2026 Doctoral Research Assistant in Experimental Geosciences at the University of Bayreuth

The Doctoral Research Assistant will complement the team of the project HYDROSPHEAR, which is funded by the European Research Council. This project will explore how H2O may be stored in hydrous minerals of the lower mantle by constraining their stability limits and physical properties. More detailed information on the project may be found here: https://geophormae.org/projects.

Seeking an excellent, highly motivated, and dependable researcher with an organised way of working and a proactive and creative approach to problem solving. We expect a respectful, collaborative, and supportive interaction with team members and staff, a profound interest in fundamental research, and a strong commitment to obtaining a doctoral degree. In return, the position offers access to an outstanding laboratory infrastructure for high-pressure experiments and material characterisation and excellent opportunities for starting a career in academia, for instance, by preparing a doctoral thesis and by attending dedicated training programmes.

Responsibilities of the Doctoral Research Assistant

Within the project HYDROSPHEAR, the Doctoral Research Assistant will have the following responsibilities and tasks:

• synthesise, characterise, and prepare samples for high-pressure experiments with diamond anvil cells (DACs)
• plan, prepare, and perform high-pressure experiments with DACs such as Brillouin spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction at the BGI and at synchrotron radiation facilities
• collect, analyse, and prepare experimental data for publication, presentation, and archiving
• publish results of high-pressure experiments in peer-reviewed scientific journals
• present results of high-pressure experiments at international conferences

The responsibilities of the Doctoral Research Assistant will include the following activities with aspects related to health and safety:

• working with lasers of classes 3 and 4
• working with X-rays
• working in laboratory environments
• working on night shifts (occasionally)
• travelling within and outside of Europe

Table of Content

• Summary
• Requirements
• Application Deadline
• How To Apply

Summary

• Application DeadlineFebruary 28, 2026
• Study LevelPhD
• SponsorUniversity of Bayreuth
• City to studyBavaria
• School to studyUniversity of Bayreuth
• Eligible CountryAll Countries

Requirements

At the time of employment, the applicant must fulfil the following requirements:

• hold a university degree (MSc or equivalent) in Earth Sciences, Geosciences, Chemistry, Physics, or in a related field
• hold a valid work permit and visa for Germany/EU (if applicable)
• have a profound interest in fundamental and academic research
• have a strong motivation for carrying out experimental research
• possess very good communication skills in written and spoken English and/or German

In addition to the essential qualifications listed above, experience with and/or knowledge of any or several of the following may be considered beneficial:

• chemical and structural characterisation of geomaterials (X-ray diffraction, spectroscopy, electron microscopy, optical microscopy)
• high-pressure and/or high-temperature experiments
• operation of optical setups and instruments
• composition, mineralogy, and geophysical structure of the Earth’s deep interior
• solid-state physics/chemistry and thermodynamics (equations of state, elasticity, thermodynamics of solids, chemical thermodynamics)

Application Deadline

How To Apply

• All applications and related documents must be submitted through the online application form of the University of Bayreuth (code word ‘HYDROSPHEAR-PreDoc’) by 28 February 2026 including the application documents (in English, as pdf files).

For more information, kindly visit the University of Bayreuth website.