Research Assistant (f/m/d)

Georg--august--universit; Göttingen; On-site; EUR 54,000 - 66,000; Full time

Job summary

Theoretical Chemistry group at Georg-August-Universität Göttingen invites applications for a Research Assistant (f/m/d) in Göttingen. This full-time role (39.8 hours/week) is a two-year fixed-term contract starting from 1 February 2027, with salary pay grade TV-L 13 (100%).

Responsibilities include conducting research in theoretical chemistry, publishing results, and contributing to teaching. German language teaching is expected after initial training, with strong collaboration in an

Qualifications

• PhD in a relevant scientific discipline (chemistry, physics, materials science).
• Proven ability in research with high-quality outputs in the field.
• Excellent knowledge of theoretical/computational methods in electronic structure theory, molecular simulation, or condensed matter physics.
• Good programming skills and ability to communicate complex results.

Responsibilities

• Conduct individual and collaborative research projects in theoretical chemistry and computational simulation.
• Update knowledge and translate advances into research activity.
• Write up research work for publication.
• Contribute to proposals and applications to external bodies to support a developing research agenda.
• Present information on research progress to team members and partners.
• Support students and participate in group activities and seminars, and contribute to teaching as defined (German after training).

Skills

Theoretical methods

Molecular simulation

Electronic structure theory

Programming skills

Education

PhD in a relevant scientific discipline

Tools

Python

Fortran

Job description

The Faculty of Chemistry at the Georg-August-Universität Göttingen welcomes applications for a Research Assistant (f/m/d) at the Theoretical Chemistry group (Group of Prof. Reinhard Maurer). This is a full-time position with a regular working time of 39.8 hours per week and a fixed-term employment contract for two years. The position can be filled on or after 01.02.2027 (start date is flexible). Salary: Pay grade 13 TV-L (100%).

Your duties

• You will conduct individual and collaborative research projects in theoretical chemistry and computational simulation,
• continually update your own knowledge and understanding in the field and translate knowledge of advances in the subject area into research activity,
• write up research work for publication,
• contribute to preparing proposals and applications to external bodies, e.g. for funding and contractual purposes, to support a developing research agenda,
• present information on research progress and outcomes to team members and collaboration partners,
• contribute positively to a collegiate research environment by supporting students and engaging in group activities such as meetings and seminars,
• contribute to teaching of courses as defined in Section 31 of the Higher Education Act of Lower Saxony (NHG) and administering of examinations (4 LVS). It is expected that teaching can be conducted in German after a maximum of two semesters of training.

Your profile

• You hold a highly qualified PhD in a relevant scientific discipline (e.g. chemistry, physics, materials science),
• proven ability in research and evidence of high-quality research outputs in relevant field,
• excellent knowledge of range of theoretical and computational methods in electronic structure theory, molecular simulation, and/or condensed matter physics with relevance to the project,
• good programming skills,
• ability to communicate complex scientific results effectively,
• ability to work both independently and as part of a team on complex research programs,
• ability to work collaboratively and effectively within an interdisciplinary and diverse team,
• desirably prior experience in many-body dispersion methods, dispersion-corrected density‑functional theory for extended systems, or machine‑learning interatomic potentials.

This post is designed to serve in fostering young researchers and scientists and give the successful applicant the opportunity to pursue post‑doctoral research. The position is also suitable for part‑time work.

We are looking for a postdoctoral researcher to contribute to the development of novel dispersion‑inclusive simulation methods for hybrid metal–organic interfaces. The project aims to establish a predictive and scalable methodology by (i) developing density‑consistent treatments of van der Waals interactions within DFT, (ii) extending the many‑body dispersion (MBD) framework and (iii) embedding the resulting physical response models into machine‑learning force fields for large‑scale simulations of realistic interface sizes. We are looking for an applicant with strong expertise in dispersion‑corrected DFT, many‑body methods for condensed‑phase systems, or physics‑informed machine‑learning interatomic potentials.

Who we are

In the Maurer group, we aim to develop computational simulation methodology to study quantum phenomena at surfaces with applications ranging from photocatalysis, to nanotechnology and electrochemistry. Our goal is to combine electronic structure theory, molecular and quantum dynamics methodology, and machine learning methods to achieve an accurate yet computationally feasible description of complex phenomena in materials and at solid/gas and solid/liquid interfaces. You will join a large, international and interdisciplinary research group that provides a collaborative and supportive environment.

The University of Göttingen is an equal opportunities employer and places particular emphasis on fostering career opportunities for women.

Qualified women are therefore strongly encouraged to apply in fields in which they are underrepresented.

The university has committed itself to being a family‑friendly institution and supports their employees in balancing work and family life.

The mission of the University is to employ a greater number of severely disabled persons.

Applications from severely disabled persons with equivalent qualifications will be given preference.

The documents are to be submitted by electronic form (single PDF file) to the e-mail [e-mail].

The deadline for submission is 20:00 (CET) on Wednesday November 18, 2026.

Please note

With submission of your application, you accept the processing of your applicant data in terms of data‑protection law. Further information on the legal basis and data usage is provided in the Hinweisblatt zur Datenschutzgrundverordnung (DSGVO) https://www.uni-goettingen.de/hinweisdsgvo