Postdoctoral Researcher (multiple positions) for Food System Diversification for Sustainable Nutrition Project at University of Bonn (Germany)
Current food systems are not sustainable. Many people worldwide consume unhealthy diets and suffer from nutrition-related diseases. Agricultural production has serious negative environmental impacts, while environmental change further obstructs progress towards the goals of food security, healthy nutrition, and equitable human development. Major food system transformations are, therefore, needed. One type of transformation widely considered useful is food system diversification. Diversification is relevant at all levels and scales of food systems, including fields, farms, farming landscapes, markets, trade flows, diets, and sources of foods, among others. More diversity can potentially contribute to multiple benefits, such as positive environmental outcomes, healthier nutrition, disease prevention, productivity gains, and systems resilience. However, diversification may also be associated with costs. The various benefits and costs are expected to depend on the context, the degree of diversification, and the spatial scale considered.
The two central research questions to be addressed in this CRC are: (1) How do different types of food system diversification influence key aspects of planetary health, with their multiple dimensions of human health and wellbeing and the health of natural systems? (2) What characterizes favorable degrees of diversity, and how can they be achieved at different food system levels and spatial scales? These research questions are addressed in Germany and Ghana. Analysis with micro-data from farms, households, and individuals are complemented with remote sensing data and regional and global modeling work. The CRC is conducted in close partnership with the University of Ghana.
Overview of CRC projects
© FoodDiverse
Project descriptions and open positions
Project A01: Soil health, biodiversity, and human health
Project A02: Scales of diversification for resilient and sustainable cropping systems
Project A03: Impacts of agricultural diversification on biodiversity and human-nature relationships
Project A04: Agroforestry as a diversification strategy – potentials, limitations, and barriers
Project A05: Farm production diversity, management complexity, and efficiency
Project A06: Socioeconomic and environmental impacts of crop diversification
Project B01: Agricultural production diversity, markets, and dietary diversity
Project B02: Agri-environmental and food policy effects on food system diversity
Project B03: Production diversity, trade diversity, and resilience to shocks
Project B04: Interactions between diversified food systems and global sustainability
Project B05: Multi-scale cross-level effects of food system diversification
Project C01: Behavioral strategies to diversify food consumption
Project C02: Dietary diversity and nutritional status
Project C03: Dietary diversity and human metabolic health in early life stages
Project C04: Food, dietary diversity, and metabolic health across the adult lifespan
Project C05: Personalized dietary diversification for populations under transition
Project C06: The sustainability of healthy and diversified diets
Project Z01: Central tasks of the Collaborative Research Center
Project Z02: Central survey and cohort studies
Project INF: Data infrastructure and services
Project IRTG: Integrated Research Training Group
Spokesperson: Prof. Dr. Matin Qaim (agricultural economics)
Vice-Spokesperson: Prof. Dr. Ute Nöthlings (nutrition epidemiology)
This page provides a short overview of the overall CRC, its different projects, and the types of positions available in each project.
The CRC is funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG).
Total number of positions:
24 doctoral researchers &
8 postdoctoral researchers
in the broader field of sustainable food systems
At the bottom of the page, you find the link to the application portal and some further instructions. Applications are welcome until 14 June 2026.
Applications for the announced doctoral and postdoctoral researcher positions are welcome until 14 June 2026 via the application portal:
https://masterapplication.uni-bonn.de/movein/hosted/online/move/movein/portal/zefb_portal.php
Please keep the following documents ready for upload in pdf format:
Motivation letter, explaining your interest in the CRC and the specific project(s) you apply for (maximum of three)
CV (with list of publications, especially for postdoctoral researchers)
Academic certificates and transcripts (Master; for postdoctoral researchers also Doctorate)
A writing sample (for doctoral researchers: your Master thesis; for postdoctoral researcher: a recent research article)
Names and contact details of two academic reference persons
You will also be asked to enter one or more (up to three, with a preference order) preferred CRC projects you apply for and a few other details into the online form
All positions are offered as fixed-term contracts for a duration of three years, commencing on 1 October 2026, or possibly earlier. Extension for a fourth year is possible; postdoc positions may be extended beyond four years, depending on funding of a second phase by DFG. All positions are in TV-L pay grade 13 (65% for doctoral and 100% for postdoctoral researchers). Link to position announcement: https://www.zef.de/about-zef/vacancies
We are committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace. We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds, and we strive to promote diversity in all its dimensions, including but not limited to origin, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, religion, and cultural background.
Link to application portal:
https://masterapplication.uni-bonn.de/movein/hosted/online/move/movein/portal/zefb_portal.php
Link to job posting: https://www.zef.de/fooddiverse