PhD or Postdoctoral Researchers (f/m/d) at the NUCLEATE Excellence Cluster

PhD or Postdoctoral Researchers (f/m/d) - NUCLEATE Excellence Cluster

The Cluster for Nucleic Acid Sciences and Technologies - NUCLEATE invites applications for PhD or Postdoctoral Researchers (f/m/d) at the University of Würzburg, Germany.

About NUCLEATE

NUCLEATE is a joint research network of the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Technische Universität München, and Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, funded as a DFG (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft) Excellence Cluster since 2026. The cluster unites outstanding research on nucleic acids (RNA/DNA) and associated protein complexes, spanning:

• Basic research on cellular functions of nucleic acids
• Novel nucleic acid-based technologies and medicine

NUCLEATE connects researchers across disciplines and locations, forming an internationally visible research center ( ).

Your Role

We are recruiting an international group of PhD candidates or postdoctoral researchers to join the program at the Würzburg site. Research topics of individual groups are available via PI profiles on our website: .

You will be part of an interdisciplinary team of international scientists with:

• Active networking and scientific excellence
• Structured mentoring and training
• Opportunities to present work at international conferences
• Preparation for careers in academia, industry, entrepreneurship, or policy-making in nucleic acid research

Requirements

We welcome applications from outstanding students of all nationalities.

For PhD positions:

• Master's degree or equivalent in life sciences, chemistry, medicine, pharmaceutical sciences, bioinformatics, biotechnology, or a related discipline

For postdoctoral positions:

• Doctoral degree in one of the above fields

Application Process

Applications must be submitted in English as one single PDF file to and include:

• Cover letter with a brief statement on your two preferred NUCLEATE laboratories in Würzburg and the rationale behind your choice
• CV
• Contact information of two academic references
• Relevant certificates
• List of publications (if applicable)

Application deadline: August 16th, 2026

Diversity & Inclusion

We welcome applications from all sections of the community regardless of race, gender, or disability. The University aims to increase the proportion of female employees; qualified women are particularly encouraged to apply. Severely handicapped applicants will be given preference in case of equal aptitude.

Salary is based on the pay scale for the public sector (TV-L).

Contact

For informal inquiries, contact the local NUCLEATE coordinator: Dr. Inka Busack

NUCLEATE Office c/o Chair of Molecular Infection Biology II (Prof. Cynthia Sharma) Institute of Molecular Infection Biology Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg Josef-Schneider-Str. 2 / D Würzburg, Germany