All Current Job Postings

Multiple PhD and Post-Doc positions

At a research group at the University of Jena (Germany) led by Kevin Maik Jablonka.

We are looking for highly motivated Ph.D. students and postdocs for projects at the intersection of machine learning and material science. In particular, we aim to increase our understanding of the performance of frontier models and agents on impactful tasks in a project supported by OpenPhilanthropy.

We strongly encourage candidates of all different backgrounds and identities to apply. Each new hire is an opportunity for us to bring in a different perspective, and we are always eager to diversify our team further.

Background:

Frontier models offer an unprecedented possibility to solve tasks in the chemical sciences that no other modeling approach would be able to solve.

Recently, we have systematically measured the performance of such models and have shown that they perform “superhuman”External link and also built the first eval framework for multimodal vision-language models in chemistry and materials science.External link
We currently spend much of our effort on building similar frameworks for consequential real-world tasks, including agentic frameworks and lab automation.

At the same time, we are building the modeling frameworks to “solve” those benchmarks.
We do this with both industrial and academic collaborators across the globe.

For more background on Kevin’s thinking see his websiteExternal link and publications.External link

Your Profile:

• A Master's degree or a four- or five-year Bachelor's degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Computer Science, Mathematics, Physics, or related fields. For the PostDoc positions, a Ph.D. is required for employment).
• Motivation for working on challenging projects, passion for scientific research, and thrive for excellence.
• Strong teamwork and communication skills.
• Growth mindset and inclusive team culture.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English.
• Ideally, programming and machine learning experience (e.g., in Python, Julia).

We Offer:

• Become part of an international and interdisciplinary research group within a scientific network that offers research and infrastructure at the highest level. We collaborate with world-leading experimental groups in Jena as well as the Helmholtz Center in Berlin that have access to unique high-throughput experimentation as well as characterization setups.
• Participate in international and national conferences, summer schools, and workshops (we have allocated a significant amount of resources for travel).
• Excellent in-house computational infrastructure (you will have multiple A100 and H100 cards waiting for you)
• Become part of a research group that cares about your personal development: We will create tailored personal development plans, that we review every year.
• A family-friendly working environment with a variety of offers for families: University Family Office (JUniFamilie) and flexible childcare (JUniKinder).
• University health promotion and a wide range of university sports activities.
• Attractive fringe benefits, e.g., capital formation benefits (VL), Job Ticket (benefits for public transport), and an occupational pension (VBL)
• 30 days of recreational leave in the calendar year plus one day off for Dec. 24 and Dec. 31 that should be taken without any guilt.

Application Process:

1. Fill this formExternal link. If you would first like to learn more, reach out to Kevin (mail@kjablonka.com). 
2. Selected candidates will be invited first to a non-technical discussion and then in a second round of a technical interview (including a ~25 minutes presentation and a Python/Machine Learning assignment).

Candidates with disabilities will be given preference in the case of equal qualifications and suitability.

We will provide support for visa applications and any other potential relocation issues.
We will also support fellowship applications if you would prefer joining the lab on your own funding. Contact Kevin for more details on suitable fellowships.

Diversity and Equity:

At the Friedrich Schiller University (FSU) people from a wide range of (cultural and academic) backgrounds study and work together. At FSU, and in particular in our group, we see diversity as a strength and key for our success. We rely on different ways of thinking to create the most impactful research.
Our group will be a place in which everyone—-irrespective of the background feels safe and will be successful.

Doing a Ph.D. at the Friedrich Schiller University of Jena:

The Friedrich Schiller University is a traditional university with a strong research profile rooted in Jena, at the heart of Germany. Since its foundation, it has been one of Germany's most famous places to study, where outstanding academics like Goethe and Schiller left their marks. As a university covering all disciplines, it offers a wide range of subjects. Its research is focused on the areas Light—Life—Liberty. It is closely networked with non-research institutions, research companies (links going back to Carl Zeiss, Otto Schott, and Ernst Abbe) and renowned cultural institutions. With around 18,000 students and more than 8,600 employees, the university plays a major role in shaping Jena’s character as a cosmopolitan and future-oriented city (of around ~100 000 inhabitants).

Germany is a beautiful and safe country with great work-life balance and life satisfaction.

You will receive a very competitive salary with which you will live comfortably and save money for leisure activities.

Students need approximately 700 EUR monthly for rent, food, health insurance, books.

Your Workplace:

Our lab (CZSExternal link Research group"Polymers for energy applications” ) is located in the newly constructed Center of Energy and Environmental Chemistry Jena II at the Landgrafencampus (close to one of the best viewpoints of the city), where four new buildings with ca. 7500 m² lab space have been built over the last 10 years. Frequently, start-companies involving Ph.D. students and Postdocs are created, and a new incubator for chemistry related start-ups is currently built next to the campus.

Student Job - HiWi(m/f/d) in the field of polymer chemistry and organical chemistry

What We Offer:

• Contract for 3 months or longer
• Up to 40 hours per month
• Immediate start
• Flexible working hours
• Monthly pay according to the nationwide guidelines on working conditions for graduate and student assistants (“Richtlinien der Tarifgemeinschaft deutscher Länder”).

Why Join Us?

• Gain hands-on experience, collaborate with leading international scientists, and work in the modern labs of FSU Jena.
• Build your skills in organic synthesis and polymer science within one of Germany’s top research groups – the Schubert group.

Your Role:

You’ll have the opportunity to work on projects such as: 

• Synthesizing and characterizing phthalonitrile resins, the most heat-resistant thermosetting materials known, in partnership with Altana AG.
• Synthesizing and electrochemically characterizing polyelectrolytes as electrode materials in organic radical batteries.
• Developing 3D-printable inks for carbon electrodes.
• Engaging in applied projects in collaboration with Altana AG.

