Student Research Assistant – Polymer & Membrane Materials for Next Generation Energy Technologies
Would you like to play a part in Germany’s energy transition? Then the Helmholtz Institute Erlangen-Nuremberg for Renewable Energies (HI ERN) is the perfect place for you! HI ERN forms the centrepiece of a close partnership between Forschungszentrum Jülich (FZJ), the Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB) for Materials and Energy, and Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU) at the Erlangen site. The development of innovative technologies such as fuel cells, electrolysis systems, and redox‑flow batteries is one of today’s most dynamic research fields. As society moves toward renewable energy and decarbonization, new polymer materials play a crucial role especially as ion‑conducting polymers and membranes in electrochemical devices.
At HI ERN, the Membrane Polymer Synthesis team is dedicated to designing and developing cutting‑edge polymer materials.
Your Job
The following tasks will be carried out according to the instructions and guidelines of your scientific colleagues:
- Support the synthesis, purification, and characterization of novel polymer compounds
- Fabricate and analyze membranes derived from newly developed materials
- Contribute to the scale-up of promising polymer systems
Your Profile
- Motivated student in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or Materials Science, currently enrolled in an advanced Bachelor’s or Master’s program
- Advanced knowledge in organic chemistry and/or polymer chemistry
- Basic understanding of electrochemistry is beneficial but not required
- Very good command of written and spoken English with extensive vocabulary is required (at least B2 level according to the CEFR), ideally supported by a certificate confirming the language level. Knowledge of the German language is not mandatory but certainly appreciated
Our Benefits for You
- Great working environment: International, interdisciplinary working environment on an attractive campus (south campus of the FAU, Erlangen-Nürnberg) including many cooperation opportunities with our partners from science (Forschungszentrum Jülich, Helmholtz Society Berlin, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg and abroad) as well as renowned industrial partners.
- Motivated team: Working in a highly specialised and motivated international team.
- Flexibility: Flexible working hours that accommodate demanding study periods. You should be able to work a minimum of 12 working hours per week.
- Vacation: You will receive 30 days of vacation (depending on the working time model) plus additional days off (e.g. between Christmas and New Year's)
- Fair remuneration: Depending on your existing qualifications and the tasks assigned to you, you will be classified in pay grade 3 of the TVöD-Bund (Collective Agreement for the Public Service). All information on the TVöD-Bund collective agreement can be found on the BMI website. The monthly salaries in euros can be found on page 69 ff. of the PDF download.
- Perspective: After a 6-month fixed-term contract, our goal is to extend your research assistant position. Let's use this time to find out how well we fit together.
- Support for international employees: Our International Advisory Service makes it easier for international employees to get started
In addition to exciting tasks and a collegial working environment, we offer you much more: https://go.fzj.de/benefits
We welcome applications from people with diverse backgrounds, e.g. in terms of age, gender, disability, sexual orientation / identity, and social, ethnic and religious origin. A diverse and inclusive working environment with equal opportunities in which everyone can realize their potential is important to us.
The following links provide further information on diversity and equal opportunities: https://go.fzj.de/equality and on specific support options: https://go.fzj.de/womens-job-journey
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