Doctoral Students (m/f/d) and Post-doctoral Researchers (m/f/d)

Max Planck Instiute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter

Organisation/Company Max Planck Instiute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter Research Field Physics Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1) Positions Postdoc Positions Country Germany Application Deadline 31 Aug 2025 - 23:59 (Europe/Berlin) Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Hours Per Week 39 Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Horizon Europe - ERC Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

The Max Planck Society is Germany's premier research organization. The currently 86 Max Planck Institutes and facilities conduct basic research in the service of the general public in the natural sciences, life sciences, social sciences and the humanities. The Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter (MPSD) is located at the Science Campus Hamburg-Bahrenfeld and investigates non-equilibrium quantum phenomena down to elementary timescales. The theory department of A. Rubio is specialized on the ab-initio description of (quantized) light-matter interaction for chemistry and materials. Overall, we aim to unravel and apply fundamental physical principles to create and control novel states of matter with light.

For the ERC Synergy “Unravelling the Mysteries of Vibrational Strong Coupling" (UnMySt) we are looking for one

Postdoctoral researcher (f/m/x)
Doctoral researcher (f/m/x)

The UnMySt project (“Unravelling the Mysteries of Vibrational Strong Coupling”), funded by a prestigious Synergy Grant from the European Research Council (ERC), investigates how quantum electrodynamics can be harnessed to control chemical and physical processes at the molecular level. This cutting-edge research belongs to the emerging field of polaritonic chemistry. Despite significant experimental progress in recent years, polaritonic chemistry continues to present major theoretical challenges that limit its translation to industrial applications. UnMySt brings together leading experimental and theoretical groups from four countries and aims to develop a comprehensive theoretical and experimental framework for cavity-controlled chemistry, with focus on Vibrational Strong Coupling (VSC) at both molecular and supramolecular scales. Through tightly integrated theoretical and experimental efforts, the project will uncover new physical mechanisms and lay the foundational principles—both qualitative and quantitative—for the rational design of strongly coupled molecular systems. Ultimately, UnMySt seeks to unlock the full potential of polaritonic chemistry as a transformative tool for synthesis and materials design.

Research Focus in Hamburg

Research Focus in Hamburg At the Hamburg site, theoretical work is led by Prof. Angel Rubio at MPSD. We are currently inviting applications from enthusiastic and talented researchers to join the teams of:
• Dr. Michael Ruggenthaler – Mathematical Modelling
• Dr. Dominik Sidler – Theoretical Modelling
Our team in Hamburg is committed to the ab initio description of quantized light–matter interactions in the non-relativistic limit. Our mission is to develop state-of-the-art theoretical and computational methods to model strong light–matter coupling in and out of equilibrium, across gaseous, liquid, and solid-state systems.

Key Responsibilities:

The PhD/Posdoctoral research project will be tailored to the qualifications and interests of the applicants to maximize the impact to unravel the extremely interdisciplinary mysteries of vibrational strong coupling. The assignment will involve several of the following research aspects:

• Investigate thermodynamic and non-equilibrium effects induced by vibrational strong coupling in optical cavities.
• Proof-of-concept work to theoretically / computationally investigate how optical cavities can induce spin glass-like dispersion forces. Characterize the associated phase transitions and dynamic aging effects with respect to the interplay of multiple timescales.
• Collectively induced stochastic resonance phenomena on molecular ensembles in optical cavities.
• Cavity-induced off-equilibrium consequences on chemical reaction rates
  
• Develop (ab-initio) simulation tools to make qualitative and quantitative predictions of chemistry under vibrational strong coupling in the dark as well as for laser driven setups
• Investigate the role of symmetry for chemistry under vibrational strong coupling
• Identify interesting experimental observables and interpret experimental measurements jointly with experimental collaborators
• Collaborate effectively within a highly interdisciplinary team and with the ERC synergy team members
• Travel regularly to project meetings, project partner sites, and national and international workshops/conferences to present results. Publish research in high-impact scientific journals
  

Essential Skills and Qualifications:

• MSc and/or PhD qualifications in Chemistry, Physics, Materials Science, Computational Science, Engineering or a closely related field
  
• Programming skills, including Python knowledge and its relevant libraries.
  
• Outstanding communication skills and experience working with remote communication tools.
  
• Familiar with standard quantum mechanics
  
• Outstanding skills in at least one of the following research (sub)-disciplines (or closely related disciplines): polaritonic chemistry, quantum optics, quantum statistical mechanics, spin glasses, open quantum systems, solid state physics, classical and/or quantum electrodynamics, quantum chemistry (e.g. DFT or wave-function based approaches), molecular dynamics, rate theory
  

Desired Skills and Qualifications:

• Experience in HPC computation (application and algorithm/code development)
  
• Willingness to closely collaborate with experimentalists and theoretician. Joint research approach of all ERC synergy team members
• Excellent English skills (oral and written)
  

The positions are subject to availability of third-party funding within the framework of the ERC project UnMySt. We offer the positions according to the German public pay scale. The extension of the appointment will vary depending on the role of the candidate.

The Max Planck Society and our group specifically strive for gender and diversity equality. We encourage applications from all backgrounds and we are committed to improve gender balance. Furthermore, the Max Planck Society is committed to increasing the number of individuals with disabilities in its workforce and therefore encourages applications from such qualified individuals.

Interested candidates are invited to complete the online application form and submit their application in English. Please include:
• A cover letter highlighting the specific skills and experiences you bring to the team, as we are seeking a variety of expertise across the two positions.
• A curriculum vitae
• A list of publications (if applicable)
• One or two letter of recommendations or references

The screening of applications and interviews will start from August 31st 2025 and will continue until the positions is filled. For further information please contact Dr. Michael Ruggenthaler: michael.ruggenthaler@mpsd.mpg.de

Detailed information about the Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter can be found at http://www.mpsd.mpg.de

Number of offers available 4 Company/Institute Max Planck Institute for the structure and dynamics of matter Country Germany State/Province Hamburg City Hamburg Postal Code 22761 Street Luruper Chaussee 149 Geofield