DOCTORAL RESEARCHER (6) – Electron Emitter for E-sail

Institute of Aerospace Engineering, the Chair of Space Systems

Organisation/Company Technische Universitaet Dresden Department Institute of Aerospace Engineering, the Chair of Space Systems Research Field Engineering > Aerospace engineering Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1) Positions PhD Positions Country Germany Application Deadline 31 Jan 2026 - 23:59 (Europe/Brussels) Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Hours Per Week 40 Offer Starting Date 1 May 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

TUD Dresden University of Technology, as a University of Excellence, is one of the leading and most dynamic research institutions in the country. For TUD diversity is an essential feature and a quality criterion of an excellent university. Accordingly, we welcome all applicants who would like to commit themselves, their achievements and productivity to the success of the whole institution.

At the Faculty of Mechanical Science and Engineering, Institute of Aerospace Engineering , the Chair of Space Systems offers a full-time position as

Research Associate / PhD Student (m/f/x) – E-Sailors - Electric solar wind Sail doctors . Salary according to MSCA regulation. Starting May 1, 2026.

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation program under the MARIE SKŁODOWSKA-CURIE grant agreement no .

Research areas: DC6: Electron Emitter for E-sail
Terms: The position is limited to 36 months. The period of employment is governed by the Fixed Term Research Contracts Act (Wissenschaftszeitvertragsgesetz – WissZeitVG).
Supervisory team: Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Martin Tajmar, Co-supervisor: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Jaan Praks
Secondment: 2 months at Aalto university in Finland

About E-Sailors: The Electric solar wind Sail doctors (E-Sailors) is a challenge-based Doctoral Network that aims to bring Electric solar wind sail (E-sail) from Low Earth Orbit (LEO) demonstration missions to the operational environment of the solar wind. It is delivered by 8 universities in cooperation with FMI, where E-sail was invented, and 4 companies.

E-sail is a highly innovative and potentially disruptive propellantless propulsion system. An operational E-sail consists of hair-thin and kilometers-long wires, or tethers, which are charged at a high voltage creating an electrostatic sheath (electric sail) which deflects solar wind particles and generates the propulsive effect in interplanetary environment. Successful and rapid development and deployment of the technology will ensure EU's leadership in the exploration and exploitation of deep space, the next commercial space frontier.

The program is designed to achieve the following training objectives for our doctoral candidates:

1. Equip them with core scientific skills and specialized knowledge in designing experiments for demonstrating space technologies and developing space missions;
2. Provide them with a wide range of transferrable skills, such as Open Science and FAIR, communicating science to public, advocacy, networking etc.;
3. Develop their business and entrepreneurship skills, such as IPR management, preliminary business planning, pitching to investors, starting start-ups.

Project description: This position dubbed “E-Sailor 6