Academic research assistant (m/f/x)

Saarland University is a campus university with an international reputation for research excellence, particularly in computer science and in the life sciences and nanosciences. The university is also distinguished by its close ties to France and its strong European focus. Around 17,000 students, studying over one hundred different academic disciplines, are currently enrolled at Saarland University. Saarland University is officially recognized as one of Germany’s family-friendly higher-education institutions and with a combined workforce of more than 4000 it is one of the largest employers in the region.

The department Organic Chemistry II is inviting applications for the following position commencing 01 March 2027

Reference number W2939, salary in accordance with the German TV-L salary scale1, pay grade: E13 TV- L, duration of employment: 24 months, volume of employment: 100 % of standard working time.

Workplace/Department:

The advertised position is based in an international, collaborative research group working at the interface of organic synthesis, photochemistry and physical organic chemistry. The project is supported by a Boehringer Ingelheim Exploration Grant, which funds high-risk, high-reward research and aims at bridging organic synthesis, photochemistry and protein biochemistry. The proposed project seeks to go beyond nature’s toolkit of redox-active cofactors by developing artificial, light-responsive cofactor-enzyme combinations that open up reactivity not found in biology. You will work on a novel class of fully organic, nucleotide-inspired photoactive molecules and explore how they can be integrated into enzymes to enable light-driven transformations under mild conditions. The long-term goal is the development of a new platform for artificial photobiocatalysis.

Job requirements and responsibilities:

• Plan and carry out independent, innovative research within the project framework
• Design and synthesize cofactor analogues using modern organic and bioorganic methods
• Express, purify and engineer enzymes
• Perform photochemical and spectroscopic experiments
• Analyze, interpret and document data rigorously; maintain good laboratory and data management practice (FAIR principles)
• Publish results in international journals and present them at conferences

1

TV-L = collective agreement on remuneration of public sector employees in the German Länder

The pay grade assigned to an employee depends on their professional qualifications and the number of years of service. Each pay grade is further subdivided into levels. Entry-level employees with no previous experience will initially be assigned a level 1 rating. After one year at level 1 of the E10 pay grade, an employee will move up to level 2. After a further two years, the employee will move to level 3, etc.

• Contribute to project documentation and reporting
• Co-supervise doctoral, master’s and bachelor’s students
• Collaborate with project partners and interdisciplinary teams

Your academic qualifications:

• Doctoral degree / PhD in chemistry, biochemistry, chemical biology or a closely related discipline, completed or about to be completed
• Language skills (according to GER): English (B2+): Spoken for daily interactions, Written (C1) for documentation

The successful candidate will also be expected to:

• Demonstrated expertise in synthetic organic chemistry or biocatalysis, and willingness to learn the other
• Expertise in photochemistry
• Experience with chemical characterization (NMR, HRMS, HPLC)
• Contribute to a collaborative, respectful and open research culture
• Language skills (according to GER): German (A2) desirable

What we can offer you:

• A flexible work schedule allowing you to balance work and family, among other things the possibility of teleworking
• Secure and future-oriented employment with attractive conditions
• A broad range of further education and professional development programmes (for example language courses)
• An occupational health management model with numerous attractive options, such as our university sports programme
• Supplementary pension scheme (RZVK)
• Discounted tickets on local public transport services (‘Job-Ticket‘ of the saarVV)
• Job bike leasing (JobRad)

We look forward to receiving your meaningful online application (in a PDF file) by 10.11.2026 to jola.pospech@uni-saarland.de. Please include the reference number W2939 in the subject line of the e-mail.

If you have any questions, please contact us for assistance. Your contact:

Frau Prof. Dr. Jola Pospech

Organic Chemistry II

jola.pospech@uni-saarland.de

Pay grade classification is based on the particular details of the position held and the extent to which the applicant meets the requirements of the pay grade within the TV-L salary scale. Part-time employment is generally possible.

If you have obtained a foreign university degree, a proof of the equivalence of this degree with a German degree by the Zentralstelle für ausländisches Bildungswesen (ZAB) is needed before hiring. If necessary, please apply for this in time. You can find more information at

https://www.kmk.org/zeugnisbewertung.

Unfortunately, neither costs for attending an interview at Saarland University nor costs for any certificate evaluation by the ZAB can be reimbursed in principle.

We welcome applications regardless of gender, nationality, ethnic and social origin, religion/belief, disability, age, and sexual orientation and identity. In accordance with its policy of increasing the proportion of women, the University actively encourages applications from women. Applications from severely disabled persons will be given preferential consideration in the event of equal suitability.

When you submit a job application to Saarland University you will be transmitting personal data. Please refer to our privacy notice for information on how we collect and process personal data in accordance with Art. 13 of the Datenschutz-Grundverordnung. By submitting your application you confirm that you have taken note of the information in the Saarland University privacy notice.