Summary
The Leuphana Transformation Lab at Leuphana University of Lüneburg is inviting applications for up to seven postdoctoral fellowships starting April 1, 2027. Embedded in the flagship program Embracing Transformation, this opportunity provides outstanding researchers up to two years of support to develop high-quality research grant proposals and actively participate in an international, interdisciplinary academic environment.
Postdoctoral Fellowships at Leuphana Transformation Lab, Germany
Postdoctoral Fellowships at Leuphana Transformation Lab, Germany
Designation
Postdoctoral Fellow (Up to 7 positions available)
Overview Table
| Parameter | Key Information |
| Position Title | Postdoctoral Fellow |
| Institution | Leuphana University of Lüneburg (Leuphana Transformation Lab) |
| Location | Lüneburg, Germany |
| Number of Positions | Up to 7 |
| Duration | Up to 24 months (2 years) |
| Start Date | April 1, 2027 (or shortly thereafter) |
| Application Deadline | September 30, 2026 |
Research Area
Research Area: Interdisciplinary transformation research exploring the epistemologies, disruptions, and temporalities of contemporary societal and ecological shifts.
Proposals must align with one of the Lab’s three core conceptual streams:
- Epistemologies of Transformation: Examining how transformation is conceptualized, known, narrated, and enacted across social, cultural, and political contexts.
- Disruption and Transformation: Exploring disruption and crisis as defining features of contemporary life and transformative processes.
- Scales and Temporalities of Transformation: Engaging critically with the scalar and temporal frameworks structuring transformation.
Applicants may also link their research to one of the Key Subject Areas:
- Climate futures in digital cultures
- Democratic resilience
- Organizing in times of crisis
- Towards a regenerative society
- Companies as drivers of sustainability transformations
- Psychology of transformation (or other disciplines represented at Leuphana)
Location
- City/Country: Lüneburg, Germany
- Workplace: Workspaces provided in Leuphana’s Central Building.
Eligibility / Qualification
- Education: Must hold a PhD at the time of application with proof of a successfully defended doctoral dissertation.
- Career Stage: Commonly no later than 3 years after PhD completion.
- Track Record: Demonstrated track record of outstanding research corresponding to the programmatic outline of the Lab.
- Language Requirement: All documents must be submitted in English (or accompanied by certified English translations).
Job Description
- Grant Proposal Development: Develop a personal, high-quality grant proposal (for submission to funders such as DFG, ERC, Volkswagen Foundation, etc.) hosted by Leuphana University.
- Academic Engagement: Actively participate in the research, events, and interdisciplinary/international network of the Leuphana Transformation Lab and the wider Embracing Transformation program.
- Collaboration: Engage with over 20 professors, 50+ PhD students, postdocs, and invited international scholars.
How to Apply
Applications must be uploaded via the Leuphana Portal in separate PDF files using the following exact file-naming convention:
- Proof of PhD Defense:
surname_firstname_phdproof - Academic CV (without photo, including publications):
surname_firstname_cv - Degree Certificates (Bachelor’s, Master’s or equivalent):
surname_firstname_degree - Cover Letter (Max 2 pages): Stating motivation for applying to Leuphana and the Lab (
surname_firstname_coverletter) - Research Proposal (Max 3 pages + Max 1 page reflection): Short proposal outlining your approach to transformation and fit with a conceptual stream (
surname_firstname_proposal_epistemologiesORdisruptionORscales)
Note: One fellowship position is reserved for an applicant currently based at a university in Scotland under the Lower Saxony – Scotland academic partnership.
Last Date for Apply
September 30, 2026
