Job Advertisement HKI-48/2025

The Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology (Leibniz-HKI) investigates the pathobiology of human-pathogenic fungi and identifies targets for the development of novel natural product-based antibiotics. The Department of Bio Pilot Plant invites talented and highly gifted candidates to apply as

Postdoc – Analytical Chemistry/Preparative Chemistry (m/f/div)

The position is initially limited to three years.

The Bio Pilot Plant at Leibniz-HKI investigates, develops, and supports the creation of new active substances and microbiological products for a wide range of applications. Leibniz-HKI is located in the "science city” of Jena on the Beutenberg Campus.

One focus of the Bio Pilot Plant is on researching and developing innovative bioprocesses and complete bioprocess chains. To this end, we utilize all biological and process engineering possibilities offered by nature and the outstanding infrastructure of the Bio Pilot Plant. In order to understand unknown organisms and their metabolic reactions and transfer them into a bioprocess, accompanying efficient process analysis is essential. Chromatographic and spectroscopic methods are primarily used for this purpose. An essential component of every bioprocess is the customized purification of the target product using suitable separation and purification methods.

We are looking for a new employee who has expertise in process-accompanying analytics and the design of downstream purification methods and who will scientifically manage and supervise the implementation. The corresponding work will always be carried out in collaboration with experienced technical staff. Our research is conducted in close cooperation with other departments at Leibniz-HKI as part of numerous local, national, and international large-scale projects.

What you can expect:

• You will develop protocols and methods for solving analytical problems using state-of-the-art chromatographic equipment (UHPLC, LC-MS, GC-MS, various detectors) and implement them with the team.

• You will develop concepts for downstream product purification from a variety of bioprocesses and diverse microbial systems and implement them with the team.

• You will continuously develop our technical portfolio for process analysis and downstream processing.

• You will process, analyze, and interpret the data from your experiments, prepare reports for other scientists and for scientific publications.

• You participate in scientific discussions and national and international conferences and present your work.

• You supervise technical staff in their daily work.

• You participate in student training and supervise internships.

Your Profile:

• You have a degree in chemistry, chemical engineering, or biochemistry

• You have extensive and proven experience in analytical chemistry, preparative chemistry, and/or chemical process engineering and have published in these areas

• You have demonstrated independent scientific work as part of a doctoral program

• You have knowledge and experience in natural product chemistry or the purification of natural products

• You enjoy working in an international and interdisciplinary research team and are characterized by your team-oriented, creative, and independent approach to work

• You have experience in supervising employees and students

• You have very good communication skills in German and English

What we offer:

• A dynamic, innovative, interdisciplinary, diverse, and highly motivated working group
• An outstanding scientific environment at the Beutenberg Campus with state-of-the-art research facilities and an integrative network of life science and technical science institutes
• Excellent technical equipment and a wide range of state-of-the-art methods
• Opportunities to realize your own innovative ideas and develop new projects
• A salary in accordance with TV-L. Das Leibniz-HKI ist ein Arbeitgeber, der Chancengleichheit fördert.

For further information

Applications

Leibniz-HKI is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and promote diversity and inclusion in the workplace. It aims to increase the proportion of underrepresented groups in case of equal suitability. All qualified persons, regardless of color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or other classification protected by law will receive consideration for employment.

Complete applications in English should include a cover letter, a CV, a certificate of study/transcript of records, the addresses of two possible referees, and should be submitted via the Leibniz-HKI online application system .The deadline for applications is October 15th, 2025, but applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

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