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

CTC gGmbH; Deutschland; On-site; EUR 20,000 - 27,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Global environment

Independent research

Professional growth

Scientific networks

Vacation days

Pension benefits

Transport subsidy

Job summary

Center for the Transformation of Chemistry (CTC) in Germany invites a PhD candidate to join the Sofiadis group working on sustainable organic photocatalysts for circular chemistry.

The project aims to design organic photocatalysts to replace heavy metal complexes and to explore their reactivity, within a multidisciplinary setting with automation, data science, and polymer chemistry collaborators. You will train and communicate results through reports and talks.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in Chemistry or a related discipline.
• Experience in organic synthesis, photochemistry, radical chemistry, sustainable chemistry and catalysis valued.
• Excellent academic record.
• English written and spoken communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Study the state-of-the-art of modern photochemistry.
• Conduct experimental work and use daily analytical techniques.
• Collect and analyze data and prepare scientific reports and manuscripts.
• Present results at conferences or internally at CTC.
• Interact with interdisciplinary teams to foster collaborations.

Skills

Organic synthesis

Photochemistry

Radical chemistry

Sustainable chemistry

Catalysis

English communication

Independent work

Education

Master's degree in Chemistry or related field

Job description

Organisation/Company CTC gGmbH Research Field Chemistry Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1) Positions PhD Positions Application Deadline 30 Nov 2026 - 23:59 (Europe/Berlin) Country Germany Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Hours Per Week 39

Offer 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.

Application

• Academic transcripts and degree certificates
• Motivation letter (In your motivation letter, please outline your scientific interests, relevant experience, and motivation for pursuing this PhD project)
• Contact information for at least one academic reference

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.

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

Number of offers available 1 Company/Institute Center for the Transformation of Chemistry (CTC) Country Germany City Leipzig Postal Code 04103 Street Puschstr. 6b Geofield