For our location in Hamburg we are seeking:

Scientific Groupleader at PETRA III and PETRA IV

Unlimited with a tenure track option for candidates in earlier career stages | Starting date: earliest possible | ID: FSMA035/2025 | Deadline: 25.02.2026 | Full-time/Part-time

DESY, with more than 2900 employees at its two locations in Hamburg and Zeuthen, is one of the world's leading research centres. Its research focuses on decoding the structure and function of matter, from the smallest particles of the universe to the building blocks of life. In this way, DESY contributes to solving the major questions and urgent challenges facing science, society and industry. With its ultramodern research infrastructure, its interdisciplinary research platforms and its international networks, DESY offers a highly attractive working environment in the fields of science, technology and administration as well as for the education of highly qualified young scientists.

PETRA III at DESY is one of the brightest storage-ring-based X-ray sources for high-energy photons and coherence applications worldwide. It is  operated at a particle energy of 6 GeV and is therefore especially suited to produce X-rays at hard and high energies up to 200 keV. Currently, 26 beamlines, a laboratory team and for sample environment team are operational at PETRA III. The teams support international users at the experiments and conduct scientific research. PETRA III will be upgraded to the ultimate storage-ring-based X-ray source PETRA IV. PETRA IV will be the world's brightest synchrotron radiation source for decades to come, providing unparalleled insight into physical, chemical, and biological processes in nature and technology.

The PETRA beamlines and teams are structured into groups. We are seeking a scientific group leader for PETRA III beamlines, currently focusing on scattering and diffraction methods, including related imaging techniques, laboratories and sample environment.

About your role:

• Disciplinary group leader of 11 beamline teams, laboratories and sample environment
• Full responsibility for budget and staff
• Responsible for the user operation of PETRA, in cooperation with the other PETRA III group leaders, the user office, the accelerator division and the group ITT for innovation and technology transfer
• Key role and responsibility in designing and implementing the beamline and support team portfolio within the PETRA IV project
• Development and implementation of innovative concepts and methods for PETRA user operation
• Continue existing and develop new cooperation with large scale scientific consortia
• Active participation in national and international cooperations, e.g. LEAPS
• Representing and promoting the scientific program of PETRA III
• Active work in internal and external committees

About you:

• PhD and master's degree in physics, chemistry, materials science, biology or similar fields
• Excellent knowledge in application of synchrotron radiation in terms of diffraction, scattering and/or related imaging techniques (such as diffraction imaging, Bragg-CDI, tensor tomograpahy) and the development of methods and instrumentation
• Experience in supporting scientific user groups and customers from industry
• Experience working as a team or group leader, as well as experience working in a large team
• Record of scientific projects and publication
• Participation in international cooperations
• Excellent knowledge in methods and instrumentation development for synchrotron radiation
• Excellent oral and written English skills
• German skills are beneficial

Good reasons to join:

Look forward to a unique working environment on our international research campus. Respectful cooperation and the well-being of our DESY employees are particularly important to us. Gender equality is an important aspect for us. To support work life balance we offer flexible working hours and variable part-time. You will benefit from our family-friendly and collegial atmosphere, our established health management and occupational pension provision. As a public funded employer, we offer you a secure workplace and facilitate your individual career with our comprehensive training and development opportunities. Remuneration is according to the regulations of the TV-AVH. DESY offers its employees a financial supplement for a German job ticket (Deutschland-Ticket) at both locations.

Contact

For further information please contact Britta Redlich at +49 40 8998‑5930 ([email protected]) and Christian Schroer at +49 8998‑2503 ([email protected]).

Please submit your complete application documents (letter of motivation, CV and relevant certificates).

We look forward to receiving your application via our application portal:

Apply now!

DESY promotes equal opportunities and diversity. The professional development of women is very important to us and therefore we strongly encourage women to apply for the vacant position.
Applications from severely disabled persons will be given preference if they are equally qualified (sbv.desy.de).

You can find further information here:
https://www.desy.de/career

Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY
Human Resources Department | Notkestraße 85 | 22607 Hamburg
Phone: +49 40 8998-3392