The Max Planck Society is Germany's premier research organization. The 83 Max Planck Institutes conduct research at highest levels, in the service of the general public, in the natural sciences, life sciences, social sciences, and the humanities.

The Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter (MPSD) in Hamburg investigates dynamical phenomena within matter, studying processes on the elementary time- and length-scales of atomic and electronic motions: the femtosecond or attosecond timescale and Ångström length scale.

The Institute is also a partner in the Center for Free-Electron Laser Science (CFEL), collaborating with the Deutsches Elektronen Synchrotron (DESY) and the University of Hamburg for the development of science based on the X-ray Free Electron Lasers.

Your position:

The successful candidate will represent the Theory Department a DFG-funded project SOLSTICE, a joint theoretical-experimental effort to understand the strong-field response of novel quantum materials, and in particular in the generation of high-order harmonics. The main contribution of the Theory Department and the main task of the candidate will be to perform and further develop first-principles calculations for solids and two-dimensional materials, including strongly-correlated and topological materials in the framework of time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT), possibly complemented by an ab initio Hubbard U (TDDFT+U). The simulations focus on the importance of correlations, topology, as well as the confinement for two-dimensional materials.

The SOLSTICE project been a joint experiment-theory effort, the theoretical simulations will be done in direct link with the experiments performed at the CFEL, in the Group of Franz Kärtner. This position offers the possibility to gain insight in the structure and planning of an experimental work, and the organization of cooperation projects.

Your qualification:

You must have university degree in a relevant subject plus PhD in physics or related field. You should have a strong record with notable achievements in theoretical physics, experience and ample knowledge in first-principles calculations with density-functional and related methods for molecular or solid-state systems and a working knowledge of optical properties. We also expect willingness to work in a third-party funded project which implies working in an international environment and complying with obligations towards the funding partners such as dissemination and reporting.

Furthermore, experience within the following categories is beneficial:
-Programming and software development for high-performance computing
-Nonlinear optics
-Two-dimensional materials
-Strongly correlated materials

Our offer:

We offer an innovative environment, which will give you the opportunity to develop your own ideas embedded in the Center for Free-Electron Laser Science (CFEL). We offer a position according to the German public pay scale (TVöD). The appointment is for one year and a half.

The Max Planck society is committed to increasing the number of individuals with disabilities in its workforce and therefore encourages applications from such qualified individuals.

Furthermore, the Max Planck Society seeks to increase the number of women in those areas where they are underrepresented and therefore explicitly encourages women to apply.

Your application:

To apply, please complete the online application form and attach your English CV and motivation letter as well as a list of three possible contacts for reference letters latest
14th December, 2018

For further information concerning technical and project related questions, please contact
Dr. Nicolas Tancogne-Dejean, phone: +49 40 8998-5699, e-mail: [email protected].
For administrative questions, please contact Kathja Schroeder, phone : +49 40 8998-6565, e-mail: [email protected].

Detailed information about the Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter can be found at http://www.mpsd.mpg.de.