Research Associate Aqua‑Probe Project

“Apply now for the Research Associate Aqua‑Probe Project in biology. Part‑time role focusing on eDNA/eRNA and fish health diagnostics (TVöD 13).”

Table of Contents

Introduction

Research Associate Aqua‑Probe Project is one of the most promising opportunities in aquaculture biology today. If you are a molecular biologist or bioinformatician keen on applying environmental DNA/RNA (eDNA/eRNA) diagnostics to help protect fish health, this part‑time role in Germany could be your gateway to cutting-edge research. In this post, we’ll break down everything you need to know: the project goals, job responsibilities, required and preferred qualifications, benefits, and application tips.

What is the Aqua‑Probe Project?
Role Overview: Research Associate Aqua‑Probe Project
Key Responsibilities
Required & Preferred Qualifications
Personal Attributes & Soft Skills
What You Gain: Benefits & Opportunities
Application Process & Tips
FAQs
Conclusion & Call to Action

1. What is the Aqua‑Probe Project?

Aquaculture and fish farming are increasingly vulnerable to pathogen outbreaks. These outbreaks not only cause economic losses, but also pose environmental and ecological risks. The Aqua‑Probe project seeks to pioneer new, efficient diagnostic approaches to detect pathogens earlier and more cost‑effectively.

Core goal: Develop novel diagnostic approaches for infectious diseases threatening aquaculture in Germany.
Strategic focus: Use environmental RNA/DNA analysis (eDNA/eRNA) and minimally invasive sampling to assess fish health and detect disease agents in water.
Expected outcome: Enhance early detection, reduce monitoring effort, improve outbreak prevention.

This kind of work sits at the intersection of molecular biology, ecology, data science, and aquaculture policy, making it fertile ground for ambitious researchers.

2. Role Overview: Research Associate Aqua‑Probe Project

Here’s a snapshot of the position:

Job Title: Research Associate (biology)
Project: Aqua‑Probe
Status: Part-time (65 %, ~25.35 hours/week)
Contract Term: 01 January 2026 — up to 31 October 2028
Location: Institute for Fisheries Ecology, Johann Heinrich von Thünen Institute, Braunschweig / Bremerhaven region, Germany
Salary: TVöD Bund, pay grade 13 (if qualifications met)
Job ID: J000000172

This is more than a standard lab technician role — it’s a research position with emphasis on method development, data analysis, publication, and collaboration.

Why this role matters: As global aquaculture expands, successful disease surveillance becomes critical. This position gives you a chance to contribute to real-world solutions, shape diagnostics protocols, and be part of high-impact research.

3. Key Responsibilities

In this role as Research Associate Aqua‑Probe Project, your core tasks will include:

3.1 Develop & Implement Molecular Diagnostic Methods

Establish and validate protocols for genetic detection of disease agents (bacteria, viruses, parasites) using environmental nucleic acids (eDNA / eRNA).
Optimize sampling strategies (water, filters, etc.) and lab workflows to maximize sensitivity and specificity.

3.2 Bioinformatic & Biostatistical Data Analysis

Handle next-generation sequencing (NGS) data and environmental sequence data (metabarcoding, shotgun sequencing, amplicon sequencing).
Use statistical tools (primarily R) and bioinformatics pipelines for data cleaning, analysis, visualization, and interpretation.

3.3 Research Communication & Dissemination

Present results at scientific meetings, internal workshops, and stakeholder events.
Write and co-author manuscripts in international peer-reviewed journals.
Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams (ecologists, fish pathologists, policy experts).

3.4 Field Work & Project Coordination

Participate in multi-day business trips to sampling sites or collaborating institutions.
Coordinate with external partners or labs for sample collection, sharing protocols, and joint tasks.

The position is more than bench work — it includes intellectual contributions, collaboration, and a clear scientific output component.

4. Required & Preferred Qualifications

4.1 Minimum / Required Qualifications

To be competitive, you should meet most or all of the following:

Completed university degree (Master’s, Diplom, or equivalent) in biology, molecular biology, bioinformatics, fisheries science, or a related discipline
Hands-on laboratory experience in molecular biology (DNA/RNA extraction, PCR/qPCR, library prep, etc.)
Good knowledge of statistical analysis, ideally in R
Proficiency with software: spreadsheets, statistical packages, presentation tools, word processing
Strong written and verbal English skills (for publications, collaboration)

4.2 Preferred / Advantageous Qualifications

These extras will strengthen your candidacy:

Experience in bioinformatic analyses of NGS data (e.g. pipelines for amplicon or metagenomic analysis)
Previous publications or experience in environmental DNA/RNA work
Familiarity with aquatic ecology or fish health / aquaculture systems
German language skills (helpful, but likely not mandatory given international settings)

Important note: The institute seeks candidates willing to pursue a Ph.D. — if you don’t already have one, willingness to develop a doctoral project is essential.

5. Personal Attributes & Soft Skills

Technical skills alone aren’t enough in this kind of collaborative research environment. The following personal traits will serve you well:

Communication & Presentation Skills: Able to explain complex results clearly to both specialized and non‑specialist audiences
Interdisciplinary Mindset: Comfortable working across biology, computer science, ecology, aquaculture
Independence & Self-Direction: You’ll need to plan your own experiments, manage timelines, and adapt to challenges
Team Spirit & Collaboration: Willingness to integrate feedback, support colleagues, and participate proactively
Flexibility & Travel Readiness: Willing to undertake field sampling or partner travel
Structured Approach: Good organizational, documentation, and reproducibility habits

Combined with your scientific competence, these soft skills will help you thrive in the Research Associate Aqua‑Probe Project position.

