PhD Opportunity in Surface Chemistry and Catalysis at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in Germany

Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) is recruiting a Doctoral researcher (f/m/d) in the field of surface chemistry and catalysis for a 3-year PhD project at the Institute of Functional Interfaces (IFG).

The position is part of the DFG-funded Collaborative Research Center CRC 1441 TrackAct (Tracking the Active Site in Heterogeneous Catalysis for Emission Control). The research focuses on adsorption and reactions of NH3, CH4, and VOC molecules on pristine and noble-metal-deposited oxide single-crystal surfaces, using IR spectroscopy, polarization-resolved IRRAS, in situ UHV-FTIRS, operando DRIFTS, XPS, and NEXAFS.

This opportunity is especially relevant for candidates interested in chemistry, catalysis, surface science, spectroscopy, and emission-control materials. The role also involves characterization of structured noble-metal-based oxide catalysts and contribution to scientific manuscripts and conference presentations.

Eligibility: a Master’s degree in chemistry or physics is required. Strong knowledge of surface science and catalysis is expected, and experience with advanced surface analysis methods is an advantage. Good English communication skills and teamwork ability are required.

Funding and conditions: the appointment is for 3 years, at 67% part-time, salary category 13 TV-L, with a gross annual salary of EUR 57,700 to 61,900 as stated in the posting.

Application deadline: 2026-06-28. Apply via the KIT job portal. Contact Dr. Yuemin Wang for line-management questions and Silvia Ratzel (PSE) for general application-process questions.