Max Planck Research Group Leader (m/f/div) at the Interface between Physics and Medical Research

ABOUT US

The Max-Planck-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Wissenschaften e.V. (MPG) is a world-leading, independent, non-profit research organization with the goal to promote cutting-edge basic research. Within 84 Max Planck Institutes over 24,000 employees pursue basic research in broad areas of life and natural sciences as well as humanities, social sciences, and law and have a strong interest in innovative and interdisciplinary research.

We are searching for a Max Planck Research Group Leader at the newly established Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin (MPZPM) in Erlangen, Germany (https://mpzpm.mpg.de/). MPZPM is an international and interdisciplinary research center operated by the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light in colla­boration with the Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and the Universitätsklinikum Erlangen. In terms of organi­zation and admini­stration, the group will be linked to the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light in Erlangen. The Max Planck Research Group will be based at the Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin in Erlangen.

The research at MPZPM opens a new chapter in “Physics and Medicine” to investigate the role of physics in understanding life and what leads to health anomalies and disease. Focusing on the study of cells and tissues in the context of their micro­environment, scientists at MPZPM envision to quantify and model physical phenomena such as cellular forces and movement patterns, electrical, mechanical, and bio­chemical gradients, or temperature and density distributions and link them to distinct physio­logical functions.

MPZPM is located in a brand-new building within a new research sector of the medical campus in Erlangen. The inter­disciplinary research at MPZPM enjoys an excellent infra­structure and is supported by three central facilities for cutting-edge microscopy, state-of-the-art lab-on-chip fabrication, and animal research (mouse, fish, frog). MPZPM enriches a very active research and education land­scape in Erlangen at the interface of medicine, biology, physics, mathe­matics, and engineering as highlighted by many research consortia and a new dedicated graduate program, the Inter­national Max-Planck Research School Physics and Medicine (IMPRS-PM), which aims to train the next generation of scientists at the interface of physics and basic medical research.

We encourage applications from interested scientists who want to build their own independent research program at the interface of physics and medicine within an inter­national, vibrant, interactive, and supportive research environment. Selected candidates will be offered a Max Planck Research Group for a period of six years. Depending on the progress of the work and taking into account the financial possibilities and those under labor legislation, the employment can be extended by three years on an individual basis according to scientific criteria and after a positive evaluation. Funding includes the group leader position, based on remuneration group W2 of the federal civil service remuneration act (Bundes­besoldungs­gesetz [BbesG]) as well as additional research positions, budget, and start-up package. Detailed information is available at https://www.mpg.de/career/max-planck-research-groups.

Your application should include

• A cover letter
• A CV
• A list of publications
• A one-page summary of scientific achievements
• A two-page research plan
• Two (or more) letters of recommendation

Please upload your application in a single PDF file (CV, publications, achievements, plan). Please arrange for the letters of recommendation to be submitted directly by the referees to the e‑mail address investigators@mpl.mpg.de.

The search committee will start reviewing applications on April 30, 2024.

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. 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 an independent, non-profit research organi­zation that primarily pro­motes and supports basic research. The society currently operates 84 institutes and research facilities with more than 24,000 employees, including 6,900 scientists.

The Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, an equal opportunity employer, is committed to diversity and inclusion in all aspects of recruiting and employment.

CONTACT

Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light
Staudtstraße 2
91058 Erlangen
Germany
mpl.mpg.de