Head of Division 4.6 Molecular

The Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM) is a materials research organization in Germany. Our mission is to ensure safety in technology and chemistry. We perform research and testing in materials science, materials engineering and chemistry to improve the safety of products and processes. At BAM we do research that matters. Our work covers a broad array of topics in the focus areas of energy, infrastructure, environment, materials, and analytical sciences.

Ihre Aufgaben

To strengthen our team in the department 4 'Materials and the Environment' in Berlin-Steglitz starting 01.09.2023, we are looking for a Head of Division 4.6 "Molecular and applied Entomology" (m/f/d)

Salary group B 1 BBesO (Director and Professor)/non-tariff remuneration

Official/permanent employment relationship

Full-time/suitable as part-time employment

The intersection of the fields of biodiversity and material research is a topic of scientific and public interest. The division will focus on experimental and predictive assessment of interactions between material-associated insects, their pathogens, and the materials they interact with. In the future, these assessment processes will be enabled by both modelling and molecular data-based and increasingly automated laboratory approaches, using insects as a model system.

Join our team of dedicated scientific leaders!

Your activity:

Your responsibilities include:

• Design and establishment of an experimental and data-based approach for the investigation of material-insect interactions

• Development and identification of criteria to predict and detect changes and hazards imposed on insect biodiversity and insect evolution by anthropogenic materials and by measures of material protection

• Design of entomological molecular and behavioural methods and reference procedures with specific relevance to materials sciences (e.g., in the field of ecology and evolution of social insects, especially termites)

• Establishment of an internationally visible research team in the field of evolution and ecology of social immunity of material-inhabiting insects

• Taking a leading role in the design and implementation of interdisciplinary research projects at the interface between biology and materials research

• Provision of reference data (e.g., reference genomes) and reference procedures for the assessment of material-environment interactions for industry and research

• Active acquisition of external funding for fundamental and applied research on the role of materials, immunity, and microbes in insect evolution

• Active cooperation with Freie Universität Berlin, with the existing professorships at the Institute of Biology, especially with contributions to the transdisciplinary research areas

• Supervision of research activities for young scientists and students

• Support of institutional development through active participation in the interdisciplinary context of the BAM focus area "Environment", in particular shaping of cooperation in the fields of automation and sensor technology Expansion of BAM's national and international network in science, industry, administration, and politics

• Advancing and strategic organization of the division, including personnel and management

Ihr Profil

We are looking for a personality of international scientific reputation who conducts research at the interface between entomology and anthropogenic materials. The successful candidate should be distinguished by

• Outstandingly successful completion of an academic university study in the field of biology with a very good doctoral degree

• Excellent habilitation-equivalent achievements in the field of entomology

• Several years of experience with quantitative analysis of genomic and transcriptomic data, evidenced by acquired funding and publications

• Experience with insect species that cause material damage (especially termites, clothes moths, etc.), including genomics at the level of reference genomes

• An understanding, demonstrated by relevant publications, of the multiple selective pressures acting on and among closely associated hosts and pathogens in complex insect societies

• Extensive independent experience with modern laboratory techniques, method development, and data analysis in the field of genomics/transcriptomics and evolutionary research

• Evidence of an active, collection-based and externally funded research program in entomology

• Several years of international professional experience in the subject areas of BAM's environmental field of research (e.g., environmental compatibility of materials, biodeterioration, diversity of material-inhabiting insects, development of biomimetic material protection strategies)

• Experience in goal-oriented personnel management and extensive experience in successful supervision of young scientists

• Team-oriented and communicative leadership behaviour, high empathy as well as awareness of gender and diversity aspects and their integration into the daily work

• Strong analytical skills, conceptual and creative thinking, excellent negotiation skills, and strong decision-making ability

• Very good written and spoken English and German skills

Wir bieten Ihnen

• An attractive position at the interface between science, business, politics and administration

• Permanent employment or service contract

• Work in national and international networks with universities, research institutions and industrial companies

• Excellent facilities and infrastructure (good core funding and support)

• Various opportunities for further training in internal and external courses

• Flexible working hours and mobile working

• Applicants who meet the prerequisites will generally receive a salary according to BesGr. B 1 BBesO. A promotion according to BesGr. B 2 BBesO is possible at a later date provided that the applicant is suitably qualified, competent and performs professionally within the framework of the available positions.

  In the case of applicants who do not meet the career requirements for federal officials at the time of recruitment, a non-tariff remuneration shall be agreed upon. The probation period in accordance with § 34 BLV and § 31 TVöD shall apply in this case.

  Candidates from the public sector shall be asked for a declaration of consent in order to consult their personal files. At the same time, you shall be prepared to carry out any subsequent inspection that may be necessary in accordance with the German Screening Act (Sicherheitsüberprüfungsgesetz - SÜG).

Kontakt

We welcome applications via the online application form by 20.07.2023. Alternatively, you can also send your application by post, quoting the reference number 137/23-P to:

Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung

Referat Z.3 - Personal

Unter den Eichen 87

12205 Berlin

GERMANY

www.bam.de

The President of BAM, Prof. Dr. Ulrich Panne (e-mail Ulrich.Panne@bam.de) and the head of the department 'Materials and the Environment' Ms Prof. Dr. Anna A. Gorbushina (phone +49 30 8104-1400, e-mail anna.gorbushina(at)bam.de) will be glad to answer any specific questions you may have regarding this position.