Job description
The Agricultural Center for Cattle, Grassland, Dairy, Game and Fisheries of Baden-Württemberg (Landwirtschaftliches Zentrum Baden-Württemberg, LAZBW) is seeking to fill the position of a
research assistent (f/m/d)
for the project “Resilience of Lake Constance to invasive species: effects of mussel-eating fish on the quagga mussel” from 01.09.2025 for a fixed-term period of three years on a part-time basis (65%), subject to available budget funds. The position is intended as a doctoral poject. The office is located at the Fisheries Research Station (Fischereiforschungsstelle, FFS) in Langenargen.
Employment is based on the collective agreement for public employees of the federal state of Baden-Württemberg (TV-L) and the grouping regulations set out therein. Consequently, the position will fall within salary group 13 of the TV-L.
The LAZBW is an institution within the portfolio of the Ministry of Food, Rural Areas and Consumer Protection Baden-Württemberg (MLR) with around 200 employees, including approximately 25 trainees. The LAZBW operates across locations in Aulendorf, Wangen and Langenargen. The institution is engaged in a wide range of activities, from applied research to the transfer of knowledge into practice. The LAZBW also collaborates with a diverse network of institutions in Germany and abroad. We offer an exciting role that operates at the interface between science, knowledge transfer, consulting, practice and politics. The position forms part of a friendly team, which works within a creative atmosphere that incorporates diverse activities and innovative aspects. Additionally, the role offers a flexible working schedule.
Aim of the project:
Investigation of the potential of mussel-eating fish with regard to a possible containment of the invasion and ecological damage of the quagga mussel
The range of tasks includes in particular:
- Laboratory experiments: Feeding experiments to determine bioenergetic indicators of mussel consumption by mussel-eating fish (cyprinids)
- Mesocosm experiments: transfer of laboratory experiments to the field, via feeding experiments in mesocosms (enclosure experiments in net cages) with mussel-eating fish in Lake Constance to determine near-natural predation rates of quagga mussels
- Field trials: supplementary studies on the food choice of cyprinids not yet studied in detail
- Determination of the main factors for the mortality of adult mussel-eating fish in Lake Constance (predation, fishing, etc.)
- Compilation and evaluation of existing data and findings on mussel consumption by fish and mussel growth and biomass increase in Lake Constance
- Collation of available data on the food choices of predatory fish and cormorants on Lake Constance, supported by further investigations (stomach and spit ball analyses)
- Quantification of the theoretically possible and actual biomass of mussel-eating fish in Lake Constance
- Determination of the potential of existing protection and support measures for the abundance of mussel-eating fish in Lake Constance and, if necessary, development of new approaches
- Modeling of a best-case scenario for the ecological control of the invasive quagga mussel by limiting fish predation and alternative scenarios
Desired skills and experience
A completed scientific university degree with
o Diploma (university)
o consecutive Master’s degree (university)
o consecutive and accredited Master’s degree (university; proof of accreditation of the degree program must be provided by the applicant) in the field of biology or a related degree program with a focus on fish ecology, fish biology or fisheries management from the field of biology or agricultural sciences or a related degree program
– Good written and spoken knowledge of English
– Good written and spoken German (at least C1 level)
– Class B driver’s license
In the case of foreign academic and professional qualifications, please send us the relevant proof of equivalence with a German qualification. Further information can be found on the website of the Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB) at www.kmk.org/zab.
The following skills are an advantage:
– Knowledge of the fish fauna of Lake Constance
– Knowledge of statistics/modelling
– Boating license
– German fishing license/electric fishing license
The job requires a certain degree of flexibility in terms of time (sometimes night and weekend work) and requires the carrying of heavy fishing gear.
About the employer
About the workplace:
The position will be located at the Fisheries Research Station (FFS) in Langenargen, a town on the shores of Lake Constance. The town has full amenities, with several larger cities nearby offering increased access to shopping, cultural experiences, and travel hubs. The research station currently has a team of around 20 scientists and technical workers, including several postdoctoral researchers and PhD students. As a state research agency, efforts are focused on basic and applied research that is used to directly inform the conservation and management of fishery resources.
Further information about recent work carried out at the institution, including a list of publications, can be found at https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Alexander-Brinker or Fischereiforschungsstelle Baden-Württemberg 360 | Virtual tour generated by Panotour
If we have sparked your interest, we look forward to receiving your detailed application documents (application letter, full academic CV, preferably: names of three referees, and one or two representative publications [if applicable]). Please send them to us by 27.06.2025 at the latest to Landwirtschaftliches Zentrum Baden-Württemberg, Am Maierhof 7, 88239 Wangen im Allgäu or by e-mail bewerbungen@lazbw.bwl.de (summarized in one attachment in a pdf or tif format, max. 3 MB).
For further information, please contact the head of the Fisheries Research Station, Apl. Prof. Dr. Alexander Brinker, by telephone (Tel.: 07543 9308324) or by e-mail (alexander.brinker@lazbw.bwl.de).
The information on the collection of personal data from the data subject in accordance with Article 13 DSGVO can be found on our homepage at https://lazbw.de/Karriere.
Areas of Research
- Aquatic Ecology
- Fisheries & Aquaculture
- Agricultural Science
