Waterways are complex aquatic systems. The Federal Institute of Hydrology (BfG), located within the portfolio of the Federal Ministry of Transport (BMV), contributes to their sustainable and efficient management. As the federal government’s scientific institute for research, assessment, and consulting in the fields of hydrology, water use, water quality, ecology, and water protection, it advises the BMV, other federal ministries, the Federal Waterways and Shipping Administration (WSV), and third parties. The BfG employs dedicated individuals from many disciplines working in a modern, well-equipped environment.

The Federal Institute of Hydrology is part of a 357,582 km² career network comprising over 40 agencies with approximately 24,000 employees. Learn more atwww.damit-alles-läuft.de.

The Federal Institute of Hydrology is seeking to fill a position in the “Water Chemistry” department (G2) within the BMV research network in the field of “Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation” as soon as possible, with a fixed- term contract until December 31, 2030.

Research Associate (m/f/d)

Specialization: Chemistry, Environmental Sciences, Geoecology

The place of work is Koblenz.
Reference code of the job posting: 20261707_0002.

As part of an interdisciplinary team, you will conduct independent work on the effects of combined extreme weather events on the input and transport of organic trace substances and their biotic and abiotic transformation products in flowing waters as part of an innovative research project. This involves developing and using innovative analytical methods for the detection and identification of known and previously unknown organic trace substances, as well as conducting water sampling and transformation studies in the laboratory. The position is characterized by exciting scientific and organizational tasks in a highly topical, application-oriented research field. The excellent laboratory infrastructure with state-of-the-art analytical instruments, within the context of an established research group, offers you an ideal research environment.

Application deadline: November 2, 2026
Start of work: as soon as possible
working hours: Part-time
Type of contract: temporary
career: higher service
Applicant group: Salaried employees

workplace

Designation: Federal Institute of Hydrology
Location: Koblenz
Postal code: 56068
Federal State: Rhineland-Palatinate

We need you for this.

• Statistical analyses of long-term time series of chemical monitoring data and correlation analyses with hydrological and meteorological parameters
• Application of non-target analytical methods and identification of organic trace substances and their transformation products in environmental samples
• Further development of existing LC-MS/MS methods for quantifying substances released from event-related inputs
• Conducting and evaluating chemical-analytical measurements and elucidating the biotic and abiotic transformation pathways in the laboratory and in the field for selected organic trace substances
• Evaluation of selected organic trace substances with regard to their environmental behavior and their ecotoxicological effects
• Preparation of scientific publications (peer-reviewed) and research reports in English
• Presentation of results at scientific conferences and specialist events
• Writing a dissertation is possible.

Your profile

You should definitely bring the following:

• Completed university degree (university diploma/Master’s) in chemistry, environmental sciences or geoecology or a comparable field of study

This is what sets you apart:

• Motivation for scientific work
• Solid expertise in the fields of environmental chemistry and instrumental (environmental) analysis (preferably using LC-(HR)MS)
• Knowledge of identifying unknown substances based on mass spectrometric data
• Knowledge in the field of quality assurance and statistical data analysis
• Basic knowledge in the field of ecotoxicology and bioassays
• Programming skills are an advantage
• Enjoyment of working in an inter- and transdisciplinary team
• Excellent English skills and basic German skills, both spoken and written.
• Willingness to undertake multi-day business trips

We offer you this

Remuneration is based on the TVöD pay scale, group E 13. In addition, we offer supplementary benefits in accordance with the TVöD-Bund (Federal Collective Agreement for Public Service Employees). You will receive onboarding from a highly qualified team as well as needs-based professional development and continuing education.

Special notes

You can look forward to a well-equipped work environment with an innovative team, as well as interesting professional challenges. The standard weekly working time under the collective agreement is currently 19.5 hours.

We offer our employees flexible working hours, including part-time and flexitime options, to accommodate work-life balance. Under certain conditions, flexible working from different locations is possible based on a company agreement. A parent-child workspace is available for employees facing childcare emergencies. We actively promote employee health through a range of health initiatives. Initial and ongoing training and development are tailored to individual needs.

Applications from women are expressly encouraged. In cases of equal qualifications, women will be given preferential consideration in accordance with Section 8 of the Federal Equal Opportunities Act (BGleiG).

Severely disabled applicants will be given preference if they have the same professional qualifications. Only a minimum level of physical fitness is required.

We welcome applications from people of all nationalities.

If you have obtained a foreign educational qualification , please include proof of its recognition by the Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB) of the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs with your application documents.

Selection will be made by a committee.

Do you feel addressed?

Then please apply by November 2nd, 2026 via the electronic application process (EBV) on the entry page.http://www.bav.bund.de/Einstieg-EBV

Please select only the option “Application via reference code” and enter the reference code 20261707_0002 during the application process . You can find the user documentation via the link above.

Please then upload your complete application documents ( cover letter, CV, university diploma/Master’s degree certificate and transcript, work references/evaluations, and school leaving certificate ) as attachments to your candidate profile.

In addition, please enter your relevant academic qualifications under “Education/Qualifications” in your candidate profile and your employers for the last 5 years under “Professional Experience”

. For questions regarding the electronic application process, please contact the Federal Office for Administrative Services at +49 4941 602-240.

Contact persons

For technical information, please contact Dr. Liza-Marie Beckers (Tel.: +49 261 1306-5318), Dr. Arne Wick (Tel.: +49 261 1306-5408), or Prof. Dr. Thomas Ternes (Tel.: +49 261 1306-5560). For personnel-related inquiries, please contact personalgewinnung@bafg.de.