Who Can Apply ?

• Master’s students in any semester, except for those in their thesis-writing phase.
• Applicants should have skills in organic synthesis and organic substance characterization.
• You should be motivated toward self-development and interested in a career in chemistry.

Please submit your application via email only, as we cannot accept applications through other methods.

Apply now with your CV:

Email: boris.bulgakov@uni-jena.de

Join our innovative team today!

At the newly founded research group at the University of Jena, led by Boris Bulgakov

We are seeking highly motivated Ph.D. students for projects at the intersection of organic chemistry and materials science, focusing on the development of polymer materials that contribute to sustainable development. Our research group, established in partnership with Altana AG and the chair of Professor Ulrich S. Schubert at the Friedrich Schiller University Jena, aims to strengthen the collaboration between academia and industry.

Our work is centered on developing polymers that impact sustainability through interdisciplinary, application-oriented studies. We focus on creating bio-based polymers and high-performance functional materials that offer sustainability through unique operational characteristics. We have several fully funded positions available.

Background

New materials fuel innovation and help tackle global challenges like climate change. Sustainable polymers, made from renewable feedstocks through green processes, cut reliance on fossil resources, lower carbon footprints, and enable a circular economy. Combining high performance with minimal environmental impact, they are key to advancing technologies from packaging to energy storage and soft robotics.

The Junior Research Group of Dr. Boris Bulgakov was established as part of a collaborative initiative between the AG Schubert at Friedrich Schiller University Jena and the ALTANA AG. The group focuses on the development of high-performance, bio-based polymers aimed at enabling carbon neutrality in Germany by 2045. The research targets innovative materials and sustainable applications that align with national climate goals and industrial transformation. Working in close cooperation with industry, we use chemical design, organic synthesis, and additive technologies to develop materials for aerospace, e-mobility and energy applications, and we remain open to new ideas and research approaches.

For more background on Boris’s background, see his publicationsExternal link, you can contact him via email if you have any questions.

Your Profile

• A Master’s degree or a four- or five-year Bachelor’s degree in Organic or Polymer Chemistry, or Material Science with a specialization in polymer materials, or a related field.
• Motivation for working on challenging projects, passion for scientific research, and thrive for excellence.
• Strong teamwork and communication skills.
• Growth mindset and inclusive team culture.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English.
• Knowledge in organic chemistry, thermosetting resins and/or electrochemistry.
• Interest in automatization and computer simulation.

We Offer

• Be part of the story from the beginning when we start up an ambitious research group working on the interface between science and industry.
• Become part of an international and interdisciplinary research group within a scientific network that offers research and infrastructure at the highest level.
• Participate in international and national conferences, summer schools, and
  workshops (we have allocated a significant amount of resources for travel).
• A family-friendly working environment with a variety of offers for families: University Family Office (JUniFamilie) and flexible childcare (JUniKinder).
• University health promotion and a wide range of university sports activities.
• Attractive fringe benefits, e.g., capital formation benefits (VL) and an occupational pension (VBL)
• 30 days of recreational leave in the calendar year plus one day off for Dec. 24 and Dec. 31 that should be taken without any guilt.

Application Process

• 1. Send a CV and a summary (max. 1 page) of your research interest (and past research) to boris.bulgakov@uni-jena.de with the subject "PhD in Sustainable Polymer Materials”. Please highlight why you would like to join our group. If you would first like to learn more, reach out to Boris (boris.bulgakov@uni-jena.de) and ask what you want to know.
• 2. Selected candidates will be invited first to a non-technical discussion and then in a second round of a technical interview (including a ~25 minutes presentation).

Candidates with disabilities will be given preference in the case of equal qualifications and suitability.

We will provide support for visa applications and help in finding accommodation in Jena. We will also support fellowship applications if you would prefer joining the lab on your own funding.

Diversity and Equality

At the Friedrich Schiller University Jena (FSU Jena) people from a wide range of (cultural and academic) backgrounds study and work together. At FSU Jena, and in particular in our group, we see diversity as a strength and key for our success. We rely on different ways of thinking to create the most impactful research. Our group will be a place in which everyone—-irrespective of the background feels save and will be successful.

Doing a Ph. D. at the Friedrich Schiller University Jena

The Friedrich Schiller University Jena is a traditional university with a strong research profile rooted in Jena, at the heart of Germany. Since its foundation, it has been one of Germany's most famous places to study, where outstanding academics like Goethe and Schiller left their marks. As a university covering all disciplines, it offers a wide range of subjects. Its research is focused on the areas Light—Life—Liberty. It is closely networked with non-research institutions, research companies (links going back to Carl Zeiss, Otto Schott, and Ernst Abbe) and renowned cultural institutions. With around 18,000 students and more than 8,600 employees, the university plays a major role in shaping Jena’s character as a cosmopolitan and future-oriented city (of around ~110 000 inhabitants). Germany is a beautiful and safe country with great work-life balance and life satisfaction. You will receive a very competitive salary with which you will live comfortably and save
money for leisure activities.

Your workplace

Our lab will be located in the Center of Energy and Environmental Chemistry Jena (CEEC Jena) at the Landgrafencampus (close to one of the best viewpoints of the city), where four new buildings with ca. 7500 m² lab space have been built over the last 10 years. Frequently, start-up companies involving Ph.D. students and Postdocs are created, and a new incubator for chemistry related start-ups is currently built next to the campus.