Postdoc Position in Hydrometallurgy and Lithium-Ion Battery Recycling, Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg, Germany

Summary

Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg is recruiting a Postdoctoral Academic Staff Member in Hydrometallurgy at its Department of Physical Chemistry within the Faculty of Environment and Natural Sciences in Senftenberg. The full-time position is fixed-term until February 28, 2030, funded through a third-party project called HERES, which focuses on sustainable processing technologies for lithium-ion battery materials. Key responsibilities include executing independent scientific development work on hydrometallurgical processes, wet chemical digestion, metal salt solution separation, analytical methods, statistical evaluations, and scientific reporting. Applicants must hold a university degree and a PhD in chemistry, along with extensive research experience in hydrometallurgy and analytical procedures. Applications are due by November 13, 2026.

Key Facts

Employer	Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg
Department	Department of Physical Chemistry / Faculty of Environment and Natural Sciences
Position Type	Postdoc
Discipline	Chemistry / Chemical Engineering
Research Area	Hydrometallurgy and Lithium-Ion Battery Recycling
Degree Required	Doctorate in chemistry
Experience	Extensive research experience in hydrometallurgical processes and analytical chemistry.
Salary	E13
Funding	Third-party project funding
Contract Duration	Fixed-term until February 28, 2030
Language	German and English
Deadline	2026-11-13
Required Documents	Meaningful application documents, Certificates, References
Employer Contact	Prof. Dr. rer. nat. habil. Jörg Acker (E-Mail: [email protected], Tel.: 0 3573 85 839) or Dean of the Faculty (E-Mail: [email protected])
Employer Address	Brandenburg

About the Project

The HERES project (BTU Competence Center for High-Technology and Energy Materials and their Recycling Senftenberg) works within structural change initiatives to develop, test, and apply sustainable process technologies along the lithium-ion battery value chain. This includes raw material extraction, recovery, and reuse using physical and analytical chemistry methodologies.

Key Responsibilities

• Conduct independent development work on hydrometallurgical processes for recycling lithium-ion batteries.
• Execute wet-chemical digestion, extraction, complexation, precipitation, electrochemical deposition, membrane separation, and electrodialysis for complex metal salt solutions.
• Purify obtained product fractions and apply analytical and statistical evaluation methods.
• Present findings at conferences, publish scientific articles, and prepare research reports.
• Handle administrative tasks related to the research project.

Required Skills

• Completed university master's or diploma degree in chemistry or chemical engineering, and a PhD in chemistry.
• Extensive research experience in hydrometallurgical separation and purification processes.
• Proficiency in analytical chemistry methods (microwave digestion, autoclaves, ICP-OES, ICP-MS, ion chromatography).
• Experience in applying statistical methods for data analysis and process evaluation.
• Proven track record in scientific publishing and reporting.
• Very good knowledge of German and English.
• Strong interest in active laboratory work and expertise in managing analytical equipment.

Who Should Apply

Researchers who hold a PhD in Chemistry, have a university degree in Chemistry or Chemical Engineering, and possess extensive hands-on laboratory experience in hydrometallurgical separation processes and analytical chemistry methods (ICP-OES, ICP-MS, ion chromatography). Proficiency in both German and English is required.

Benefits

• Opportunity to participate in research projects of structural development.
• Excellent conditions for scientific career advancement.
• 30 days of annual leave and flexible, family-friendly working hours.
• Option for mobile working.
• Jobticket.
• Comprehensive continuing education and health management offers.

About the Employer

Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg is a young technical university located in Lusatia, Germany, focusing on practical scientific solutions for global future themes and transformation processes.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the application deadline?

The deadline to submit application materials is November 13, 2026.

What is the duration and location of the contract?

The post is full-time, fixed-term until February 28, 2030, and based in Senftenberg.

What academic qualifications are required?

Applicants must hold a master's or university diploma in chemistry or chemical engineering, along with a doctorate (PhD) in chemistry.

How should applications be submitted?

Applications should be submitted as a single PDF document via email to the Dean of the Faculty of Environment and Natural Sciences at [email protected], referencing number 163/26.