Head of Materials Synthesis & Characterialization

Organisation/Company alqem GmbH Research Field Physics » Crystal growth Chemistry » Inorganic chemistry Engineering » Materials engineering Researcher Profile Established Researcher (R3) Positions Other Positions Country Germany Application Deadline 28 Feb 2026 - 23:59 (Europe/Amsterdam) Type of Contract Permanent Job Status Full-time Hours Per Week 40 Offer Starting Date 1 Mar 2026 Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

About alqem.ai

We are a German and Portuguese start-up revolutionizing novel and high impact materials discovery using leading AI models and smart synthesis. At alqem, we believe that new breakthrough materials are a key driver of progress, and that AI has given us new tools to discover these materials.

Our cofounder has worked in the AI-for-materials space for more than a decade, and was involved in building thelargest and best foundational materials database for crystalline materials: Alexandria . Alqem’s co-founders and advisors were/are also part of a pioneering academic consortium that have applied AI materials prediction and synthesis workflow to find high-temperature superconductors since 2022 ( SuperC ). Our CEO spent over 15 years in the chemicals and energy industry in executive roles and has experience in developing large industrial projects.

We are united by the mission to build a company that can have a large, positive impact on our world: we want to make materials for the energy transition, for better computing, and for the future of mobility. In our company, we want to build a culture where team members act as owners, where curiosity and problem solving are encouraged, where scientific breakthroughs are celebrated, and where we help each other thrive and work hard towards our common goals.

We are in the final stages of securing our next funding round to grow the team and achieve our goal.

Role overview

We are seeking a Head of Materials Synthesis & Characterization to lead all experimental validation, materials synthesis, and physical characterization activities at alqem. This role is responsible for transforming AI-predicted materials into validated, high-performance physical samples, enabling IP generation, customer validation, and eventual scale-up.

You will build and lead alqem’s experimental lab strategy, manage internal and external synthesis workflows, and serve as the key technical interface between AI discovery, academic partners, and industrial customers.

This is a hands-on leadership role combining scientific depth with execution ownership. You will be involved in hiring, procurement, and process optimization. You will become part of the leadership team with a competitive compensation package with meaningful equity participation.

Key responsibilities

1. Shape and overview experimental strategy & validation
2. Materials Synthesis and Characterization
3. Lab Build-Up & Operations

Where to apply

E-mail

Requirements

Research Field Physics » Crystal growth Education Level PhD or equivalent

Research Field Chemistry » Inorganic chemistry Education Level PhD or equivalent

Research Field Engineering » Materials engineering Education Level PhD or equivalent

Skills/Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• PhD in physics, chemistry, or materials science.
• Experience in managing teams and interacting with multi-disciplinary stakeholders, strong ownership.
• Expertise in the synthesis and characterization of crystalline materials, especially novel materials (10+ years of hands-on experience).
• Proficiency in data analysis and data management.
• Willingness to travel and willingness to eventually relocate to Munich or Portugal.

Bonus Qualifications

• Knowledge of different low-temperature materials characterization methods.
• Know-how of magnets and magnetic materials.
• Industry experience.

Languages ENGLISH Level Excellent

Research Field Physics » Crystal growthChemistry » Inorganic chemistryEngineering » Materials engineering Years of Research Experience More than 10

Additional Information

This role offers a competitive compensation package with meaningful equity participation in a well funded and fast growing start-up.