Research assistant (praedoc) (m/f/d)

Position Overview

Fachbereich Physik – Institut für Experimentalphysik, SFB Transregio 227 – AG Kuch. Research assistant (praedoc) (m/f/d), half‑time job with 75 % load, limited until . Salary grade (Entgeltgruppe) 13 TV‑L FU. Reference code: 637.

Workgroup Focus

The research group Kuch specializes in ultrathin magnetic films, surfaces, nanostructures, and adsorbed molecules with potential applications in spin‑based electronics. The work emphasizes spin and magnetization dynamics of ultrathin layers with unconventional spin structures and the magnetism of adsorbed molecules, using laboratory‑based techniques and synchrotron radiation.

Role Responsibilities

The PhD‑thesis project involves time‑ and element‑resolved X‑ray spectroscopy of magnetic layered systems with interfaces between layers of different spin structures. The position is part of a DFG–funded project within the Transregional Collaborative Research Center 227 “Ultrafast Spin Dynamics.” You will investigate ultrafast demagnetization, transient spin currents, and thermal effects after ultrafast optical excitation, using circular and linear magnetic dichroism in resonant X‑ray reflectivity to map the temporal evolution of ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic spin structures as a function of depth.

Experiments will take place in the university laboratory in Berlin‑Dahlem and at the synchrotron‑radiation source BESSY II in Berlin‑Adlershof.

Key Requirements

• A Master’s degree in experimental physics or an equivalent field, with a Master’s thesis in experimental physics.
• Desirable experience in magnetization dynamics, ultrafast pump–probe experiments, surface science, ultra‑high vacuum, or X‑ray absorption spectroscopy of magnetic materials.

How to Apply

Send your application directly to the group. Submit a complete CV, an abstract (max. one page) of your Master’s thesis, and contact details of two or three individuals willing to provide confidential letters of reference. Applications must be complete to be considered.

Applications can be submitted through the Online Recruiting Portal. From there you will be redirected to set up a profile (only necessary for your first application). Alternatively, you can contact Ms. Cech at