Fully funded PhD positions in nanoscience Max Planck Institute of Microstructure Physics in Germany

The International Max Planck Research School for Science and Technology of Nano-Systems (IMPRS-STNS) is inviting outstanding Master’s graduates to apply for fully funded PhD positions in nanoscience. The positions are based at the Max Planck Institute of Microstructure Physics and the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, two institutions located on one campus in Halle (Saale), Germany.

The school focuses on atomically engineered materials and next-generation nano-systems, combining world-leading expertise in physics, materials science, and chemistry. Research spans spintronics and spin-orbit physics, superconductivity and quantum materials, atomically engineered thin films and interfaces, topological and chiral matter, ultrafast spin dynamics, unconventional and neuromorphic computing, quantum theory and first-principles modelling, polymer and materials chemistry, electron microscopy, and nanofabrication.

Students benefit from state-of-the-art infrastructure for growth, device fabrication, and measurement. Facilities include molecular-beam epitaxy, pulsed laser deposition, sputtering, ion-beam deposition, a MANGO multi-source system, and a glovebox cluster for 2D materials. Device processing capabilities include electron-beam and optical lithography, atomic layer deposition, reactive-ion etching, focused ion beam tools, and a new 700-square-meter cleanroom. Characterisation and measurement platforms include dilution refrigerators down to millikelvin temperatures, low-temperature scanning tunnelling microscopy, ARPES, Kerr microscopy, femtosecond pump-probe and terahertz spectroscopy, electron microscopy, and positron annihilation. Theoretical work is supported by high-performance computing and close interaction with experimental groups on the same campus.

The programme offers a fully funded employment contract under TVöD or TV-L rather than a stipend. Funding includes statutory health insurance, pension contributions, 30 days of annual leave, and no tuition fees. English is the working language. The IMPRS community is interdisciplinary and international, with training in scientific communication, project management, teaching, and science policy, plus mentoring, an annual retreat, and childcare and family support at both institutions.

Eligibility requires a Master’s degree in physics, materials science, chemistry, or a related field, including a final thesis project that is completed before the start date. The school welcomes applications from any nationality and particularly encourages applications from women. Positions start from spring 2027, with most beginning in summer or autumn.

To apply, candidates should review the listed research topics and follow the application instructions on the programme’s projects page, where required documents and a contact person are provided. The deadline is 15 November 2026 at 23:59 CET.