PhD Student (f-m-d): Engineering Crystallization and Precipitation Processes for Biopharmaceuticals

Application until2026-10-23

Start of workAs soon as possible

Scope of work39 h

Do you enjoy building experimental setups from scratch and using them to answer fundamental questions? Join the newly established research group at the , Germany. The position is to be filled as soon as possible and is limited to four years.

About the group
We study how solids and other condensed phases form from fluids, from nucleation and crystal growth to protein aggregation and phase separation. We then turn this understanding into better processes. Our approach combines theory and modeling, droplet microfluidics and process-scale experiments, with a focus on pharmaceutically relevant biomolecules such as peptides and proteins.

The project
Peptide drugs such as insulin or the new generation of GLP-1 agonists are among the fastest-growing classes of medicines. Manufacturing them is expensive, largely because purification relies on chromatography. Crystallization and precipitation could provide an alternative way to purify these molecules at a fraction of the cost. However, designing such processes is challenging, because the underlying phase transitions of biomolecules are complex and still poorly understood.

In this project, you will build and operate a liter-scale precipitation platform that covers the entire process chain including the relevant downstream steps. Precipitation or crystallization is followed by solid–liquid separation by centrifugation and filtration, and re-dissolution. Image-based online monitoring of the particle size distribution will allow you to follow the process in real time and provide the data for process control and optimization. You will start with well-characterized model peptides and then move on to pharmaceutically relevant compounds.
Your project is closely linked to two PhD projects that recently started in the group: one on multi-scale modeling of biomolecular phase transitions, and one on their characterization using droplet microfluidics. Together, the three projects bridge the scales from nanoliter droplets to liters, and from molecular mechanisms to process design.

Your tasks

Design, build and automate a liter-scale precipitation setup for peptides
Integrate downstream steps and online process analytics
Plan and carry out experimental campaigns to understand and optimize process performance
Connect your process data with models and microfluidic measurements, together with your colleagues
Publish your results in international journals and present them at conferences

Your profile

Master's degree (or equivalent) in chemical, bio- or process engineering, chemistry, physics or a related discipline, with above-average grades
Enthusiasm for hands-on experimental work, including building and automating setups
Curiosity about the fundamentals behind processes
Team spirit and good communication skills
Very good knowledge of English; basic proficiency in German would be a plus
Experience in process design and control, process analytical technology, programming (e.g., Python) or handling biomolecules would be a plus.

We offer

The opportunity to shape a project and a new lab from the start, with close and regular supervision
The infrastructure and resources of a Max Planck Institute
An interdisciplinary, international team and a network with leading universities and industrial partners
Funding to attend international conferences
A four-year contract with salary according to TVöD (Bund), E13, 75 %

The is committed to equal opportunities, gender equality and diversity. What matters to us are your qualifications, professional strengths and attitude. We therefore welcome applications from all backgrounds, regardless of gender, cultural or social background, disability, religion, age, lifestyle, ideology, or sexual identity.

One of the Max Planck Society's primary goals is to increase the proportion of women in areas where they are underrepresented. We are therefore particularly interested in applications from qualified women and would like to encourage them to apply.

The Max Planck Society is also committed to employing more severely disabled people. Severely disabled people and those with an equivalent status will be given special consideration if they are equally qualified. We therefore explicitly encourage applications from severely disabled people.

We will be assessing applications on an ongoing basis until the position is filled. Please register via our online application portal below and upload your complete application documents (letter of motivation, CV, certificates, reference letters).

Contact person for further information: