The mission of the Max-Planck-Institute for Sustainable Materials (MPI-SusMat) is to understand and design materials down to atomic and scales. In this spirit, we conduct basic research on structural and functional materials, mostly metallic alloys, embracing synthesis and processing, characterization and properties, as well as their response in engineering components exposed to real environmental conditions. However, due to their unique hierarchical structure and excellent mechanical properties, biological materials are of great interest to better understand their properties and use this knowledge to design better engineering materials. We work interdisciplinary, with intense mutual stimulation among experimentalists and theoreticians as well as among different groups and departments.
PostDoc f/m/d – Investigation of the interfacial material growth of bioceramics using atom probe tomography (APT)
Your tasks:
Ceramics are vital to daily life due to their strength, hardness, and biocompatibility, with uses in biomedical devices, electronics, optics, and machinery. However, their production is energy-intensive, and managing ceramic waste and sourcing new raw materials poses significant challenges for the industry.
Nature efficiently recycles and remodels bioceramic skeletons through continuous growth, unlike the costly tissue-shedding methods of crustaceans. Echinoderms, for example, grow their tessellated skeletons by adding material at interfaces, allowing body expansion without compromising mechanical integrity. Remarkably, this strategy enables shape-morphing and allows a several-fold increase in body size. How does interfacial material growth preserve ceramic integrity? How are the materials development logistics at the interfaces? How can growth strategies be translated into ceramic fabrication principles for a new class of sustainable engineering ceramics that are scalable? This project aims to i) uncover interfacial growth strategies and structural organization, ii) establish design principles for scalable, sustainable ceramics, and iii) develop first-in-kind growing 3D ceramic surfaces. Atom probe tomography (APT) provides 3D nanoscale compositional mapping with high chemical sensitivity. This technique could solve her questions exposed above. While APT is well established for analyzing metallic materials, in recent years, it has been extended to biominerals research, although there remain challenges; the heterogeneous structure of the inorganic and organic domains limits yield and complexifies the data. Preliminary work by our group paves the way for systematic analyses of biomaterials and will accelerate new insights into biomineralization processes.
The project will provide a foundational step toward a new class of ceramic architectures capable of expansion and remodeling for the fabrication of sustainable ceramic materials and devices and introduce approaches that can reduce fabrication energy consumption and minimize ceramic waste.
We are looking for a postdoctoral researcher for the SuCeram “Sustainable Remodeling of Ceramics: Lessons from Growing Interfaces of Echinoderms” project within the Max Planck Network on Sustainable Materials (SusMax). We are seeking a postdoctoral researcher to expand the frontiers of biomineral research using atom probe tomography (APT). The applicant will investigate the interfacial processes responsible for the formation of bioceramics using MPI-SusMat’s state-of-the-art cryo-APT facilities.

Your tasks will be:

• The focus is on high-resolution analysis using atom probe tomography (APT)
• Sample preparation using focused ion beam (FIB)
• Performing microstructural characterization on different length scales using electron microscopy techniques such as SEM/FIB (tomography) and TEM combined with spectroscopy methods (e.g. EDS, EELS).
• Using cryo-SEM/FIB preparation and cryo-EBSD.
• Coordinate and manage the collaboration between the MPI-SusMat and project partners at the Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces in Potsdam.
• Publication of scientific results in international journals and presentation of scientific results at conferences and meetings.

Your profile:

• Doctoral degree in structural material science, physics, chemistry, biology or related.
• Hands on experience of atom probe tomography (APT) is necessary.
• Knowledge and experience in the field of cryo-SEM/FIB is not essential.
• Good English skills are mandatory. MPI-SusMat is an international workplace, the daily and professional language is English.
• Interest to acquire new skills related to microscopy techniques or biomineral side.

What we offer:

The MPI-SusMat offers an exciting and stimulating research environment with high-level experts and access besides APT to state-of-the-art research equipment for material characterization.

• You will be part of an international and collaborative research team in the field of Bio-APT at the MPI-SusMat and directly supervised by Dr. Tim M. Schwarz
• Your project will be part of the Max-Planck Network for on Sustainable Materials (SusMax) in cooperation with Dr. Shahrouz Amini at MPl of Colloids and Interfaces in Potsdam.
• Bi-annual project meetings in Potsdam or Düsseldorf with the project partner, as well as internal events within the framework of the SusMax program.

Salary: The salary is based on TVöD 13, depending on qualifications .Net income: about 3,300€ per month. The contract will be temporary for 2 years with options for extension.
The starting date is 1st October 2025. It and can also be arranged earlier or later.
Please apply through the online system (link below).
The Max-Planck-Institut für Eisenforschung GmbH is committed to employing more handicapped individuals and especially encourages them to apply. The Max Planck Society strives for gender and diversity equality. We welcome applications from all backgrounds.
Dr. Tim M. Schwarz
tim.schwarz@mpi-susmat.de

• The focus is on high-resolution analysis using atom probe tomography (APT)
• Sample preparation using focused ion beam (FIB)
• Performing microstructural characterization on different length scales using electron microscopy techniques such as SEM/FIB (tomography) and TEM combined with spectroscopy methods (e.g. EDS, EELS).
• Using cryo-SEM/FIB preparation and cryo-EBSD.
• Coordinate and manage the collaboration between the MPI-SusMat and project partners at the Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces in Potsdam.
• Publication of scientific results in international journals and presentation of scientific results at conferences and meetings