Job Description

Limited: 3 years, with the option of permanent employment (Tenure Track) | Starting date: earliest possible | ID: FSMA035/2025 | Deadline: 22.01.2026 | 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 most brilliant 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, at PETRA III 26 beamlines, a laboratory team and a team for sample environment are operational. 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 brightest X-ray light source in the world for decades allowing for unprecedented experiments in science to understand condensed matter.




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.


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About your role:

Disciplinary group leader of 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 related group leaders, the user office, the accelerator division and the group ITT for innovation and technology transfer Active participation and responsibility for the beamline and support 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 Pursue a scientific project on condensed matter science Active work in internal and external committees

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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, variable part-time, job-sharing models and participation in mobile work (up to 50%). 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.


Limited: 3 years, with the option of permanent employment (Tenure Track)


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About you:

Master's degree in physics, chemistry, materials science, biology or similar skills and experience PhD in one of the above mentioned topics 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) Experience in supporting scientific user groups and customers from industry Experience as team leader or group leader Record of scientific projects and publication Participation in international cooperations Experience in working in a team Knowledge in instrumentation of X-ray experiments and/or beamlines Excellent oral and written English skills Very good German skills are beneficial Very good knowledge in project management

For further information please contact Britta Redlich at +49 40 8998-5930 (britta.redlich@desy.de) and Christian Schroer at +49 8998-2503 (christian.schroer@desy.de).


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


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





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


Personalabteilung


Notkestraße 85


22607 Hamburg


Phone: +49 40 8998-3392


Deadline for applications: 23.01.2026