Postdoctoral Researcher (m/f/d) – Translational Addiction Research

This position will be offered on a fixed-term contract for 36 months with the possibility of an extension.
Working time volume: 100%
Entry date: October 2026 (closing date for application: 1st July 2026) 

• Recruitment of opioid-addicted patients and healthy control volunteers
• Day-to-day research activity including data collection (including telephone and in-person screening procedures, neurocognitive testing, psychiatric screening)
• Liaison between with clinicians and research facilities to ensure smooth running of the project
• Assistance with MRI scanning
• Data curation and cleaning/quality control
• Statistical analyses of behavioural, cognitive and MRI data
• Writing scientific papers for publication
• Research visits to Cambridge (UK)

• A PhD in Psychology, Neuroscience, or a related discipline
• Previous research experience working in a research project
• Strong statistical analysis skills and a solid grounding in experimental psychology and cognitive neuroscience
• Experience in the collection and analysis of neuroimaging data
• Strong interest in clinical research and a solid background in methods and statistics
• Programming skills in MATLAB, Unix, Python, and/or R
• Strong planning, organisational, and interpersonal skills, attention to detail, excellent time management, and the ability to work both independently and as part of a team
• Proficient in spoken and written German
• Fluent in spoken and written English
• Experience in working with adults with mental illness
• Experience in recruiting participants or mental health patients into research studies
• Track record of first-author publications

• The opportunity to work on a clinically meaningful and highly impactful research project with clear translational relevance
• A supportive and collegial team environment that fosters professional development and provides a strong foundation for a career in clinical research
• Opportunities for internal and external training and continuous professional development
• Discounted Job Ticket (D-Ticket)
• Good accessibility and central location in the heart of Mannheim
• Health and wellbeing support in the workplace, including discounted access to local sports facilities
• Access to corporate benefits and a range of local discounts
• Salary in accordance with the German public sector collective agreement for the federal states (TV-L); Pay group E13. Placement in levels 1-6 depends on personal qualifications.
• Public sector occupational pension scheme (VBL)