Doctoral Student in Molecular Metabolism and Precision Nutrition
Investigate circadian rhythms and dietary patterns on human metabolism using multi-modal data and machine learning.
Best for:Best for life science or computational biology graduates with experience in human studies, molecular laboratory work, and R or Python programming.
Overview
The German Institute of Human Nutrition (DIfE) is seeking a doctoral student to join the Department of Molecular Metabolism and Precision Nutrition starting January 1st, 2027. The successful candidate will contribute to a clinical human study examining the connection between daily dietary patterns and 24-hour glucose dynamics in participants with and without type 2 diabetes. Responsibilities span study coordination, biological sample processing, dietary protocol evaluation, and advanced machine learning analysis of continuous glucose and omics data. The position offers structured scientific mentoring, enrollment in a local PhD program, and an interdisciplinary research environment.
What you'll do
- Assist with clinical study coordination, participant examinations, and the collection and processing of blood and adipose tissue samples.
- Analyze participant dietary protocols, questionnaires, and lifestyle data.
- Perform biochemical and molecular analyses on biological samples.
- Process and interpret digital 24-hour glucose monitoring, nutrition, and physical activity datasets.
- Apply machine learning algorithms to model multimodal study data and predict metabolic responses to diet.
- Draft scientific manuscripts for peer-reviewed publication and present findings at academic conferences and colloquia.
Requirements
Degree required: M.Sc. degree or Diploma in nutritional sciences, molecular biology, biochemistry, or a related biological or medical field.
Degree offered: PhD
Language: Very high level of written and spoken English and German.
Instruction: English and German
- Experience in planning and conducting human studies and analyzing nutritional data.
- Proficiency in programming languages such as R or Python.
- Hands-on experience in molecular biology laboratory work and bioinformatic analysis of omics data (e.g., transcriptome and lipidome data).
- Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively within a diverse, interdisciplinary research team.
Funding & terms
How to apply
Deadline: 2026-11-08 (Europe/Berlin)
Prepare your application documents including a motivation cover letter, CV, degree certificates, and references compiled into a single PDF file. Submit the file via email to jobs@dife.de, making sure to include the reference number 2026_W13_AP in the subject line.
- Cover letter
- CV
- BSc + MSc transcripts
- Certificates
- References
Contact
Olga Ramich· Head of the Department Molecular Metabolism and Precision Nutrition
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