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Goethe University Frankfurt am Main invites applications for the position of

Professor (W1, tenure-track) of Evolutionary ecology of Hymenoptera

in the Honeybee Research Center at the Faculty of Biological Sciences. This civil servant or public employee position will start as soon as possible.

This is a tenure-track position for an initial six-year term. If tenure is approved at the end of the term, the position will be made permanent and promotion to the rank of Full Professor (W2) will be granted.

Professorship Profile
The professorship will complement and enhance the research focus of the faculty and the research profile of Goethe University, particularly in the profile area of Sustainability & Biodiversity. The close cooperation with the newly established and well-equipped building of the Honeybee Research Center, supported by the Polytechnische Gesellschaft, allows for highly interdisciplinary research in this topic area. The professorship serves to bridge the existing research on the behavioral neurobiology, development, and behavioral ecology of honeybees with the environmental science focus of the faculty.

Your Profile
We are seeking a scientifically distinguished individual who primarily investigates ecological and environmental issues at the molecular and/or ecological level using model organisms of social Hymenoptera. The candidate will engage in both experimental and theoretical approaches and should have demonstrable experience in one or more of the following areas:

Adaptation to environmental changes. Research on the evolutionary, physiological, and behavioural adaptation mechanisms of bees and other Hymenoptera to different climatic conditions, environmental stressors, and habitat types.

Molecular ecophysiology and ecotoxicology of Hymenoptera. Investigation of the mechanisms of action of multiple stressors (e.g., pesticides, climate stress, pathogens) in various biological levels of organization – from cellular processes to individual behavior and development, culminating in the dynamics of entire insect colonies.

Molecular and microscopic methodology. Establishment and application of modern molecular biological, genetic, and imaging techniques for analysing gene regulation, gene expression, and cellular response mechanisms in Hymenoptera.

Host-pathogen interactions. Examination of the molecular, immunological, and ecological foundations of infections and pathogen resistance in Hymenopteran populations.

Restoration ecology and conservation biology. Development and evaluation of strategies for restoring and preserving populations of pollinating insects and their habitats in the context of anthropogenic environmental changes.

The establishment of new collaborations and the expansion of existing ones with research groups from the faculty of Biological Sciences, Geosciences, and the Senckenberg Institutes (including Senckenberg Frankfurt and Senckenberg BiK-F), as well as with the Institute for Social-Ecological Research (ISOE) and the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), are explicitly encouraged and should be taken into account during the development of the proposal.

We expect you to contribute to the teaching in the Bachelor’s program in Biosciences and the Master’s programs of the department. The professorship is also involved in teacher training; experience and concepts for teaching subject content in schools are welcome. Active participation in the academic self-administration of the institutes and the Department of Biosciences is assumed.

Requirements for Appointment
This position is open to persons at an early stage of their academic career who have not yet completed additional academic achievements such as a habilitation or an equivalent qualification. The formal hiring requirements are defined in sections 67, 68 and 70 of the Hessian Higher Education Act (Hessisches Hochschulgesetz).

Your Application
Goethe University is an equal opportunity employer, committed to diversity and inclusion. In particular, we are welcoming applications by qualified women and people with a migrant background. At Goethe University, a special emphasis is placed on creating and sustaining a family-friendly work and research environment. Where applicants are otherwise equally qualified, preference is given to candidates with disabilities or equivalent. The same applies to women in fields in which they are under-represented.
To apply, please submit a CV, a list of publications, an overview of your research and teaching activities, research concept (max. 4 pages), teaching concept, overview of independently acquired third-party funding as well as transcripts and a selection of recent course evaluations online at by 25 January 2026. If you have any questions, please contact the executive director of the Institute of Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Henner Hollert (hollert@bio.uni-frankfurt.de) or the Director of the Honeybee Research Center, Prof. Dr. Bernd Grünewald (b.gruenewald@bio.uni-frankfurt.de). Further information about the appointment process, the legal framework and data protection: .