Professorship in Environmental Medical Research (W3) (f/m/d) - Köln

Faculty of Medicine
Professorship in Environmental Medical Research (W3) (f/m/d)

The University of Cologne is one of the oldest and largest universities in Germany. With its six Faculties covering a broad spectrum of disciplines and its internationally outstanding research profile areas, it enjoys an excellent reputation for its academic achievements and high standards of undergraduate and graduate education.

In cooperation with the IUF – Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine in Düsseldorf, the University of Cologne is seeking to fill the following W3 professorship for “Environmental Medical Research”, who will serve as the scientific director of the IUF. The advertised professorship will be affiliated to the Faculty of Medicine.

The IUF – Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine is a research institute of the Leibniz Association with approx. 120 employees, which is funded in equal parts by the state of North Rhine-Westphalia and the federal government. As part of its mission of molecular prevention of environmentally-induced damage to human health, the IUF conducts both research and transfer activities (https://www.iuf-duesseldorf.de/en/). The IUF employs a multidisciplinary approach from the molecular level to population-based studies that focus on aging processes caused by environmental factors and lead to aging-associated diseases of the skin, lung, central nervous and immune system. Transfer activities also include the development of alternative methods for animal experiments. A new IUF research building is under construction.

The University of Cologne Cluster of Excellence for Aging and Age-Associated Diseases CECAD (https://www.cecad.uni-koeln.de) is a world-leading research center in the field of biology of aging and its diseases with the participation of the University Hospital of Cologne, the Max Planck Institutes (MPI) for Biology of Ageing and for Metabolic Research and the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE).

YOUR TASKS

As Scientific Director, you will be responsible for the long-term strategic development and implementation of the IUF research program together with the Administrative Director aiming to further advance the Institute‘s strong position in the national and international scientific landscape. You will also represent the interests of the IUF in the Leibniz Association and towards cooperation partners, supervisory bodies, funding bodies and political actors as well as cooperate within Leibniz to advance the overarching topics of the Section of Life Science and of Leibniz as a whole.

The candidate is expected to lead an internationally recognized program in environmental medical research at the IUF that also strengthens and complements the research at CECAD and the Faculty of Medicine (https://medfak.uni-koeln.de/). In order to ensure a close connection between research and teaching, the candidate is expected to be involved in teaching at the Faculty of Medicine with a reduced teaching load of 2 semester hours per week.

OUR OFFER

The IUF and the University of Cologne offer you an attractive package, an excellent scientific environment, access to high-tech facilities, an outstanding, diverse and international research environment, professional development opportunities, as well as support for dual-career and in reconciling work and family life.

The professorship is to be filled at the earliest possible date. For formal requirements see Section 36 of the Higher Education Act of North Rhine-Westphalia (Hochschulgesetz - HG NRW).

The IUF and the University of Cologne promote equal opportunities and diversity. Women will be considered preferentially in accordance with the Equal Opportunities Act of North Rhine-Westphalia (Landesgleichstellungsgesetz – LGG NRW). We also expressly welcome applications from all suitable candidates regardless of their gender, nationality, ethnic and social origin, religion, disability, age, sexual orientation and identity.

Please submit your application (no photo) including

» curriculum vitae including information on systematic delays* in the curriculum vitae,

» description of academic career,

» main research achievements, future research plan,

» concept for the strategic development of the IUF,

» concept of teaching and list of courses held and other proof of teaching qualifications,

» concept for employee development and a diversity concept,

» a list of all publications with the five most important publications in pdf format,

» an overview of third-party funds raised together with certificates and documentation.

Your application should be addressed to the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, 50924 Köln, and submitted by 25.11.2025 via the application portal of the University of Cologne (https://professorships.uni-koeln.de).

*Information on systematic delays in the curriculum vitae (e.g. number of children, recognised childcare and nursing periods, military and civilian service, part-time work, disability or chronic illness, persecution or displacement) should be included and will only be considered positively in the assessment process.

Please note that only applications submitted via https://professorships.uni-koeln.de will be considered.