Doctoral Candidate on Better BioBased Polymer (B3PO) – DC 05

Biological sciences » Biological engineering

Organisation/Company Leibniz Universität Hannover Department Institute of Technical Chemistry Research Field Biological sciences » Biological engineering Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1) Positions PhD Positions Country Germany Application Deadline 15 Feb 2026 - 00:00 (UTC) Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Offer Starting Date 1 Jul 2026 Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Horizon Europe - MSCA Marie Curie Grant Agreement Number Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

The Institute of Technical Chemistry at Leibniz University Hannover offers a PhD position for a doctoral candidate/MSCA fellow for the project: “Reaction engineering of laccase-catalysed derivatization of lignin-derived phenolics”.

The offered position is available with a starting date of (or at the earliest date thereafter) for a maximum duration of 3 years. The fellowship is funded as part of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) project B3PO – Better BioBased Polymer under the European Commission’s Horizon Europe programme.

The B3PO consortium comprises 9 academic laboratories with core expertise in biotechnology, organic polymer synthesis, and materials science, together with world-class industrial players in enzyme and polymer production, as well as four high-tech SMEs.

The transition to a sustainable, circular economy is a major global challenge, and chemists are essential in leading this transformation. Lignocellulosic feedstocks (LCF), sourced from locally available biomass, present a viable alternative to fossil resources and are a key focus of the European Green Deal. However, their effective use is complex and demands the combined expertise of chemistry, industrial biotechnology, polymer science, and materials engineering.

The B3PO initiative addresses this challenge through three main objectives:

• Dis-assembly – developing integrative “lignin-first” strategies for extraction, fractionation, and enzymatic functionalization of lignin.
• Bio-assembly – synthesizing new biobased polyesters from lignocellulosic feedstocks.
• Re-assembly – polymerizing the resulting biobased monomers into fully biobased polyesters.

The PhD project (DC05) will focus on the characterization of enzymes, the construction of biocatalytic systems, kinetics analysis, enzyme immobilization, reactor engineering, process optimization, and upscaling. The main part of your work will be carried out at the Leibniz University Hannover (Germany, with Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Selin Kara), and a secondment placement (9 months, with Prof. Dr. Robert Kourist) will take place at the Graz University of Technology (Austria). Additionally, a secondment placement at SpinChem A.B. in Umeå (Sweden) is foreseen (4 months).

The PhD candidate will also be required to participate in the training and workshop organized by the B3PO MSCA‑DN. As a Marie Skłodowska‑Curie Actions fellow, it is also expected to contribute your time to the dissemination of your project’s results through public engagement and other scientific platforms.

Where to apply

E‑mail

Requirements

Research Field Biological sciences » Biological engineering Education Level Master Degree or equivalent

Skills/Qualifications

• The applicant should have completed a Master’s degree or equivalent from a recognised university in Biotechnology, Process Engineering, Organic Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, and should be eligible as a graduate student at Leibniz University Hannover (Germany) and Graz University of Technology (Austria) at the same time.
• The applicant should demonstrate interest in conducting a research project independently and enjoy working in an international, interdisciplinary environment.
• The applicant should have an excellent command of English at a proficient level (spoken and written) and be willing to learn the local language of the recruiting country.

Specific Requirements

Additional requirements:

Background/experience in enzymatic synthesis, enzyme kinetics, enzyme immobilisation, or bioprocess development would be beneficial. The successful applicant will have obtained a strong academic record with excellent grades at the Bachelor's and Master’s levels. He/she should be well‑motivated, hardworking, have excellent English communication skills, be willing and able to work as part of a team, and be open to international mobility.

Languages ENGLISH Level Excellent

Additional Information

Working conditions

We offer an international research environment with access to modern laboratories and state‑of‑the‑art technologies, and opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration within a European Doctoral Network. The PhD student will benefit from structured training, international secondments, and transferable skills courses.

Eligibility criteria

MSCA eligibility (must‑have):

At the time of recruitment, the applicant must be in the first four years of their research career, must not hold a doctoral degree, and must not have resided in Germany or carried out their main activity (work or study) there for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately prior to the recruitment date.

We emphasize equal opportunities in the industrial biotechnology sector. We support the applications of female candidates in areas where they are under‑represented and encourage female candidates to apply for this program. Also, applications from candidates with disabilities are very welcome.

Selection process

Application Procedure:

To apply for the position, kindly provide: (i) a letter of motivation including a 1‑page statement of your research interests, relevant skills and experience; (ii) a CV including publication list (if available); (iii) copies of university degrees and courses; and (iv) names and e‑mail addresses of two scientists who can serve as references. All materials should be combined into a single PDF file (max. size: 5 MB).

Additional comments

Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Number of offers available 1 Company/Institute Leibniz University Hannover – Institute of Technical Chemistry Country Germany City Hannover Postal Code 30167 Street Callinstraße 5 Geofield