Joint PhD Training · CSC PhD · European PhD & Postdoctoral Fellowships

The Green Molecules Conversion (GMC) Group, led by Dr. Haojie Zhang, invites highly motivated students and early-career researchers to apply for joint training positions, CSC-supported PhD programs, and European PhD/Postdoctoral fellowships.

Our group operates at the interface of electrochemistry, catalysis, materials science, and spin-dependent phenomena, with a strong focus on energy conversion, CO₂ utilization, hydrogen technologies, and circular-economy-oriented materials processing.

Research directions

• Applicants are welcome to align with (but are not limited to) the following topics:

• Electrocatalysis for CO₂ reduction (CO₂RR), hydrogen evolution (HER), and oxygen evolution (OER)

• Spin-dependent catalysis, e.g., Chiral-Induced Spin Selectivity (CISS), magnetic-field-assisted electrocatalysis, and spintronics-inspired materials

• Advanced thin-film growth (ALD / PEALD) and functional interfaces

• Operando / in-situ characterization (Raman, XAS, AFM-based techniques)

• Energy- and resource-relevant waste-to-value chemical processes

• Theory-guided catalyst design and DFT-assisted mechanism studies

Your profile

• Background in Chemistry, Materials Science, Physics, Chemical Engineering, or related fields

• Strong interest in electrocatalysis, energy materials, or interdisciplinary research

• Experience in experimental and/or computational research is highly valued

• Excellent command of English (written and spoken)

• Motivation to work in an international and collaborative research environment

We offer

• Access to state-of-the-art experimental facilities

• Close supervision and structured mentoring

• Strong support for high-impact publications

• An interdisciplinary research environment connecting fundamental science and application-oriented research

• Integration into European research networks and industrial collaborations

Application

Please submit the following documents as a single PDF:

• Motivation letter
• Curriculum Vitae (CV)

Send your application to: haojie.zhang@chemie.uni-halle.de