Doctoral Candidate (DC) / 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 “Laser Beam Micromachining for Point-of-Care Diagnostic Moulds” 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 https://www.microman4health.eu/?page_id=74.

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

Working tasks:

The PhD-project DC10 focuses on laser-beam micromachining for manufacturing of moulds for bio-analytical devices. The aim is to optimize scanning strategies towards series production of point-of-care (POC) diagnostic parts through…

• developing advanced laser-beam machining strategies to fabricate moulds for forming of micro-fluidic features in POC diagnostic devices,
• building a software-supported framework to predict and optimize laser-material interactions, energy transfer, and resulting micro-scaled features during drilling and shaping, and
• modelling of beam-surface interactions, analysis of spatial energy distributions, and determination of impacts of pulse characteristics on accuracy and surface quality.

Expected outcomes include reliable ablation datasets, validated laser-scanning optimisation strategies, and a robust process-design methodology for producing high-quality POC moulds. Secondments to industry and university partners support validation of ablation strategies and characterization of machining outcomes, and round-robin tests validate models and assess process robustness under real manufacturing conditions. Key objectives are the development of a software tool for process design and laser-scanning strategies, the integration of simulation and experimental pulse-signal data to characterize lateral energy distribution, and the prediction of material removal results from laser pulse characteristics as well as optimizing scanning parameters for producing POC moulds.

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 online application portal by 15.09.2026 (keyword ‘Microman4Health-DC10-LBM').

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):

• https://www.tu-chemnitz.de/
• Link https://www.microman4health.eu/

The relevant information on the collection and processing of personal data can be found at https://www.tu-chemnitz.de/verwaltung/personal/public/Datenschutz/dse_dp_tucrecruitung.html