Research Associate (Postdoc)

The Hamburg Centre for Ultrafast Imaging (CUI), Cluster of Excellence; Deutschland; Vor Ort; EUR 55.000 - 70.000; Vollzeit

Benefits dieser Stelle

Reliable remuneration

Continuing education opportunities

University pensions

Work-life balance opportunities

Health management

Educational leave

30 days of vacation per annum

Zusammenfassung

The Hamburg Centre for Ultrafast Imaging (CUI), Cluster of Excellence in Hamburg, invites applications for a Research Associate (Postdoc) for the project XFEL-CEI: Computer Simulations and Theoretical Method Development. The position starts 01 January 2026 and is remunerated at TV-L 13, full-time but suitable for part-time work.

Responsibilities include academic services, pursuing independent research, and contributing to mixed quantum-classical XFEL-CEI calculations.

Qualifikationen

• PhD in a relevant field or defended thesis in a related area.
• Experience in the theory of light–matter interactions.
• Expertise in machine learning, or electronic-structure theory, or molecular-dynamics techniques, or x-ray physics.
• Excellent communication and English skills.

Aufgaben

• Duties include academic services in the project and potential independent research.
• Perform mixed quantum-classical calculations of XFEL-CEI patterns for complex molecules.
• Assist in planning XFEL-CEI experiments and collaborate with experimentalists to extract data.
• Identify limits of current modeling and develop needed methodological advances.

Kenntnisse

Light-matter interactions

Machine learning

Electronic-structure theory

Molecular-dynamics techniques

X-ray physics

Excellent communication in English

Ausbildung

PhD in a relevant field

Jobbeschreibung

The Hamburg Centre for Ultrafast Imaging (CUI), Cluster of Excellence

Organisation/Company The Hamburg Centre for Ultrafast Imaging (CUI), Cluster of Excellence Research Field Physics Researcher Profile Recognised Researcher (R2) Positions Postdoc Positions Application Deadline 6 Oct 2026 - 23:59 (Europe/Berlin) Country Germany Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Offer Starting Date 1 Jan 2026 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? Yes

Offer Description

Universität Hamburg invites applications for a Research Associate for the Project " XFEL-CEI:Computer Simulations andTheoretical Method Development " within the Cluster of Excellence "CUI: Advanced Imaging of Matter" in accordance with Section 28 subsection 3 of the Hamburg Higher Education Act (Hamburgisches Hochschulgesetz, HmbHG). The position begins on 01 January 2026.

It is remunerated at the salary level TV-L 13 and calls for a full-time position with 100% of standard working hours per week, suitable for part-time.

Responsibilities: Duties include academic services in the project named above. Research associates may also pursue independent research and further academic qualifications.

Coulomb explosion imaging using x-ray free-electron lasers (XFEL-CEI) is emerging as a powerful tool for capturing collective behavior of complex, single molecules [Nature Phys. 18, 423-428 (2022); Science 389, 650-654 (2025)]. In this project, you perform mixed quantum-classical calculations of XFEL-CEI patterns of complex molecules undergoing structural dynamics. You contribute to the planning and preparation of XFEL-CEI experiments, and work closely with experimentalists on extracting information from experimental XFEL-CEI data. You identify potential limits of current modeling capabilities and perform the required methodological developments.

Specific Requirements

You have a PhD in a relevant field or, if you have not yet been awarded a doctoral degree, you have already defended your PhD thesis in a relevant field. You are experienced in the theory of light-matter interactions. In addition, you have expertise in machine learning, or in electronic-structure theory, or in molecular-dynamics techniques, or in x-ray physics. You have excellent communication and English skills.

Languages ENGLISH Level Excellent

Additional Information

Reliable remuneration based on wage agreements

Continuing education opportunities

University pensions

Work-life balance opportunities

Health management

Educational leave

30 days of vacation per annum

The Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg promotes equal opportunity. As women are currently underrepresented in this job category at Universität Hamburg according to the evaluation conducted under the Hamburg act on gender equality (Hamburgisches Gleichstellungsgesetz, HambGleiG), we encourage women to apply for this position. Equally qualified and suitable female applicants will receive preference.

Severely disabled and disabled applicants with the same status will receive preference over equally qualified non-disabled applicants.