Walter Richtering

RWTH Aachen University is advertising an open PhD position in the Institute of Physical Chemistry within the DFG-funded graduate school EMERGE (Adaptive Soft Matter Through Programming Colloidal Gels with Biological Building Blocks). The project is C1: Softness of biodegradable polysaccharide nanogels . The research focuses on the structure, softness, and physico-chemical properties of microgels and nanogels based on biological building blocks, especially polysaccharide nanogels. The work will examine these soft colloidal materials in bulk solution and at interfaces, including in the presence of guest molecules. The successful candidate will use a combination of experimental methods such as scanning force microscopy , superresolution fluorescence microscopy , and light, X-ray, and neutron scattering . The project is highly interdisciplinary and collaborative, involving the EMERGE graduate school network and external partners. Eligibility highlights include a completed Master’s degree or equivalent in Chemistry, Physics, or a closely related discipline , outstanding academic performance, a strong background in soft-matter science , and excellent English communication skills. The successful applicant must be accepted as a Dr. rer. nat. candidate at RWTH Aachen University. The position is paid at TV-L 13 (67%) and has a duration of 4 years . The hiring date listed is 1 October 2026 . No explicit application deadline is stated in the provided text. Interested applicants should read the detailed position page and follow the application instructions on the EMERGE/RWTH pages linked in the post.