W1 Professorship (with W2 tenure track) in Polymer Chemistry with a focus on organic materials
The Faculty of Biology and Chemistry invites applications for a
W1 Professorship (with W2 tenure track) in Polymer Chemistry
with a focus on organic materials
as of October 1st, 2025, for a period of six years pursuant to § 70 Para. 3 and 4 Hessian Higher Education Act (HessHG). According to § 70 Para. 3 HessHG, applicants (m/f/d) should have gained a doctoral degree at an institution of higher education other than Justus Liebig University Giessen (JLU) or have been in academic employment at an institution other than JLU for at least two years after conferral of a doctoral degree. The duration of applicants’ scientific activity during and after completion of the doctoral degree should not exceed nine years or the duration of activity after the doctorate should not exceed four years. In the case of successful completion of the six-year W1 position, which is to be assessed in an evaluation procedure pursuant to § 70 Para. 2 HessHG, the appointment will be converted into a permanent W2 professorship. Proficient knowledge of German is expected.
Duties:
The professorship will be part of the Institute of Organic Chemistry, which, together with the JLU’s Center for Materials Research (ZfM), provides an excellent research environment, and participates in the Cluster of Excellence “Post Lithium Storage (POLiS)”. Your research should focus on ground-breaking topics in the field of sustainable polymers, depolymerisation, or organic functional materials. In this context, scientific collaborations within JLU, in particular with the ZfM within the Giessen Center for Electrochemical Materials Research, are desired.
Your research shares common ground with the area of potential “Material and Energy (Focus: storage materials)” and/or the accent area “Sustainable syntheses and processes”. Outside JLU, your research ties in with the campus research focus “Material, Molecules and Energy” of the Research Campus of Central Hessen (FCMH); research collaborations within the FCMH will therefore be expected.
Your teaching duties in the Faculty of Biology and Chemistry will cover the entire field of polymer chemistry in all undergraduate bachelor’s and master’s degree programmes in chemistry and material science. Further development of teaching concepts including use of digital media is expected. Teaching will be in German and English.
The professorship should also promote the ongoing internationalization strategy of the faculty and the university, e.g., by helping to establish modules in English and through contributions to existing and planned joint research projects. Contributions to graduate education (e.g., in the Giessen Graduate Center for Natural Sciences and Psychology (GGN)) are also expected.
During employment at JLU, successful independent acquisition of external funding and active contribution to externally funded joint projects is expected.
Requirements:
We are seeking an internationally recognized researcher who is an acknowledged expert in a current research field of sustainable polymers, depolymerisation, or organic functional materials. In addition to academic qualifications, usually proven by an outstanding doctoral degree, a proven special pedagogical aptitude is required, in order to fully represent the field in academic teaching. In addition, international networking and language skills for teaching in both German and English are assumed (German: language level C1, English: language level C1).
Further requirements are a university degree in natural sciences, preferably in the field of polymer chemistry, organic chemistry, or a comparable natural science field, an outstanding doctoral degree on a relevant subject, and peer-reviewed publications in the general area of sustainable polymers, depolymerisation, or organic functional materials. Initial experience in the acquisition of external funding is desirable.
Moreover, experience in academic teaching at the university level should be demonstrated. Ideally, excellent didactic skills can be documented by positive course evaluations. In addition, initial experience in academic self-administration is advantageous.
In case the candidate exceeds the basic age limit of 50 years, a civil servant appointment under § 66 Para. 3 sentences 2 and 3 Hessian Higher Education Act (HessHG) in conjunction with § 11 Hessian Career Regulation (HLVO) requires a specific functional interest.
The JLU aims to employ more women in academic research. We therefore particularly encourage female candidates to apply. JLU also pursues the goal at faculty leadership level of increased competence in dealing with gender and family-related issues. JLU is regarded as a family-friendly university. Applicants with children are very welcome. Applications from disabled people of equal aptitude will be given preference.
We strongly recommend candidates to refer to our fact sheet on application procedures.
Please send your application with the required documents via online form to the President of Justus Liebig University Giessen by November 27th, 2024, quoting the reference number 8-15/24.