DZNE is a world-leading, internationally oriented center for cutting-edge research into diseases of the nervous system.

At 10 locations in Germany, around 1,200 employees are working together on new approaches to better understand and effectively combat diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and ALS.

That is our goal - maybe soon yours too? Become part of the DZNE and support us in realizing our research strategy!

Postdoctoral Scientist (f/m/x) Population-based Eye Imaging

Code: 1511/2026/1

The group of Prof. Dr. Dr. Monique M.B. Breteler in the department of Population Health Sciences in Bonn invites applications for a part-time or full-time postdoctoral scientist position.

We are looking for an experienced researcher with leadership ambitions, to contribute to ongoing research projects and initiate new research focusing on ocular imaging.

The position is embedded within the Population Health Sciences group, led by Prof. Dr. Dr. Monique M. B. Breteler, and is based at the headquarters of the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) in Bonn. Our research primarily builds on the Rhineland Study, a prospective population-based cohort study with a strong focus on deep phenotyping. The cohort currently comprises more than 12,000 participants, including over 5,000 individuals with follow-up data, and continues to expand through ongoing recruitment. Data collection is highly comprehensive and includes detailed structural and functional brain and ocular imaging, cognitive and behavioral assessments, cardiovascular examinations, sensory system assessments, detailed medical history, lifestyle, nutrition and mental health questionnaires, systematic assessment of medication use, and the collection of biological samples.

Your role in detail

You will pursue topics related to population-based imaging, specifically imaging of the eye, in the context of the Rhineland Study. By connecting advanced imaging data with other extensive phenotypic data, you will investigate determinants, biomarkers or clinical correlates of eye related morphological changes in health and disease over the course of adult life. In addition to contributing to ongoing projects, you will develop and lead your own research projects as they fit within the general research interests of our group. Furthermore, you will contribute to the management of the image acquisition and image analysis pipelines, be involved in the supervision of PhD and master students, and actively participate in national and international collaborative studies.

Your qualifications

You hold a PhD in epidemiology, medicine, (bio)medical sciences, biomedical image processing or other relevant discipline

• Knowledge of epidemiological methods, study design, and statistics
• Several years of experience in epidemiological research or large-scale observational studies in ophthalmic imaging
• Strong analytical skills and an ability for independent and critical thinking
• A track record of publishing high quality scientific papers
• Excellent work ethic, initiative, and time management skills
• Motivation and strong social skills
• Strong communication and writing skills in the English language are a prerequisit

How to apply

Interested applicants should submit a cover letter, a CV, and transcripts in one single PDF file. The cover letter should describe your motivation to apply for this position and detail how your research interests and experience align with the research conducted in our group. Please highlight any relevant projects, publications, or collaborations. Note: We highly value authenticity in applications and discourage the use of AI-generated cover letters.

Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.

For inquiries about the position, please contact Prof Dr Dr Monique Breteler at mailto:population-research@dzne.de

What our employees value