The Chemnitz University of Technology is an established innovative scientific and educational institution, which takes on the challenges connected with the competition between the universities. The Chemnitz University of Technology offers attractive employment for personalities with proven scientific excellence who want to contribute to the further innovative development.

Subject to the availability of funds, starting at 01.10.2026 (earliest, but is negotiable), the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Professorship Micromanufacturing Technology, offers an employment for a

Doctoral Candidate (DS) / PhD Position (m/f/x)

(100 %, salary plus allowances package according to the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) – Doctoral Networks rules)

for a period of 3 years. Selection is based on suitability, qualification and professional performance. Chemnitz University of Technology aims to support women in particular and therefore expressly asks qualified women to apply. In the case of equal suitability, severely disabled persons or persons of equal status will be given priority in accordance with SGB IX.

The above position is one of 15 doctoral candidate positions of the MicroMan4Health doctoral network (https://www.microman4health.eu/). The described open position has the topic “EDM Machining-State Analysis from Discharge Signal Data” and is supervised by Prof. Dr. Andreas Schubert.

This network focuses on developing data-centric micromanufacturing technologies for next-generation healthcare and MedTech applications. The project offers the possibility to pursue the PhD within the network at different universities and research institutes from 7 European countries (Belgium, Denmark, Italy, Germany, Slovenia, United Kingdom, Spain) and in the United States of America, including secondments to numerous industrial companies. Background information on all DC positions is available on .

MicroMan4Health is funded by the European Union's Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under Grant Agreement No. 101312169.

Working tasks:

The PhD-project DC14 focuses on the development of an assisting tool for electrical discharge machining (EDM) to gain deeper knowledge on machining states and deposition characteristics from discharge signal data. The aim is to reduce process development iterations for EDM shaping with concurrent functionalization of surfaces by deposition of elements from electrode materials to realize antibacterial effects through…

• developing a data-driven tool for analysing real-time discharge signal data to gain deeper understanding of micro-EDM processing states and deposition-specific characteristics,
• correlating pulse voltage, current signals and discharge characteristics with material-removal behaviour as well as surface functionalization through deposition, and
• enable prediction of machining results and improve process stability with fewer experimental iterations.

The project integrates antibacterial coating strategies to predict coating efficacy and long-term surface performance through intelligent data analytics. The work will deliver validated methods applicable to machining medical implants and new tool–workpiece material combinations. Secondments to industry and university partners support industrial validation, verification of process-detection concepts, and round-robin testing of the developed data-analysis framework. Key objectives are the development of an algorithm to analyse discharge signals, building a secure dataset for new tool–workpiece material combinations enabling process-integrated antibacterial coatings, derivation of data-based strategies to reduce experimental iterations, ensure shape accuracy and assess removal and wear rates for medical-implant machining, and validation of the approach and antibacterial effects in vitro.

The doctoral candidate will enrol in the doctoral student programme at Chemnitz University of Technology.

You will use your research results for scientific publications and your own qualification. This is a position for further scientific qualification.

If you want to join our interdisciplinary and highly motivated team in academically exploring a topic of high practical relevance, you should bring along the following qualifications and traits:

• Completed scientific university degree in the field in Mechanical Engineering, Materials Engineering, Production Engineering or a related field in Science and Engineering or comparable disciplines, which gives access to the corresponding qualification level.
• Experience with experimental research.
• Very good knowledge (written & spoken) of the English language.
• Strong motivation and ability to collaborate in an interdisciplinary and international team.

Eligibility conditions according to the MSCA eligibility criteria:

• The candidates must not have lived in Germany for more than 12 months combined in the three years before October 2026 according to the mobility regulations of the doctoral network
• Candidates must not have obtained a PhD title elsewhere

We look forward to receiving your complete application including the below-mentioned documents via our by 15.09.2026 (keyword ‘Microman4Health-DC14-EDM’).

Please note that, to ensure data security, applications submitted via email will not be considered.

If you prefer a different application method or have general questions regarding the recruitment process, please contact Ms. Wagenitz (Tel. 0371/531-12210). For applications and additional information about this research project and DC position, please contact the scientist in charge Mr. André Martin:
(Tel. 0371/531-39324).

Applications should include:

1.Motivation Letter: A letter (maximum 1 A4 page) addressing your strengths and qualifications in relation to the project.
2.Complete Academic CV: A detailed CV including information about your education, current position, work experience (if any), employment gaps (if any), interests, extracurricular activities, international experiences, and projects demonstrating your programming/software skills, background knowledge relative to the project and level of expertise.
3.List of Publications: If applicable, provide a list of your publications, including DOIs. Please do not include PDFs of the publications.
4.Copies of Diplomas and supplements: Include copies of your BSc and MSc degrees with diploma supplements.
5.Transcript of Records: Provide transcripts for your BSc and MSc degrees. If you have not yet completed your Master's degree, include your available credits and scores, as well as a list of courses you are taking in the upcoming semester.
6.English Summary of Master Thesis: A summary of your master thesis in English (maximum 1 A4 page, or 2 pages max when including a figure).
7.Proof of English Language Proficiency: Documentation demonstrating your proficiency in English (TOEFL, IELTS, …), if available.
8.Reference Letter or Contact Details: A reference letter or the contact information for one reference who can provide a recommendation letter upon request.

Background material (host institution and research group):
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• Link

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