Postdoc - Catalyst Design and Operando Investigation for Selective Organic Oxidation Coupled with Hydrogen Production (within the SNU/FZJ Energy Fellow Program)

Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres; Deutschland; On-site; EUR 52,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

30 days vacation

Flexible working arrangements

Company pension scheme

Year-end bonus (75% of monthly salary)

Job summary

The Helmholtz Association of German Research Centers invites applications for a postdoctoral position in the field of catalyst design and operando investigation, focusing on selective organic oxidation coupled with hydrogen production. The role is part of the SNU/FZJ Energy Fellow Program, a bilateral effort with Seoul National University that alternates between institutions over two years.

The joint appointment is between Forschungszentrum Jülich (IHE-2) and SNU, aiming to develop efficient

Qualifications

• Master's degree with PhD in physics, chemistry, materials science, chemical engineering, or related disciplines.
• Experience in energy science.
• Very good command of written and spoken English (at least B2 CEFR).
• Very independent and self-motivated; strong teamwork skills.
• Willingness for regular business trips.

Responsibilities

• Design and synthesize electrocatalysts with tunable composition and structure for selective organic oxidation.
• Develop and optimize reaction conditions, evaluating product selectivity, hydrogen production, and catalyst stability.
• Resolve dynamic changes in catalyst structure and oxidation state using operando spectroscopy and correlate with catalytic performance.
• Establish mechanistic design principles to guide catalyst development and reaction optimization.

Skills

Independent working style

Teamplayer

Motivated by research

Education

Master's degree with PhD in physics, chemistry, materials science, chemical engineering, or related disciplines

Job description

Organisation/Company Forschungszentrum Jülich Research Field All Researcher Profile Recognised Researcher (R2) Established Researcher (R3) Application Deadline 22 Dec 2026 - 12:35 (UTC) Country Germany Type of Contract To be defined Job Status Other Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

Area of research:

Scientific / postdoctoral posts

Job description:Postdoc - Catalyst Design and Operando Investigation for Selective Organic Oxidation Coupled with Hydrogen Production (within the SNU/FZJ Energy Fellow Program)

The SNU/FZJ Energy Fellow Program is a prestigious international postdoctoral research program between Seoul National University (SNU) in South Korea and Forschungszentrum Jülich (FZJ). The two-year program offers the opportunity to conduct research at both institutions, starting with a one-year employment at FZJ, followed by a second year at Seoul National University in Seoul under a separate one-year employment at SNU (or vice versa).

This position is joint between FZJ’s institute division "Catalytic Materials for Chemical Hydrogen Storage" (IHE-2), led by Prof. Dr. Regina Palkovits and Prof. Jongwoo Lim from SNU.

The goal of this research topic is to develop efficient electrocatalysts for selective organic oxidation coupled with hydrogen production by integrating catalyst synthesis, reaction development, and operando characterization.

Your Job

• Design and synthesize electrocatalysts with tunable composition and structure for selective organic oxidation
• Develop and optimize reaction conditions, evaluating product selectivity, hydrogen production, and catalyst stability
• Resolve dynamic changes in catalyst structure and oxidation state using operando spectroscopy and correlate them with catalytic performance
• Establish mechanistic design principles to guide catalyst development and reaction optimization

Your Profile

• Master's degree with PhD in physics, chemistry, materials science, chemical engineering, or related disciplines
• Experience in energy science
• Very good command of written and spoken English with extensive vocabulary is required (at least B2 level according to the CEFR

)

• Very independent and self-motivated way of working but also excellent teamwork skills
• High motivation to take on responsibility and develop your own research ideas
• Willingness for regular business trips

Our Benefits for You

• Meaningful tasks: The position offers a varied and diverse role in an international environment
• Work-life balance: Optimal conditions for balancing work and private life, as well as a family-friendly company policy. The option of flexible working (in terms of location) is generally available after consultation and in line with upcoming tasks and (on-site) appointments
• Vacation: You will receive 30 days of vacation plus additional days off (e.g. between Christmas and New Year's)
• Flexibility: Flexible working time models, including options close to full-time

, allow you to tailor your working hours to suit your individual needs

• Knowledge & further training: Your professional development is important to us – we provide targeted, individual support
• Health & well-being: Your health is important to us. You can look forward to a comprehensive occupational health management program with a wide range of offerings - e.g., a beach volleyball court, running groups, yoga classes, and much more. In addition, our company medical service and an experienced social counseling team are available to assist you on site
• Successful start: It is important to us that you quickly settle into the team and are given structured training for your tasks. We also support you from the very beginning and make your start easier with our Welcome Days and Welcome Guide
• Fair remuneration: Depending on your existing qualifications and the tasks assigned to you, you will be classified in pay grade 13 of the TVöD-Bund (Collective Agreement for the Public Service). All information on the TVöD-Bund collective agreement can be found on theBMI website

. The monthly salaries in euros can be found on page 74 of the PDF download

• Additional benefits: Benefit from attractive additional services such as a company pension scheme with employer contribution. In addition to the basic salary, there is an additional year-end bonus under the collective pay agreement amounting to 75% of a monthly salary, as well as capital-forming benefits
• Fixed-term: The position is limited to 1 year followed by a second year at Seoul National University in Seoul under a separate one-year employment at SNU
• Support for international employees: Our International Advisory Service makes it easier for international employees to get started
• Career Center: You will receive explicit support with regard to your career development opportunities

In addition to exciting tasks and a collegial working environment, we offer you much more:

We welcome applications from people with diverse backgrounds, e.g. in terms of age, gender, disability, sexual orientation / identity, and social, ethnic and religious origin. A diverse and inclusive working environment with equal opportunities in which everyone can realize their potential is important to us.

The following links provide further information on diversity and equal opportunities:

Start Date: To the next possible date

Application Deadline: 2026-12-22

Index number: 2026T-0839

This research center is part of the Helmholtz Association of German Research Centers. With more than 42,000 employees and an annual budget of over € 5 billion, the Helmholtz Association is Germany's largest scientific organisation.