PhD Position: Development of sustainable, organic photocatalysts (m/f/d)

Center for the Transformation of Chemistry (CTC); Delitzsch; On-site; EUR 20,000 - 27,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

30 days vacation

Annual special payments

Pension benefits (VBL)

Public transport ticket subsidy

Job summary

The Center for the Transformation of Chemistry (CTC) invites applications for a PhD candidate to join the Sofiadis group and develop sustainable organic photocatalysts to close the loop of circularity in chemistry.

You will design catalysts, perform synthesis and photochemical experiments, analyze data, and prepare scientific reports and manuscripts while collaborating with interdisciplinary teams. The CTC Graduate School provides excellent scientific training and career development.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in Chemistry or related discipline or near completion.
• Experience in organic synthesis, photochemistry, radical chemistry, sustainable chemistry and catalysis valued.
• Excellent academic record.
• Written and verbal communication in English.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively.

Responsibilities

• Study state-of-the-art modern photochemistry.
• Execute experimental work and use daily modern analytical techniques.
• Collect and analyze data.
• Develop the ability to prepare scientific reports, manuscripts, literature summaries and give presentations.
• Interact with interdisciplinary teams to exchange knowledge and establish collaborations.

Skills

Organic synthesis

Photochemistry

Radical chemistry

Sustainable chemistry

Catalysis

English communication

Education

Master's degree in Chemistry or related discipline

Job description

The Center for the Transformation of Chemistry (CTC), a newly founded national research hub in Germany, is supported by €1.25 billion in funding (until 2038) and is dedicated to redefining the role of chemistry in tackling global challenges. It brings together researchers from across disciplines such as chemistry, physics, engineering, data science, and social sciences to develop sustainable materials, processes, and technologies that support a circular economy. The CTC is structured around collaborative, mission‑driven research groups and state‑of‑the‑art facilities, fostering open science, innovation, and industry partnerships. Its core mission is not only to advance cutting‑edge chemistry but also to train the next generation of scientists and entrepreneurs who will drive the transformation of chemistry for a sustainable society.

We are seeking a highly motivated PhD candidate (m/f/d) to join the Sofiadis group and work on the following research topic: Development of sustainable, organic photocatalysts capable of facilitating organic reactions that will aim at closing the loop of circularity in chemistry.

Organic Synthetic Photochemistry has seen a resurgence in the recent two decades as this becomes apparent by the sheer increase on publications and the number of photocatalyst that have been developed. Organic photocatalysts have only been a tiny fraction in the synthetic chemist’s toolkit which is a significant drawback in the efforts of rendering photochemistry more sustainable and circular. Catalyzing organic reactions plays a pivotal role at developing the required technologies to enable circular and sustainable processes of renewable feedstock functionalization that are capable of moving us closer to CTC’s moonshot of a fully recyclable car.

The project has a dual goal to:

1. design new organic photocatalyst that can replace the heavy metal‑based complexes that are primarily used nowadays and

2. explore reactivity of the newly developed photocatalysts.

During your work you will:

• study the state‑of‑the‑art of modern photochemistry
• execute experimental work and use daily modern analytical techniques
• collect and analyze data, and
• develop the ability to prepare scientific reports, scientific manuscripts, literature summaries and give presentations on scientific results to conferences or internally at CTC
• interact with interdisciplinary teams (automation, data‑driven chemistry, polymer chemistry etc.) to exchange knowledge, training and establish new collaborations.

Profile

• Master's degree (or equivalent) in Chemistry or a related discipline or be close to completing
• Experience in organic synthesis, photochemistry, radical chemistry, sustainable chemistry, and catalysis will be highly valued
• Excellent academic record
• Written and verbal communication skills in English
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively

Doctoral Training and Graduate School

As a doctoral researcher, you will become a member of the CTC Graduate School. The program combines excellent scientific training with development opportunities in areas such as innovation, entrepreneurship, technology transfer, leadership, and science communication. It is designed to prepare researchers for successful careers in academia, industry, and beyond.

What We Offer

• The chance to work in a dynamic, collaborative, and international environment embedded in a highly motivated team
• A high degree of personal responsibility and the freedom to pursue independent research ideas
• Individual support services fostering professional and personal growth
• Access to strong scientific and economic networks at regional, national, and international levels
• Public‑sector employment conditions and social benefits, including 30 days of vacation (based on a five‑day workweek), annual special payments, and additional pension benefits (VBL)
• Subsidy for a public transport job ticket

The CTC strives for gender equality and diversity. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds. We are committed to increasing the number of individuals with disabilities in our workforce and therefore encourage qualified individuals with disabilities to apply. Furthermore, the CTC seeks to increase the number of women in areas where they are underrepresented and therefore explicitly encourages women to apply.

Learn more about the CTC and our mission at:

Join us in shaping the future of chemistry and making a lasting impact!