How to apply?

 

Two PhD student positions funded by the ERC (Advanced Grant WinMicAct) are available in the Woebken Group in the Division of Microbial Ecology at the Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, University of Vienna, Austria.

 

Required qualifications. 

- A MSc degree (or equivalent) in microbiology, ecology with a focus on microbial ecology, or a related field.

- Being highly motivated with a strong interest in microbial survival and activities and to learn new methodological skills required for the project.

- Practical experience either in:

1. molecular techniques to investigate diverse microbial communities (e.g. 16S rRNA gene-amplicon sequencing). Experience in genome/-omics analysis is of advantage but not mandatory; interest in such analysis is expected.

or:

2. applying methods to assess microbial activity (e.g. stable isotope tracing in processes like nitrogen fixation, microbial activity, growth and metabolism).

- Additional bioinformatics skills such as working knowledge of R and scripting languages, as well as a solid knowledge of statistical data analysis would be of additional advantage but are not mandatory.

- Proficiency in spoken and written English is mandatory. The ability to communicate and work in a team is essential.

 

What we offer.

- Highly topical research at the intersection soil microbial ecology, microbial physiology and bioinformatics.

- Combination of omics-data analysis with lab-based experiments and field work.

- A diverse and stimulating work environment at the Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, in the Department of Microbiology and Ecosystem Science.

- Access to diverse facilities for state-of-the-art analyses and unique instruments for single-cell activity assays

The PhD candidate will be enrolled in the Doctoral School in Microbiology and Environmental Science (vds-mes.univie.ac.at), which offers interdisciplinary training at the interfaces of microbiology, ecology and environmental science.

 

Conditions of appointment. The PhD positions are embedded in the ERC Advanced project WinMicAct. We are offering PhD student positions for up to 4-years according to the salary scheme of the University of Vienna (PhD students 0,75 FTE) in an interdisciplinary, international, and dynamic team of environmental microbiologists and microbial ecologists. The positions provide the opportunity for the candidates to be creative and innovative, and to work in a multidisciplinary project involving various cutting-edge methods. The University of Vienna is an inclusive employer and attaches great importance to equal opportunities, the advancement of women and diversity. Perception and recognition of diversity are key fundamental values of the University of Vienna and we are therefore committed to promote diversity (diversity.univie.ac.at). Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, including but not limited to, age, sex, sexual orientation, race, religion and gender identity. 

 

How to apply to these positions: 

Activate your account

  1. Go to phd.careers.univie.ac.at
  2. Click "REGISTER" and fill in the registration form.
  3. You will now receive an email to confirm your account. Confirm your account by clicking on the ‘Confirm user account’ link in the email.
  4. For an optimal user experience, go to your profile settings and select English as the language for the user interface.

 

Login

Please use the following link to login:

VDS MES Call 2025

The link is active from Oct 6, 2025 to Oct 31, 2025.

 

Create and submit your application

Read the application guidelines carefully before you start to fill in the application form.

  1. Fill in the application form. New data entries and changes to existing information are automatically saved by the system. You can pause data entry at any time before submission and access your data later again.
  2. Check the data you have entered
  3. Submit your application before the application deadline.

 

Send messages to the job posting administrator

You can send messages directly through the portal from within your application form.

When you access your application form, you will see a "Messages" tab at the top of the page. Click this tab to send messages to the job posting administrators and view any messages you have received.

You can also use the "Messages" menu item in the left sidebar to view all your received messages.

We recommend checking your messages regularly during the application process, as you will receive updates on your application's progress.

 

Withdraw an application

If you want to withdraw your application, please log in and use the "Messages" tab to notify the call's administrator of the doctoral school.

 

Whom to contact

Technical problems within the application form: Contact the call's administrator of the doctoral school at vds-mes.cemess@univie.ac.at .

For questions about the different stages of the application process: Please use the menu item "Messages" (see above), to get in touch with the call's administrator of the doctoral school.