All Things Urban

The internationally renowned Technische Universität Berlin is located in Germany’s capital city at the heart of Europe. Our academic activities are focused on achieving sharply-defined goals: building a distinctive profile for our university, ensuring exceptional performance in research and teaching, providing our graduates with excellent qualifications and a modern approach to university administration.

Faculty VI (Planning Building Environment), Institute of Ecology invites applications for the tenured position of a University Professor – salary grade W2 initially restricted to five years, with the possibility of being continued as a tenured W3 position upon successful completion of the tenure evaluation for the chair of "Urban Ecosystem Sciences". This professorship should be seen in the context of TU Berlin's goal to recruit and advance junior scholars and will be continued as a permanent W3 professorship upon successful completion of a tenure evaluation. The position is of central importance to teaching and research in the field of urban ecosystem sciences at TU Berlin. The candidate is expected to teach in English and German in the Bachelor's and Master's programs in "Ecology and Environmental Planning" and "Landscape Architecture" as well as the Master's programs in "Urban Ecosystem Sciences" and "Environmental Planning". The candidate's research is expected to reflect transdisciplinary, integrative, and innovative approaches to understanding dynamic urban systems as well as solutions for both current and emerging challenges arising from the process of urbanization.

Candidates must qualify for appointment according to the requirements of §100 of the Berlin Higher Education Act (BerlHG). These include a completed university degree, scientific achievements (doctorate), Habilitation or equivalent (scientific publications), as well as teaching experience demonstrated in a teaching portfolio. Candidates whose first language is not German are expected to be able to teach classes in German after two years. Reference is also expressly made to the Academic Senate's language policy resolution of 16 May 2018. The candidate should be a researcher in the fields of ecology, geo-ecology, environmental science, geoscience, systems biology, or environmental physics and possess outstanding expertise in at least one sub-discipline of ecology as well as the ability to work at the intersection with other disciplines (e.g. using a systems-oriented approach). The candidate should also be able to organize larger research projects. Experience in at least one of the following core areas is expected: - Analysis of the interdependencies of ecological consequences arising from and impacting on urban transformation processes at different spatio-temporal levels, including novel ecosystems - Natural hazards and risks in urban regions involving novel stressors - Safeguarding landscape functions and ecosystem services in dynamic cities - Development of scenarios, models, and solutions for developing sustainable and resilient urban landscapes - Spatial-functional relations between cities and their hinterland at regional, continental, and global level (Urban land teleconnections) - Ecological innovation With regard to the range of methods required for this professorship, candidates need to be able to demonstrate proven expertise in at least one of the following: - Scientific ecological research across space and time scales, e.g. adopting a systems science approach - The development of process-based urban ecosystem models through the incorporation of several ecological spheres - Evidence of interdisciplinary expertise, including in areas other than ecology, in planning and sociology-based research approaches - Methodological expertise in obtaining and analyzing big data (e.g. long-term observations, crowd-sourcing, citizen science, big data analysis and digitalization) Applicants need to demonstrate their development of at least one of the core areas and one field from the range of methods through appropriate publications. Applicants should also be able to demonstrate the ability to undertake interdisciplinary work and contribute to academic self-management committees at TU Berlin, assume responsibility for managing and heading an academic chair and its staff, and further the advancement of junior scholars. Candidates should ideally possess competences in the areas of gender equality, the advancement of women, and gender and diversity.

Technische Universität Berlin is determined to increase the proportion of women in research and teaching and therefore strongly encourages qualified female researchers to apply. In case of equal merit, severely disabled candidates will be favoured. TU Berlin values the diversity of its members and is committed to the goals of equal opportunities. Technische Universität Berlin is a certified family-friendly higher education institution, and our Dual Career Service offers assistance to you and your family when relocating to Berlin.

This job is available for international candidates.