Highly innovative / high risk projects are supported across sections and Topics
The “GFZ Discovery Fund “offers up to two PostDoc positions per year for a duration of three years for young scientists that aim at adding to the current and future direction of GFZ’s research.
Successful candidates are expected to define innovative scientific projects and to identify future fields of research within the GFZ research sections. The research topic can be freely chosen, but must be assigned to at least one of the GFZ’s Topics of the Helmholtz Association PoF IV (program-oriented funding) period, have an interdisciplinary approach, and are carried out in close cooperation with at least two GFZ sections.
Requirements:
- Candidates should be an early career scientist from outside or within the GFZ, holding a PhD in Geosciences or related fields awarded less than 6 years (when starting the project the Doctoral Certificate must be received) – an extension is accepted for approved time(s) of parental leave.
- You should have an excellent record (publications, preparatory works etc.)
- Your proposal should be linked to at least one of the PoF IV Program Topics within the GFZs research environment (Topic 1, 2, 3, 5 and 8 or MESI). The complete PoF IV program can be obtained by request to Franziska Alberg.
- You need at least the support of two GFZ scientific sections ensuring the interdisciplinarity of your proposed research project.
- The proposal – focusing on innovation and interdisciplinarity – is the core of your application.
- It is complemented by a motivation letter and a CV and the
- “Section Head Statements” from the hosting section and at least one of the supporting sections at GFZ.
Once you are successfully registered and logged in you will have access to the application forms.
Deadline for this call is Sunday, September 7, 2025 at noon.
Applications that are not complete by the time of the deadline will not be considered!
Short listed candidates will be invited to present their projects on Monday, October 20, 2025.
The preferred start date for the projects is January 1, 2026.
GFZ internal terms and conditions:
Each GFZ section has the possibility to submit one candidate as leading section, but can support several candidates as supporting section.
GFZ internal candidates who have completed their PhD at GFZ and PostDocs who have previously worked at GFZ (also as guests) cannot carry out their planned project as GFZ Discovery Fellow in the previous (supervising) section as leading section.
