Postdoc - Correlative In Situ Electron Microscopy and Operando...

Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH P-VA Personalabrechnung; Jülich; On-site; EUR 60,000 - 68,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Vacation days

Flexible hours

Company pension

Year-end bonus

International environment

Welcome program

Job summary

Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH sucht eine Postdoktorandin/einen Postdoktoranden im Rahmen des SNU/FZJ Energy Fellow Program am Standort Jülich. Die Stelle ist zweijährig und beginnt mit einem ersten Jahr bei FZJ, gefolgt von einem Jahr an der Seoul National University.

Ziel ist es, die atomare Struktur von Pt-basierten Katalysatoren am LOHC-Interface unter Reaktionsbedingungen zu verstehen. Als Teil des Teams arbeiten Sie an in situ TEM- und operando X-ray-Experimenten, veröffentlichen Ergebnisse

Qualifications

• Master’s degree and PhD in physics, chemistry, materials science or related field.
• Experience in energy science.
• Excellent written and spoken English (CEFR B2 or higher).
• Strong independence and teamwork skills; willingness to travel.

Responsibilities

• Resolve atomic-scale restructuring, sintering, and leaching of Pt-based nanoparticles and clusters using in situ TEM/X-ray techniques.
• Correlate TEM observations with operando high-energy X-ray scattering and spectroscopy.
• Identify interfacial origins of side reactions and link to catalyst degradation.
• Establish structure–degradation descriptors as design principles for durable LOHC catalysts.

Skills

Energy experience

English proficiency

Independent worker

Teamwork

Education

PhD in physics, chemistry, materials science, or related field

Job description

Postdoc - Correlative In Situ Electron Microscopy and Operando X-ray Study of Catalyst Restructuring and Degradation in LOHC (De)hydrogenation (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 SouthKorea and ForschungszentrumJülich (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 atSNU (or vice versa).

This position is joint between FZJ’s institute division “Catalytic Interfaces for Chemical Hydrogen Storage” (IHE‑1), led by Prof.Dr.Hans‑GeorgSteinrück and Prof.JungwonPark from SNU.

The goal of this research topic is to understand how the atomic structure of supported metal catalysts evolves at the catalyst–LOHC interface under reaction conditions, and how this evolution governs activity, selectivity, and long‑term degradation.

Your Job

• Resolve atomic‑scale restructuring, sintering, and leaching of Pt‑based nanoparticles and clusters using in situ gas/liquid‑phase and identical‑location TEM


• Correlate local TEM observations with ensemble‑averaged operando high‑energy X‑ray scattering and spectroscopy under realistic temperature andH₂ pressure


• Identify the interfacial origins of side reactions (C–C bond cleavage, carbonaceous deposits) and their link to catalyst deactivation and carrier degradation


• Establish structure‑degradation descriptors as design principles for durable, low‑precious‑metal LOHC catalysts

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 leastB2 level according to theCEFR)


• 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 receive30days of vacation plus additional days off (e.g. between Christmas and NewYear’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 grade13 of theTVöD‑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 page74 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 to75% of a monthly salary, as well as capital‑forming benefits


• Fixed‑term: The position is limited to1year followed by a second year at Seoul National University in Seoul under a separate one‑year employment atSNU


• 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, we offer you much more: https://go.fzj.de/benefits

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: https://go.fzj.de/equality and on specific support options for women: https://go.fzj.de/womens-job-journey. International applicants can find more information here: https://go.fzj.de/job-journey-internationals

Place of Employment: Brainergy Park Jülich

Start Date: To the next possible date

Working Hours: 39 Hours / Week

Salary: Pay group13TVöD‑Bund

Application Deadline: 2026-12-22

Index number: 2026T-0837