Leibniz Lab Systemic Sustainability: Invitation for Master’s Students (m/f/x) to Write Their Thesis

Potsdam

ATB - Leibniz-Institut für Agrartechnik und Bioökonomie e.V.

The Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Bioeconomy e. V. (ATB) is a pioneer and driver of bioeconomy research. We create scientific foundations for the transformation of agricultural, food, industrial, and energy systems into a comprehensive bio-based circular economy. We develop and integrate techniques, processes, and management strategies, effectively converging technologies to crosslink bioeconomic production systems intelligently. By conducting research in dialogue with society, we aim to create knowledge-motivated and application-inspired solutions.

We are recruiting for the following position:

LL-Systain (Leibniz Lab Systemic Sustainability)

Invitation for Master’s Students to Write Their Thesis at ATB

Your responsibilities

Join the Transformation: Be Part of the Future of Sustainable Food Systems!

Are you passionate about food systems, sustainability, biodiversity, climate change, and innovation? We are seeking proactive and motivated Master’s students to support research on the systemic transformation of agricultural and marine food systems. This research is highly relevant to the project and will be actively used, not just "work that ends up in the drawer."

Possible Research Questions

• How are the terms innovation, innovation area, leverage/trigger points defined within the field of action and conflict biodiversity, climate change, agriculture, horticulture, and food with a focus on the blue and green bioeconomy and food systems?
• What are potential reasons why inventions are not successful but end as “failed innovations” in the context of agricultural and marine food systems? Which analyses and reports are available and what can we learn from them?
• Who are the most important stakeholders regarding systemic sustainability transformation and food systems in the field of action and conflict biodiversity, climate change, agriculture, horticulture and food?
• What are the most important publications of international organizations (e.g., reports by IPCC or FAO) and what innovation areas, specific innovations, and leverage/positive tipping points do they describe to achieve systemic sustainability transformation?
• What do farmers and other societal actors in the pilot sites Berlin/Brandenburg, Brazil, and Vietnam say about innovation and pathways for transformation?
• Which innovations are described in reports written with ATB and ZMT co-authorship?
• What role does algae production play regarding the systemic transformation within the field of action and conflict of biodiversity, climate change, agriculture, and food?
• What innovations have been established at ATB?
• What innovation areas, leverage points, and pathways towards transformation are highlighted within ATB research?

Project Details:

ATB and the Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research (ZMT) are part of the Leibniz Lab Systemic Sustainability, an initiative by the Leibniz Association. This Lab integrates scientific knowledge and societal dialogue to develop and implement systemic solutions addressing the conflicts between biodiversity, climate change, agriculture, and food security, with a focus on transformative innovations and global-local interconnections. Within this initiative, we focus on innovations for systemic sustainability transformation.

We aim to identify which innovation areas (e.g., reducing food waste, shifting to a more plant-based diet, and promoting alternative protein sources) and pathways are critical for achieving systemic sustainability transformation. Additionally, we seek to understand at which leverage points new approaches can be applied to accelerate systemic sustainability.

What perspectives do international organizations, researchers, and farmers offer on these issues? Further, we want to know what makes specific innovations successful and what makes them fail.

We invite students from diverse fields - e.g., agriculture, horticulture, biology, economics, political science, philosophy - to conduct literature reviews or interviews and contribute to this transformative work by completing their Master thesis at ATB and/or ZMT.

Answering these questions will involve some of the following methods: literature and desk research, stakeholder and innovation mapping, interviews, and focus group discussions.

Your Qualifications

• Curiosity and motivation to work on systemic sustainability of our food systems
• Pro-active and independent approach to work and research
• Enjoying the exchange with colleagues and co-creation of ideas and approaches
• Experience in literature and desk research as well as drafting summaries
• Enrollment in a Master’s program and writing a Master's thesis on the above-mentioned topics in the near future
• Proficiency in English, and if willing to work in one of the pilot sites, knowledge of the local languages (German, Brazilian Portuguese and Vietnamese)

Interested?

For further information, please contact Sophia Lüttringhaus (email: sluettringhaus@atb-potsdam.de) or visit our website at ATB: Leibniz-Lab Systemische Nachhaltigkeit - Biodiversität, Klima, Landwirtschaft und Ernährung innerhalb planetarer Grenzen

If you would like to contribute your professional competence to our interdisciplinary research, please apply in English using ATB’s online application form for the job advertisement, reference 2025-LL-Systain-14, at https://www.atb-potsdam.de/de/karriere/offene-stellen. Please describe in your motivation letter what research questions you are interested in and also, how and when you would like to elaborate these in your thesis. We look forward to your ideas and application.

Equality of opportunity is part of our personnel policy. Disabled applicants with adequate qualification will be preferentially considered.

By submitting an application, you agree that your job application documents will be stored for a period of six months, even in the case of an unsuccessful application. Further information on the processing, storage and protection of your personal data can be found at https://www.atb-potsdam.de/en/services/data-protection-declaration-for-the-application-process.