Researcher (f/m/d) in Isotope Cosmochemistry

Scientist Göttingen

Astronomy & Astrophysics

Job Code: Planeten: Researcher isotope/Kleine 08/2026

Job Offer from September 04, 2026

The Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research (MPS) in Göttingen is one of the world's leading research institutions in the field of solar physics and planetary research, with around 300 employees. The interdisciplinary research focus is the investigation of the development, diversity and dynamics of planets, moons, small bodies, the Sun, and solar-like stars. The MPS develops and operates scientific instruments for current and future space missions (e.g., ESA, NASA), and carries out cosmochemical laboratory investigations of meteorites as well as numerical modeling on state-of-the-art supercomputers.

The Planetary Science Department at MPS invites applications for the position of a Researcher (f/m/d) in Isotope Cosmochemistry. Your Tasks

• Preparation and characterization of presolar grain separates from primitive carbonaceous and non-carbonaceous meteorites
• Isotope measurements on individual presolar grains and grain populations
• Publication of the results in peer-reviewed journals and presentations at international conferences

Your Qualification

• A PhD and several years of postdoc experience in cosmochemistry
• Experience in presolar grain research
• Experience in mass spectrometry and electron microscopy
• Independent user of the NanoSIMS
• Competitive publication record in cosmochemistry

Additional Information

• The position is rated in acccordance to public service act (TVöDBund) as EG 14
• The position is available starting January 1, 2027
• Appointment is for 3 years; an extension for 2 years is possible contingent on good progress
• Application deadline is September 18, 2026

Your Application

We look forward to receiving your informative application documents (cover letter, CV, a list of publications, a two-page summary of scientific achievements and future research plans, references with names and contact information of two colleagues, certificates). Please submit these via the digital application portal. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Mrs. Silvia Schirmer (schirmer@mps.mpg.de).

The Max Planck Society endeavours to achieve gender equality and diversity. Furthermore, the Max Planck Society seeks to increase the number of women in those areas where they are underrepresented and therefore explicitly encourages women to apply. The Max Planck Society is committed to increasing the number of individuals with disabilities in its workforce and therefore encourages applications from such qualified individuals.