SCIENTIST BERLIN

Chemistry Solid State Research & Material Sciences Particle, Plasma and Quantum Physics

Job Offer from July 14, 2022

The Fritz Haber Institute (FHI) in Berlin is one of the oldest and most renowned research institutes within the Max Planck Society (MPG), Germany’s most successful scientific organization. At the FHI, researchers from all over the world are engaged in basic research in the fields of physics and chemistry at interfaces and surfaces, catalysis research, and molecular physics. The Department of Inorganic Chemistry focuses on establishing fundamental understanding on the functionality of industrially applied heterogeneous catalysts. Key aspects of our research involve synthesis, state-of-the-art characterization, concept and method development, and operando studies to obtain insights into their working structures. We aim at finding structures responsible for activity at gas/solid, liquid/solid, and solid/solid interfaces and the origin of deactivation within complex systems.

Within the DFG funded Collaborative Research Center (CRC) /Transregio 247 “Heterogeneous Oxidation Catalysis in the Liquid Phase” the Inorganic Chemistry department of the FHI is offering a Postdoctoral position (m/f/d) in the electron microscopy group to investigate the working structure of spinel and perovskite model catalysts active and selective in the liquid phase oxidation under working and quasi in situ conditions using different techniques of electron microscopy and X-ray spectroscopy. With this approach we will contribute to the main goal of the CRC/TRR 247 that aims at bringing heterogeneous oxidation catalysis in the liquid phase to a level of fundamental understanding that is comparable to metal catalysis in the gas phase, i.e. to unravel the nature of the catalytically active sites and the reaction mechanisms.

This position will offer the unique opportunity of combing different operando and quasi in situ techniques for electron microscopy, including environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), with state-of-the-art aberration corrected high resolution TEM and electron spectroscopy and to complement the obtained results with operando X-ray spectroscopy measurements at the synchrotron beamline BESSY II (Electronic Structure Group, Dr. A. Knop-Gericke). The project builds on a strong collaboration with the co-applicants of the Inorganic Spectroscopy Department (Prof. S. DeBeer) and the EPR research group (Dr. A. Schnegg) of the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Energy Conversion (MPI CEC). Further collaborations with partners within the CRC/TRR 247 will be established.

The postdoctoral position is initially limited to two years with the option for an extension.

Your profile

We expect candidates to have:

• A PhD degree in natural sciences (Physics, Chemistry, Material Science, Physical Chemistry or Chemical Engineering) preferably with a specialization in heterogeneous catalysis or energy science.
• Hands-on-experience in scanning electron microscopy and (aberration-corrected) transmission electron microscopy.
• Experience with X-ray spectroscopy measurements and analysis at synchrotron beamlines would be ideal
• Pleasure and experience in instrumentation design and engineering tasks (e.g., assembly and construction of in situ cells).
• Proven ability to write publications.
• Experience at performing and analyzing complex experiments with a high drive to solve scientific and practical/instrumental challenges independently.
• Collaborative spirit, teamwork, and excellent English skills.

Application

Please submit your application only via our online application portal as soon as possible but latest by August 31, 2022 including the following documents:

• Curriculum vitae
• List of publications
• Names and email addresses of three references

We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those individuals selected for an interview will be contacted.

The Max Planck Society endeavors to achieve gender equality and diversity. Furthermore, the Max Planck Society aims to increase the participation of women in research. Therefore, applications by women are particularly welcome. The Max Planck Society is also committed to increasing the number of individuals with disabilities in its workforce and therefore encourages applications from such qualified individuals.

The Fritz Haber Institute (FHI) is located in the quiet south-west of Germany’s capital Berlin, which is a large, tolerant and cosmopolitan city. Berlin offers a wide variety of culture, art, music, and outdoor opportunities.