15 PhD Positions offered at Kiel University, Germany

Applications are now open for 15 PhD positions within the Research Training Group (RTG) “DIVERSILIENCE – Diversification for Food Systems Resilience” at Kiel University in Germany. This interdisciplinary program focuses on enhancing the resilience of food systems through diversity, drawing from fields like agricultural sciences, ecology, nutritional sciences, economics, and social sciences. It addresses challenges such as uniformity in agriculture and its impacts on health, society, and the environment.

The positions are partially funded through remuneration based on the German public-sector pay scale (TV-L E13 at 65% of full-time, approximately 25.155 hours per week), making it a paid opportunity rather than a traditional scholarship with stipends. Eligible candidates include motivated graduates with a Master’s degree or equivalent in related disciplines, and the program is open to applicants from all nationalities, provided they have strong English skills (C1 level). There is no application fee mentioned, and the deadline for applications is February 20, 2026. You can check out BS, MS, PhD and postdoc positions here.

Key Details:

• Host Country: Germany
• Program Start Date: April 15, 2026 (flexible later start possible).
• Number of Positions: 15 fully funded PhD spots across various interdisciplinary topics.
• Open to All Nationalities:
• Working Language: English (C1 level required).
• Application Deadline: February 20, 2026.

What This Scholarship Offers:

• Regular salary: TV-L E13 (65% position) ≈ €1,800–€2,200 net/month (depending on tax class & experience) – financial security for 3.5–4 years.
• No tuition fees – zero cost for the PhD program as a university employee.
• Hands-on research experience in cutting-edge food systems science.
• Access to top facilities and international networks.
• Skill building in molecular biology, bioinformatics, experiments, etc.

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Eligibility Criteria:

• Hold a Master’s degree or equivalent in a discipline related to the project areas (e.g., Agriculture, Environmental Science, Agrigenomics, Microbiology, or similar fields).
• Demonstrate strong interest in interdisciplinary research on food systems, with the aim of transforming agricultural and nutritional practices.
• Possess English language skills at C1 level (working language of the RTG).
• For specific projects, additional skills may be required
• Women, persons with disabilities, and those from foreign backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply, with preferential consideration if equally qualified.

Also Check: Fully Funded Doctoral Positions at University of Hohenheim, Germany (Fully Funded)

Projects Available:

1. Impact of carp aquaculture management on its stress resistance and ecosystem services (Focus: How farming practices in carp ponds affect fish health, stress, and benefits like nutrient cycling and biodiversity.)
2. Functional diversity for ecological intensification and system resilience in agroecosystems (Focus: Using diverse plant functions to make farming more sustainable and resilient.)
3. Resilience of diverse microbiomes against agricultural selection of antibiotic resistance genes (Focus: How microbiome diversity in soil helps resist the spread of antibiotic-resistant genes from farming practices like manure and pesticides.)
4. Impacts of land use diversity on resilience of water and matter balance on landscape scale (Focus: How varied land uses help maintain water and nutrient cycles in landscapes.)
5. Impact of crop diversification on plant health and pathogen dispersal (Focus: How growing multiple crops together reduces diseases and pathogen spread.)
6. Performance and resource-use efficiency of spatio-temporal diversified cropping systems (Focus: Efficiency of crops rotated or mixed over space and time in using water, nutrients, etc.)
7. Re-diversification of supply chain management for a sustainable and resilient food industry (Focus: Redesigning food supply chains to include more diversity for better sustainability and crisis resistance.)
8. Impact of lock-ins and diversification on resilience of regional agricultural production systems (Focus: How “lock-in” effects (stuck patterns) and adding diversity affect regional farming resilience.)

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1. Food system policies, internalizing externalities and resilience (Focus: Policies that account for hidden costs (externalities) to build resilient food systems.)
2. Impact of economic diversity of local food systems on performance and resilience to shocks (Focus: How varied local economies in food systems handle crises better.)
3. Understanding the link between diversity and consumer resilience (Focus: How diverse options help consumers cope with food-related disruptions.)
4. Effect of dietary diversity on energy balance and metabolic health (Focus: How eating a variety of foods affects weight, energy use, and metabolism.)
5. Impact of dietary diversity on the gut microbial contribution to human amino acid metabolism (Focus: How varied diets influence gut bacteria’s role in processing proteins/amino acids.)
6. Dietary diversification by secondary plant substances impacts processing and protein digestion (Focus: How plant compounds from diverse diets affect food processing and how well we digest proteins.)
7. Impact of dietary flavonoid diversity on stress resilience in Drosophila melanogaster (Focus: Using fruit flies as a model to study how different plant flavonoids (from varied diets) improve stress resistance.)

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How to Apply

• Review the list of 15 PhD project topics and select the one(s) you’re interested in.
• Prepare your application as a single PDF file, clearly indicating which advertised doctoral project(s) you are applying for.
• Email your application to Dr. Svenja Fedde at [email protected].
• For questions about the RTG program or individual projects, contact Dr. Svenja Fedde.

Also Check: 34 Fully Funded PhD Positions at Scuola Normale Superiore, Italy