Online seit 2025-08-18
Application until2025-10-17
Start of workAs soon as possible
Scope of work39 h
The Department of
Process Systems Engineering
(Director: Prof.
Dr.-Ing.
Kai Sundmacher) at the Max Planck Institute for Dynamics of Complex Technical Systems
is inviting applications for the PhD Student (f/m/d) position.
Research topic: “Electrochemical reduction of oxidized nitrogen species”
The position is to be filled as soon as possible and is limited to three years.
The research topic contributes to the concept of a sustainable circular economy.
Human activities have disturbed the global nitrogen (N-) cycle, due to a mismatch between the atmospheric N2 fixation and denitrification rates.
Fixed-N-species accumulate by the energy-intensive Haber-Bosch process, industrial and transportation combustion processes, over-cultivation of crops that promote the biological N2 fixation, and over-fertilization practices.
However, reactive N-forms are essential to sustain the global food supply of a steadily growing human population.
It is thus imperative to deploy efficient recycling concepts of already fixed-N compounds, supplementing with N2-fixation strategies to compensate for conversions back to unreactive N2, thus balancing the N-cycle.
Ammonia (NH3), a nitrogen-hydrogen compound that is widely used in agriculture and industry, is not only a compelling candidate for storing and distributing H2, but also a potential fuel and a valuable chemical.
On the aforementioned ground, recycling oxidized N-forms back to NH3 with the use of green electrons and water can contribute to fixed-N recycling concepts and inhibit the accumulation of reactive-N-species in the ecosystem.
Meanwhile, the increasing availability of renewable electricity renders its direct usage via electrocatalytic processes attractive in the context of power-to-X circular scenarios.
Knowledge and experience in chemical engineering laboratory work as well as model-based simulations are advantageous.
The
Max Planck Society
is committed to equal opportunities, gender equality, and diversity.
What counts for us are your qualifications, professional strengths, and the candidates’ attitude.
We, therefore, welcome all applications regardless of gender, cultural or social background, disability, religion, age, lifestyle, ideology or sexual identity.
Increasing the proportion of women in areas where women are underrepresented is a primary goal of the Max Planck Society.
We are therefore particularly interested in applications from qualified women and expressly encourage them to apply.
The Max Planck Society has set itself the goal to employ more severely disabled people.
Severely disabled persons and persons of equal status will be given special consideration if they are equally qualified.
Applications from severely disabled people are, therefore, expressly encouraged.
Applicants will be assessed on an ongoing basis until the position is filled.
Please register to our online application portal and upload your personal application documents containing letter of motivation, CV, and Bachelor's and Master's certificates.
Also please name two academics willing to prepare reference letters.
Contact person for further information on the job advertisement:
Dr. Georgios Papakonstantinou,