Post-Doc position: AI-Driven Robotic Experimentation for Controlling Metal Degradation

Post-Doctoral position: AI-Driven Robotic Experimentation for Controlling Metal Degradation

Metal degradation can be a boon or a bane, depending on the application and on how well we can control it. A corroding car component is a safety risk. A biodegradable metal implant that dissolves at exactly the right rate spares patients a second surgery. An aqueous battery lives or dies depending on what happens at its electrodes.

At the Department of Electrochemistry and Big Data we unravel degradation pathways of light metals used in structural applications, medical devices and aqueous batteries. For these applications, degradation can be controlled using tailored electrolyte additives. The chemical space of possible additives is virtually infinite, so we do not test one-by-one. We run a robotic, high-throughput testing platform coupled with machine learning and AI agents that help to decide which experiment to run next.

We are offering a 2-year Post-Doctoral position, as soon as possible, in the quickly developing field of robotic experimentation in materials science. The position is full-time (39 h/week) and will be located in Hereon's main campus, in Geesthacht (near Hamburg). We value diversity and welcome applications from people of all backgrounds. We particularly encourage qualified women to apply.

Your tasks

• Run and extend automated experimental workflows on our robotic platform to test how light alloys respond to electrolytes of increasing complexity
• Discover high-performing organic and inorganic compounds that control degradation for structural and biomedical applications
• Work side by side with computational scientists to build structure-property models, and use AI agents to accelerate screening
• Uncover the mechanisms behind effective degradation control, and turn them into design rules for preselecting promising compounds
• Publish your results in leading journals, present at international conferences, write project reports and contribute to open, FAIR datasets

Your profile

• A completed master's and PhD degree in chemistry, electrochemistry, materials science, computational materials science or a related field
• Solid experimental skills in chemical laboratories and confidence in quantitative data analysis using appropriate software
• Experience with corrosion, electrochemical methods or light alloys (Mg, Al, Zn)
• Experience with lab automation, electronic lab notebooks, FAIR data, databases or machine learning
• Curiosity about automation and AI, and motivation to work at the interface of experiment and computation
• Very good English, knowledge of the German language is preferred but not mandatory

Our offer

• Access to state-of-the-art (robotic) labs, unique scientific and technical infrastructure
• Access to a large international research and industrial network
• Funding for conferences, summer schools and courses needed or research stays
• An exciting and varied job in a research center with around 1,000 employees from more than 60 nations
• An International Welcome Office with guest accommodation
• 6 weeks holiday per year; company holidays between Christmas and New Year's Day
• Social benefits under the collective agreement for the German public sector and remuneration up to pay grade 13 (EntgO Bund)
• A well-connected research campus, good networking opportunities, a subsidized Deutschlandticket (job ticket) subject to certain conditions, and charging facilities for electric vehicles
• Individual opportunities for further training
• An excellent technical infrastructure and modern workplace equipment
• A family-friendly working environment with childcare options, e.g. a daycare center close to the workplace
• Workplace health promotion programmes, e.g. an Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Corporate Benefits
• A varied canteen offering on campus

Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon conducts cutting-edge international research for a changing world: Around 1,000 employees contribute to the tackling of climate change, the sustainable use of the world's coastal systems and the resource-compatible enhancement of the quality of life. From fundamental research to practical applications, the interdisciplinary research spectrum covers a unique range.

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