The University of Kassel is a modern and growing University with round about 21.000 students. The university’s wide range of expertise covers subjects in the natural, applied, cultural and social sciences.

In the Department of Ecological Agricultural Sciences, Division of Social-ecological Interactions (Prof. Dr. Tobias Plieninger), the following position will be filled by 01.09.2026 or as soon as possible:

Research Assistant (m/f/d), EG 13 TV-H, fixed term-position, full-time (currently 40 hours per week)

Application deadline:
30.06.2026

Date of hire: 01.09.2026

vacancy number: 39295
This is a fixed term-position of three years (§ 2 Abs. 1 Satz 1 WissZeitVG).

The position is integrated into a research project funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG): “A social-ecological analysis of co-production of Mediterranean terrace landscapes”. This project aims to develop a social-ecological systems approach to identify the societal values and future scenarios of bioculturally rich terrace landscapes. It is focused on concepts such as landscape character assessment, land-use legacies and land abandonment, values-rules-knowledge, and landscape stewardship. The project will involve fieldwork in a low mountain area of Southwestern Spain. The research will combine methods from agroecology and the environmental social sciences.

Tasks:

• Developing a classification of co-production of people and nature in terrace landscapes
• Analysis of taxonomic diversity, vegetation composition, and conservation status of traditionally used plants in terrace landscapes
• Assessment of local ecological knowledge, values, and rules
• Social-ecological integration and visioning of transformational futures
• Publication of project insights in scientific journals and other outlets for multiple target groups

Requirements:

• A completed university degree in a scientific subject and a completed PhD in agriculture, forestry, geography, interdisciplinary environmental sciences or related field
• Experience in conducting ecological and/or social surveys, using qualitative and quantitative methods, and ability to perform fieldwork under challenging conditions
• Familiarity with concepts and approaches of landscape sustainability science (cultural landscapes, multifunctional land use, social-ecological systems, agricultural heritage systems) and agricultural sciences
• Excellent written and oral English and Spanish communication skills
• Experience in working cohesively in an interdisciplinary team environment
• Demonstrated experience in publishing in international journals

We offer:

• A collegial and open-minded working atmosphere within an internationally leading social-ecological research group
• A unique experience of conducting place-based research in rural areas in the Mediterranean region, together with an interdisciplinary research team and local stakeholders
• The opportunity of carrying out an interdisciplinary research project in an international setup and of contributing to the growing field of landscape sustainability science

Witzenhausen is a lively and beautiful university town famous for its sustainable agriculture bachelor and master’s programs. It is within a short commuting distance by train from the cities of Kassel and Göttingen, which are nodal points in the German railway system and therefore very well connected by train to the rest of Europe.

Please submit your application in digital form as a single PDF document. Application documents should include: motivation letter, CV, Master and Bachelor level certificates and transcripts, and names and contact details of two academic references. Please address all selection criteria under clearly labeled headings in up to one short paragraph each.

For further information please contact Prof. Tobias Plieninger, E-Mail: plieninger(at)uni-kassel.de.

In the event of any differences between the German and English versions of this call for application, the German wording is legally binding.

Our Offer:

As an employee of the University of Kassel

• you will be offered an interesting and diverse range of tasks within the framework of a modern and ambitious university,
• you will be part of an interdisciplinary team with a good and collegial working atmosphere,
• you will have the opportunity to participate in professional and interdisciplinary further education measures,
• is your workplace with good connections to public transport, which you can currently use free of charge.

In addition, you will benefit from the advantages of employment in the public service such as:

• an additional company pension (VBL),
• an optional child supplement in accordance with TV-Hessen, a family-friendly university (including childcare for emergencies),
• an annual bonus
• an entitlement to capital-accumulation benefits,
• a promotion of voluntary commitment,
• low-cost participation in university sports and a full range of fitness activities as part of Unifit, as well as workplace health management

You can find more jobs at stellen.uni-kassel.de

Please send your application with the usual informative documents, stating the reference number in the subject line, via the online form. We have compiled further information for you in our .

In exceptional cases, we will also accept your application documents in paper form addressed to: The President of the University of Kassel, 34109 Kassel, Germany, or via mail to , stating the reference number.

In the case of postal applications, please submit only copies of your documents (no folders), as these cannot be returned. All documents will be destroyed after completion of the selection process in compliance with data protection regulations.

The protection of your personal information is very important to us, so we will handle your personal information with care. By your application, you allow us the storage and use in the sense of the Hessian Data Protection and Freedom of Information Act. You can object to this at any time. Your personal data will be deleted.

Information according to Art. 13 DSGVO for the application process at the University of Kassel can be found at:

Information and FAQ about applying for a job offer:

The University of Kassel is very interested in the professional satisfaction of its employees. It is distinguished as a family-friendly university and, in the interests of equal opportunities, strives to offer everyone the same opportunities for development and to counteract existing disadvantages. It promotes the Family Welcome Service and also the Dual Career Service for positions that are scientifically and academically filled. One of the strategic goals of the University of Kassel is to significantly increase the proportion of women in research and teaching. Applications from women are therefore particularly welcome. Seriously handicapped and equivalent applicants are given preference if they have the same suitability, qualifications and professional performance. Full-time positions are generally divisible (except when filling civil servant positions). Applications indicating the Position Number, which may be in digital form, should be sent to the President of the University of Kassel, 34109 Kassel, Germany quoting the applicable reference number.