PhD Student / Scientific Assistant (f/m/d) Recycling of Rare Earth Elements from Permanent Magnets – 2026/111 Part-time

PhD Student / Scientific Assistant Recycling Of Rare Earth Elements From Permanent Magnets

With cutting-edge research in the fields of ENERGY, HEALTH and MATTER, around 1,500 employees from more than 70 nations at Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) are committed to mastering the great challenges facing society today.

The Institute of Fluid Dynamics is conducting basic and applied research in the fields of thermo-fluid dynamics and magnetohydrodynamics in order to improve the sustainability, the energy efficiency and the safety of industrial processes.

The Department of Process Diagnostics is looking for a PhD Student / Scientific Assistant Recycling of Rare Earth Elements from Permanent Magnets, subject to project approval.

Your Tasks

• Development of a process for the recycling of rare earth elements from permanent magnets
• Recovery of Dy and Nd from molten salts at 500 °C
• Design, construction, and operation of the electrolysis cell
• Analysis, interpretation, and documentation of experimental results
• Publication and presentation of research findings at project meetings and scientific conferences

Your Profile

• Completed university studies (Master/Diploma) in the field of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or a related field (e.g., Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, Process Engineering, or Physics)
• Enthusiasm for experimental work is desirable
• Willingness to work with high-temperature molten salts
• Knowledge of electrochemistry is desirable
• Ability to work independently in a structured and solution-oriented manner
• Motivation to work in a multidisciplinary and international research environment
• Excellent written and spoken English skills desirable

Our Offer

• A vibrant research community in an open, diverse and international work environment
• Scientific excellence and extensive professional networking opportunities
• Salary and social benefits in accordance with the collective agreement for the public sector (TVöD-Bund) including 30 days of paid holiday leave, company pension scheme (VBL)
• Depending on the personal qualifications, the candidate may be classified in salary group 13 according to TVöD-Bund
• We support a good work-life balance with the possibility of part-time employment, mobile working and flexible working hours
• Numerous company health management offerings
• Employee discounts with well-known providers via the platform Corporate Benefits
• An employer subsidy for the “Deutschland-Ticket Jobticket”

We look forward to receiving your application documents (including cover letter, CV, diplomas/transcripts, etc.), which you can submit via our online-application-system.