Postdoctoral Researcher – Research Data Management and Community Engagement (PUNCH4NFDI 2.0)

Erlangen Centre for Astroparticle Physics (ECAP), Chair for Astroparticle Physics

Benefits: We Have a Lot To Offer

• Regular promotion to the next level and increase in salary pursuant to the collective bargaining agreement for the public service of the German Länder (TV-L) or remuneration pursuant to the Bavarian Public Servants Remuneration Act (BayBesG) plus an additional annual bonus
  
• 30 days annual leave at five working days per week with additional free days on December 24 and 31
  
• Occupational pension scheme and asset accumulation savings scheme

• Excellent support during the academic qualification phase
  
• Thorough onboarding process with a dedicated team
  
• Joint team activities
  
• Place of work within comfortable walking distance of public transport
  
• Family-friendly environment with childcare options, also during school holidays
  
• Flexible working hours
  
• A wide range of training courses and opportunities for professional development
  
• Active health management

Your Tasks

Project Context: The Bridge to User Adoption

The PUNCH4NFDI 2.0 project aims to transform research data management (RDM) of the particle, astro-, astroparticle, hadron and nuclear physics communities into a user-driven service provider by building a comprehensive Science Data Platform. This position serves as FAU’s primary role in PUNCH4NFDI Task Area 3 : Services, Outreach and Stakeholder Management.

The role will bridge the gap between the sophisticated technical tools developed by the consortium and the actual needs of the diverse PUNCH communities, as well as other national and international stakeholders. Your primary mission will be to ensure that these new, powerful tools are adopted, (co-)used, and sustained by researchers across the German and international physics landscape.

Key Responsibilities (FAU Focus: TA3/WP3)

The successful candidate will be responsible for executing the goals of Task Area 3, which includes coordinating the development of user-facing services, outreach, training, and stakeholder networking.

Service Adoption and User Experience

• User Interface Enhancement: Collaborate with the PUNCH4NFDI technical teams to ensure the user interfaces are intuitive, accessible, and effectively translate complex RDM concepts into simple workflows.
  
• Service Promotion: Develop and execute strategies to promote the PUNCH4NFDI services to the broader scientific community, focusing on how LLM-enhanced tools simplify data discovery and analysis.
  
• Network Building: Actively coordinate and build a network of data management expertise by identifying synergies with external stakeholders, including the NFDI, EOSC and other relevant international consortia.
  
• Gap Analysis: Conduct structural gap analyses and stakeholder mapping to identify friction points between existing services and community needs, translating these findings into actionable recommendations for the consortium's roadmap.
  
  

Technical Contributions (Enabling Role)

While the primary focus is on TA3, your technical background in LLMs will be crucial for the Domain Translation: bridging the gap between the technical complexity of the tools and the specific needs of astroparticle physicists.

Your Profile

Required Qualifications

• Education: Ph.D. in Computer Science, Data Science, Physics, or a closely related quantitative field.
  
• Core Expertise: Demonstrated experience in Communication, Training, and Community Engagement within a large technical or scientific consortium.
  
• Technical Fluency: Solid understanding of research data management, sufficient to effectively communicate potential and limitations to both technical developers and non-specialist scientists.
  
• Soft Skills (Critical): Exceptional skills in cross-cultural communication, negotiation, workshop organization, and strategic networking.
  
• Domain Knowledge (Desirable): Familiarity with the data management challenges faced by Astroparticle Physics (APP) communities.

Additional Information

You will collaborate closely with technical leads from the main research centres in Physics in Germany to understand the technical capabilities, while simultaneously engaging with the broader NFDI and international landscape through the to-be established stakeholder network.

Apply now

Apply now

Application deadline: 30.11.2026

Job start date | 15.02.2027

Application deadline | 30.11.2026

Location | Naturwissenschaftliche FakultätNikolaus-Fiebiger-Str. 291058 Erlangen

Payment | TV-L E 13

Working time | Full time

Weekly working hours | 40 hours/week

Limitation | Temporary employment: until 31.12.2028

Contact | Kay GrafEmail: kay.graf@fau.dePhone: +49 9131 85-70735

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Release date: 04.11.2026, Poster View