6. What You Gain: Benefits & Opportunities

Choosing to join this project offers more than just a paying job — here’s what you can expect:

6.1 Meaning & Impact

You’ll be working on diagnostics that can prevent disease outbreaks in aquaculture — a field with high ecological and economic stakes. Your work could influence policy, farming practices, and fish health management across Germany and beyond.

6.2 Flexibility & Work-Life Balance

Flexible working time models
Possibility of mobile working / remote work
Certified “berufundfamilie” employer (i.e., family & career balance)
Part-time employment is already built into the role
Options for teleworking

6.3 Career & Skill Development

Exposure to state-of-the-art diagnostic, bioinformatics, and environmental monitoring methods
Support for further training and development in your area of responsibility
Publication opportunities (your work will be expected to lead to peer-reviewed articles)
If not already a Ph.D. holder: the chance to build your doctoral project

6.4 Financial & Social Benefits

Employment under TVöD Bund (collective agreement) with pay grade 13 (if qualified)
Attractive social benefits: company pension, one-off annual payment, capital-forming benefits
Health management programmes
Mobility support: JobTicket, public transport access, free parking, charging stations

6.5 Inclusive & Supportive Environment

The Thünen Institute explicitly promotes gender equality, diversity, inclusion, and encourages applications from people with severe disabilities.

7. Application Process & Tips

7.1 Key Application Details

Application Deadline: 25 October 2025
Contact Persons: Prof. Dr. Reinhold Hanel (reinhold.hanel@thuenen.de) and Dr. Peggy Weist (peggy.weist@thuenen.de)
Required Documents (as a single PDF, named “2025-219-FI”):
  • Letter of motivation
  • Tabular CV
  • Description of education & professional career
  • Copies of relevant certificates
  • (If applicable) proof of severe disability or equal status
  • If you hold an international degree: certificate evaluation by ZAB (or apply if accepted)
Submission Email: fi-bewerbungen@thuenen.de

7.2 How to Make Your Application Stand Out

1. Tailor your motivation letter
Initiate with your passion for aquatic diagnostics and how your skills map to molecular / bioinformatic tasks in the Aqua‑Probe project. Use concrete examples (e.g. previous eDNA work, publications, challenges you overcame).

2. Emphasize relevant lab and computational experience
If you have experience in molecular assays (qPCR, library prep) or NGS data analysis, highlight it with specifics — e.g., “I processed 100 water samples using amplicon sequencing,” “I developed a pipeline in R + QIIME2.”

3. Showcase your publication track record and scientific writing
Even manuscripts in preparation or conference abstracts show you can communicate results.

4. Reflect on your independent and collaborative experience
Mention projects you led or co-led, how you coordinate with teams, manage deadlines, or travel for sample collection.

5. Address your Ph.D. motivation
If you don’t yet have a Ph.D., clearly propose potential research directions you might pursue within the Aqua‑Probe framework — this shows vision and commitment.

6. Follow formal criteria meticulously

Combine all documents into one PDF
Use the reference “2025-219-FI”
Provide certificate evaluation or mention your plan to obtain it
If applicable, supply proof of disability

7. Submit early / confirm receipt
Given the importance and competitiveness, don’t wait until the last minute.

8. FAQs

Q: What exactly is eDNA/eRNA and why is it useful?

A: Environmental DNA (eDNA) are fragments of DNA shed into water by organisms; eRNA is the RNA equivalent (often more transient). Because pathogens also leave nucleic traces in water, sampling and analyzing eDNA/eRNA allows early detection without harming organisms. This is particularly important in aquaculture disease monitoring.

Q: Is part-time (65%) sufficient for delivering research output?

A: Yes, provided the tasks are scoped appropriately. Efficient method development, well-targeted sampling, and computational pipelines can yield valuable results in a part-time schedule, especially under a structured plan.

Q: Can I do a Ph.D. concurrently with this role?

A: Yes, the institute expects or supports pursuing a Ph.D. during the appointment. The role’s research orientation aligns well with doctoral research.

Q: Do I need German language skills?

A: The listing does not explicitly require German fluency. However, knowing German can help with integration, stakeholder meetings, or local reports. English is essential for publications and collaboration.

Q: What is TVöD Bund, pay grade 13?

A: TVöD Bund is the collective pay agreement for federal institutions in Germany. Pay grade 13 is a relatively senior researcher salary band, reflecting your expected qualifications and responsibilities.

Q: What kinds of business trips might I expect?

A: Trips may include visiting aquaculture sites to collect water or fish samples, traveling to partner labs for joint experiments, or attending scientific conferences / workshops related to Aqua‑Probe.

Q: How is the job security and funding?

A: The position is fixed-term until 31 October 2028, so funding is secured for that period. However, if your performance is strong, you may explore contract extensions or transition to other projects.

9. Conclusion & Call to Action

If your passion lies at the crossroads of molecular biology, ecology, and aquaculture, the Research Associate Aqua‑Probe Project is a rare and high-impact opportunity. You’ll contribute to early detection tools for fish diseases, influence industry standards, and grow as a researcher — all while enjoying flexible working conditions and institutional support.

Prepare your application carefully, highlight both your lab and computational strengths, and show your commitment to a Ph.D. path. Submit your materials (with reference 2025‑219‑FI) by 25 October 2025.

Best of luck — your next big scientific leap may begin here.

📕 For other scholarship or funding opportunities tied to aquaculture and biology, browse our Scholarship Resources section.
📩 Feel free to reach out if you want help polishing your CV or motivation letter.

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