70% of forest organic carbon in soils, and regulate the retention of water and nutrients essential for tree growth and life on Earth.
Our aim is to unravel how changes in environmental conditions affect key processes related to carbon and nitrogen cycling at the interface between plants and soils. We are therefore looking for a motivated student / research assistant to support us measure some of these biogeochemical processes, and potentially set up some experimental trials.
Leipzig
limited contract
/ 6 months
Your contact for any questions you may have about the job:
emily.solly@ufz.de
To ensure a fair selection process, please submit your application (cover letter, CV, and relevant supporting documents) via our online portal without a photo, age information, or details about your marital status.
The UFZ values diversity and is actively committed to ensuring equal opportunities for all employees, regardless of their origin, religion, beliefs, disability, age or sexual identity.
We welcome people who represent diverse backgrounds, identities and perspectives. We therefore particularly encourage people who are affected by structural discrimination to apply to us.
The Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) is a world-leading institution in environmental research and a member of the Helmholtz Association, Germany’s largest scientific organisation. With approximately 1,200 employees across Leipzig, Halle, and Magdeburg, we have been conducting research since 1991 using a transdisciplinary approach to address the most pressing challenges of our time: biodiversity loss, climate change, and environmental pollution. Our goal is to translate excellent research into practical solutions for policymakers, business, and society, and to serve as a reliable partner in supporting transformation processes toward a sustainable and just future for current and future generations. We foster a culture of collaboration, openness, and diversity within a work environment that actively promotes creativity and personal development.
Forests are facing an intensification of environmental disturbances due to changes in climate and management. These pose threats to forest biodiversity and the ecosystem services forests provide to society, such as watershed protection, timber production, and recreation. Trees are especially challenged by disturbances, as evidenced by multiple recent tree mortality events reported in many forests globally. Reductions in tree health may reduce the potential of forests to mitigate ongoing climate change, and to act as a large carbon sink also in the future.
Uncertainty on the future fate of forests, in part, stems from the fact that most current research on forest functional responses to disturbances focuses on the leaf or aboveground plant scale, providing limited insight into how disturbances affect belowground biological and geochemical processes. Belowground processes are crucial, however, as they sustain the storage of about 30%-70% of forest organic carbon in soils, and regulate the retention of water and nutrients essential for tree growth and life on Earth.
Our aim is to unravel how changes in environmental conditions affect key processes related to carbon and nitrogen cycling at the interface between plants and soils. We are therefore looking for a motivated student / research assistant to support us measure some of these biogeochemical processes, and potentially set up some experimental trials.
Application deadline: 26.05.2026
More information about jobs at the UFZ:
www.ufz.de/career
The Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ was established in 1991 and has more than 1,100 employees in Leipzig, Halle/S. and Magdeburg. They study the complex interactions between humans and the environment in cultivated and damaged landscapes. The scientists develop concepts and processes to help secure the natural foundations of human life for future generations.
Our Imprint: www.ufz.de/impressum
