Career Opportunities: MER (Lecturer) in Geobiology (22792)

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Introduction

UNIL is a leading international teaching and research institution, with over 5,000 employees and 17,000 students split between its Dorigny campus, CHUV and Epalinges. As an employer, UNIL encourages excellence, individual recognition and responsibility.

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Presentation

The Institute of Earth Sciences (ISTE) seeks to fill a position of MER (Lecturer; Maître d’enseignement et recherche) in the general field of geobiology. The successful candidate will be linked to the new NCCR Genesis, of which UNIL is co-leading house together with ETH Zürich.

ISTE is committed to excellence in research, teaching and societal engagement on Earth’s systems, processes and history. With 19 professors and lecturers, about 38 PhD students and 23 Post-docs, as well as 23 technical and laboratory staff members, and 5 administrative staff members, the institute offers a vibrant, stimulating environment for cutting-edge field, computational and laboratory research.

Information

Expected start date in position : 01.08.2026

Contract length : 6 years, renewable, with a probation period

Activity rate : 100%

Workplace : University of Lausanne, ISTE, Geopolis building, Quartier Mouline, Lausanne

Your responsibilities

This MER position will reinforce ISTE's expertise in geobiology and biosignatures, with the broader aim of reconstructing interactions between the biosphere and its abiotic environment through deep time.
The position is linked to the new NCCR Genesis, and candidates should therefore have a research profile situated at the intersection of microbial biology, isotope geochemistry, and sedimentology.
Research fields of interest include the role of anoxygenic photosynthetic bacteria in sulfidic and anoxic environments as analogues for early Earth, the role of viral infections in modifying metabolic pathways, and their effect on the carbon and sulphur cycles.
This position will bridge laboratory-based experimental work, including microbial cultivation and biology, with geochemistry, sedimentology, and field-based investigations in modern analogues and ancient ecosystems.
This MER will contribute to the broader research goal of the NCCR Genesis, which is to identify biosignatures relevant to astrobiology and early Earth geochemistry.
The candidate will devote approximately 70% of their time to their personal research and 30% to supporting teaching activities in the field of biogeosciences within the faculty and linked to the NCCR research project.

Your qualifications

PhD in geobiology and/or biosignatures or related topic;
Expertise in laboratory experiments and/or field-based observations. 
Fluency in French and English;
Organizational skills;
Teaching experience would be an asset.

What the position offers you

We offer a nice working place in a multicultural, diverse and dynamic academic environment. Opportunities for professional training, a lot of activities and other benefits to discover.

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Contact for further information

Prof. Torsten Vennemann (Torsten.vennemann@unil.ch)

Your application

Deadline: 29.05.2026 (recruitment interviews will take place during June 2026)

Please submit the following documents in PDF format only via the career website of the University of Lausanne:

• • Letter of motivation;
  • Full CV;
  • A short (3-4 pages) research statement;
  • Scans of university degrees (especially the Doctoral degree);
  • A teaching statement of maximum 2 pages;
  • PDFs of three most significant papers;
  • The names and contact information of five referees.

Only applications through this website will be taken into account.

We thank you for your understanding.

Job description

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Additional information

UNIL is committed to:
•    equality, diversity and inclusion within its community;
•    ensuring an open and respectful environment that is conducive to personal development;
•    offering working conditions that facilitate work-life balance;
•    supporting early career researchers.

In order to increase the number of female teachers, applications from women are particularly encouraged.

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unil.ch/families
unil.ch/graduatecampus

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