W1 Professorship (with a tenure track leading to W2) for Digital and Computational Pathology

Kiel University (CAU) wishes to encourage a larger number of qualified women to take up professorships.

The Institute of Pathology in the Faculty of Medicine at Kiel University (CAU) is seeking to fill the following position within the scope of the “Precision Medicine in Chronic Inflammation” (PMI) Cluster of Excellence:

W1 Professorship (with a tenure track leading to W2) for

Digital and Computational Pathology

to start as soon as possible and for an initial period of three years (first phase).

The successful candidate will represent the field of "Digital and Computational Pathology", with a focus on the development and application of AI-based methods for the analysis of histological tissue samples in research and teaching.

Willingness to play an active part in the Faculty of Medicine’s overarching research focus of "Precision Medicine – Research, Treatment, Understanding", with its specialist areas of inflammation, oncology and neuroscience, as well as digital medical technology (biomaterials research and robot-assisted medicine), is a prerequisite.

The Faculty adopts a systematic medicine approach to understanding health and disease. In order to achieve long-term therapeutic success, even in the case of chronic and incurable diseases, as well as to act in an ethically responsible manner towards future generations, the Faculty of Medicine has adopted the guiding principle of "Sustainable Medicine by the Sea". The "Precision Medicine in Chronic Inflammation" (PMI) Cluster of Excellence emerged from the Faculty of Medicine. The Faculty of Medicine also takes the lead in and is participating as a partner in several major national and international research projects. Active participation in and strengthening of the PMI Cluster of Excellence and, where possible, involvement in ongoing and planned collaborative research projects is expected.

Thanks to the interdisciplinary research priorities at Kiel University (CAU) – "Kiel Life Science" (KLS) and "Kiel Nano Surface & Interface Science" (KiNSIS) – as well as research activities in other faculties and with non-university research institutions such as the Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon, the research landscape of the professorship also offers excellent networking opportunities. The successful candidate will be expected to be involved in these research activities.

The aim of the professorship is to develop innovative algorithms for automated analysis of digital histology, as well as for integration of high-dimensional molecular and spatially resolved data (for example spatial omics, multiplex imaging). Particular emphasis will be placed on the analysis of complex tissue architectures in the context of chronic inflammatory diseases within the framework of the PMI Cluster of Excellence.

Experience at the interface with oncology, for example in research into immunotherapies, is also desirable. The successful candidate will work closely with the Competence Centre for Genomic Analysis (CCGA) at the Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology and be expected to contribute to the Initiative for Clinical Image Processing AI (mAIPipes).

The successful candidate will also be expected to contribute to the further development of digital pathology approaches and their integration into the Faculty’s translational research programmes, as well as to develop new quantitative histological parameters for precision medicine approaches in the long term. Applicants are expected to have proven experience in the field of "Digital and Computational Pathology", as demonstrated by high-impact publications. Experience in the field of chronic inflammatory diseases is desirable.

Applicants must have completed a university degree in life sciences, natural sciences, mathematics, computer science or medicine. A PhD of outstanding quality in one of the above-mentioned subjects is also required. Medical professionals have the opportunity to practice medicine; in this case, certification as a specialist in pathology is a prerequisite. Experience in securing qualified external funding is desirable. Engagement in international scientific collaborations is beneficial.

Please note the recruitment requirements set out in Section 64 in conjunction with Section 62a of the Higher Education Act (HSG) of the State of Schleswig-Holstein. Subject to a positive interim evaluation of the first phase of the junior professorship, the intention is to extend the fixed-term contract for a further three years (second phase).

Following a successful evaluation, and provided that the other requirements under

Section 62a of the Higher Education Act (HSG) of the State of Schleswig-Holstein are met, the aim is also to upgrade the post to a W2 professorship on a permanent basis. Alongside the interim evaluation of the junior professorship, a separate evaluation procedure is therefore carried out at Kiel University (CAU), typically during the second phase of the junior professorship, in accordance with the applicable statutes. You can find further information on this by visiting the website at: www.berufungen.uni-kiel.de.

Kiel University (CAU) sees itself as a modern and cosmopolitan employer. We welcome your application regardless of your age, gender, cultural and social background, religion, beliefs, disability or sexual identity. We promote gender equality. You can learn more about our values in our Code of Conduct at:

https://www.uni-kiel.de/gf-praesidium/de/recht/interne-richtlinien/verhaltenskodex

Kiel University (CAU) is committed to promoting the employment of people with disabilities: Applications from people with severe disabilities and those treated as such will be given priority where candidates are equally qualified.

We particularly welcome applications from people with a migrant background.

The University is committed to increasing the proportion of female academics in research and teaching, so strongly encourages suitably qualified women to apply. Women will be given priority where they have equivalent suitability, qualifications and professional performance.

Please note that we expressly do not require application photographs and therefore ask that you refrain from submitting any.

The symposium lecture is scheduled for calendar week 3 or 4, 2027. We would therefore ask applicants to make a note of this date.

Applications, accompanied by the usual supporting documents (CV, a list of publications, a coherent research proposal covering the first three years, a list of courses taught and copies of academic certificates), should be submitted (preferably in electronic form), stating your home and work addresses along with your telephone number and e-mail address, by 27.11.2026 to the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at Kiel University (CAU), Prof. Dr med. Joachim Thiery, Arnold-Heller-Straße 3, 24105 Kiel.

Anyone interested can find a guide on how to put together an application for the Faculty of Medicine on our website at: https://www.medizin.uni-kiel.de/de/fakultaet/berufungsverfahren.