Research Alliance

The Research Alliance is a joint undertaking of the three major universities in the Ruhr area and was initiated by the Ruhr Conference. Its four research centers focus on One Health, Chemical Sciences and Sustainability, Trustworthy Data Science and Security, and Future Energy Materials and Systems. In addition, the Research Alliance has established the College for Social Sciences and Humanities.

The Research Alliance will appoint up to 50 research professors in the next few years and also offer numerous positions for research assistants. Join us now to create innovations for the world of tomorrow in Europe’s densest university landscape, where you can find a wide range of scientific and industrial partners right on the doorstep.

As part of the Research Alliance, the Research Center Future Energy Materials and Systems (RC FEMS) invites applications for the following position at the Faculty of Engineering (Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering) at the University of Duisburg-Essen:


The position is to be filled as soon as possible.

The successful candidate will establish a cutting-edge, internationally visible research programme at the intersection of process engineering, data science and materials development. This professorship focuses on the advancement of materials process informatics, emphasising the design, optimisation and automation of synthesis and transformation pathways for the production of advanced materials. In contrast to materials informatics, which primarily targets the prediction and discovery of materials based on property databases, this role highlights process informatics: leveraging data to enhance process understanding, design, efficiency, scalability and reproducibility.

Key responsibilities include initiating and leading interdisciplinary, collaborative research projects with national and international visibility; acquiring competitive third-party funding; actively contributing to the strategic development of the RC FEMS and the Research Alliance; and engaging in academic self-governance.

The teaching load is reduced to four (45-minute) teaching units per week. The successful candidate is expected to actively contribute to English-language instruction in master’s degree programmes.

Applicants must be internationally recognised researchers with a strong track record in one or more of the following areas:

• data-driven process development: application of machine learning and AI to analyse and optimise process parameters in high-temperature gas-phase synthesis and other advanced processing technologies; development of predictive models using real-time process data (e.g., digital twins)
• automation and self-driving laboratories: implementation of high-throughput and automated experimentation workflows to accelerate materials process discovery; digitalisation of laboratory environments
• process-property relationships: investigation of how synthesis and processing conditions influence materials structure and properties; development of computational frameworks for process design
• experimental validation and scale-up: integration of simulations and experiments to validate processes and scale them for industrial relevance
• sustainable processing: development of environmentally friendly, energy-efficient process technologies aligned with the principles of green chemistry and the circular economy

Applicants are expected to have experience in leading research groups and supervising doctoral candidates and to have an excellent publication record. Willingness to engage in collaborative research within RC FEMS (www.rc-fems.de), the interdisciplinary Center for Nanointegration Duisburg-Essen (www.cenide.de), the Faculty of Engineering (www.uni-due.de/iw/en/) and the UA Ruhr (www.uaruhr.de) is expected.

Expertise in leadership of research groups as well as publications in peer-reviewed journals and successful acquisition of competitive, externally funded projects are mandatory. Strong organisational skills, the ability to cooperate with other researchers and the willingness to independently initiate and guide large research proposals are also required.

In addition, criteria for the appointment are based on Sections 36 and 37 of the North Rhine-Westphalia Higher Education Act (Gesetz über die Hochschulen des Landes Nordrhein-Westfalen, HG NRW).

The Research Center Future Energy Materials and Systems is dedicated to developing new materials that are urgently needed for energy carrier generation as well as energy conversion, storage and transport in a targeted, rapid and sustainable manner. The goal is to understand fundamental properties and relevant processes in the generation and use of complex materials in order to develop building blocks for a sustainable, future-proof energy system. This integrative approach combines interdisciplinary expertise with scientific creativity, enabling RC FEMS to make a decisive contribution to the energy systems of tomorrow – founded on innovative materials. To this end, twelve new professorships are currently being established. The Research Center is linked to all three member universities of the University Alliance Ruhr. We offer you an excellent scientific environment and attractive opportunities for collaboration with renowned international, national and regional partners. The professorship advertised here will be closely associated with the Faculty of Engineering and the Center for Nanointegration (CENIDE) at the University of Duisburg-Essen.

Our Welcome Services are happy to assist especially international applicants and their families with relocating to the Ruhr area, an up-and-coming metropolitan region. We can advise you on housing in urban or more rural areas and help you find childcare if needed. Our Dual Career Service will be happy to help your partner explore their own professional perspectives in the region if requested.

The UA Ruhr promotes diversity and equal opportunities. We strive to significantly increase the percentage of women in research and teaching and therefore welcome applications from female academics. The faculty’s gender equality officer is available as the contact person at gleichstellung-iw@uni-due.de.

The University of Duisburg-Essen aims to promote the diversity of its members (www.uni-due.de/diversity/en/). It strives to increase the proportion of women in its academic staff and therefore strongly encourages women with relevant qualifications to apply. If two candidates are equally qualified, women will be given preference as stipulated in the Equal Opportunities Act of North Rhine-Westphalia (Landesgleichstellungsgesetz, LGG NRW). Applications from qualified candidates with disabilities or equivalent status as defined in Section 2 (3) of Book IX of the German Social Code (Sozialgesetzbuch, SGB IX) are encouraged.

If you are interested in the position, please send your application in a single PDF file containing: (1) your CV including information on both your academic and professional experience; (2) a list of academic publications; (3) copies of relevant certificates; (4) an exposé of your research profile with reference to its relevance for the RC FEMS and the UA Ruhr; (5) a list of successful external grant applications; (6) an overview of your experience in academic self-administration; (7) a teaching and learning concept including information on your previous teaching activities.

Please send your application in digital form by December 31, 2025 to:

Univ.-Prof. Dr. Alexander Malkwitz
Dekan der Fakultät für Ingenieurwissenschaften der Universität Duisburg-Essen
Forsthausweg 2
47057 Duisburg
Germany
Email: dekanat.iw@uni-due.de

Please address any questions about the appointment process to: rcfems@uaruhr.de.
Further Information on the position can be found here.