Two fully-funded postdoctoral or PhD student positions in experimental mesoscale bioinspired materials, DNA nanoscience, and/or soft matter physics
The university: Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) is one of the largest universities in Germany. Thanks to its location in the Rhine-Main science region, the university can unfold to its full potential and showcase its innovative power and dynamism. Its status as a comprehensive university allows for multidisciplinary learning and teaching and has great potential for internationally renowned, interdisciplinary research. Almost all of its institutes are located on a single campus close to the Mainz city center - creating a lively academic culture for researchers, teaching staff, and students from every continent.
The department: The Department of Chemistry is equipped with state-of-the-art analytical, experimental, and data processing methods and is integrated into a strongly interacting and collaborating scientific environment with the Departments of Biology and Physics, the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, the Institute for Molecular Biology, and the Mainz University Medical Center.
Wilken Lab: Life on Earth is a laboratory that has operated for billions of years, producing remarkably diverse, complex, and robust biological systems; however, significant challenges persist in understanding their operating principles and, therefore, their ability to be designed, manipulated, and produced. Mesoscale organization is integral in bridging scales between microscopic interactions and macroscopic material properties in soft materials.
The Wilken Lab (www.samwilken.com ) will be established in the Chemistry Department at JGU in Fall 2025. We will illuminate new physical mechanisms of mesoscale organization and engineer novel materials inspired by biological examples. We will build phase-separated biomaterials from the bottom up and quantify them using precision experimental techniques. Cells operate by coordinating reactions to occur at the right time and in the right place, and one remarkable way that cells organize biomolecules to perform reactions is by utilizing the physics of binodal coexistence, called `liquid-liquid phase separation' (LLPS). We will use programmable, multi-component model systems of biomolecular phase separation to investigate the transport of biomolecular information, stress, and light through soft, disordered materials, including auto-regulated networks, composite soft solids, and exotic photonic biomaterials. The lab has two fully funded PhD and/or postdoctoral positions available, supported by the Center for Synthetic Genomics supported by the Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung (www.syn-gen.de ).
Your tasks:
- Planning, preparation, acquisition, realisation, and supervision of research projects
- Developing new methods and concepts in mesoscale bioinspired materials and/or soft matter physics for independent and internationally visible cutting-edge research
- Independent preparation of scientific publications and presentation at (international) scientific conferences
Your profile: We are looking for highly motivated PhD students and/or postdoctoral fellows (two total) with a strong experimental interest in phase-separated biomaterials and soft matter physics principles applied to disordered and out-of-equilibrium systems.
The projects are ideally suited for candidates with a strong background in the physical sciences, engineering, advanced microscopy techniques, and DNA nanotechnology. Biochemists, synthetic biologists, bioengineers, chemical biologists, chemists, or candidates with a computational background and no prior experience in experimental soft matter physics or biomaterials, but a strong interest in learning, are encouraged to apply. Most important is an interdisciplinary interest and the ability to tackle problems with various techniques, ranging from sample engineering to measurements on fluorescent microscopes (depending on interest, state-of-the-art commercial or custom-built equipment) to advanced computational analysis. A general strong interest in quantitative approaches towards biomaterials problems is essential. Since JGU Mainz offers excellent training in various aspects of these research topics, high interest and motivation are the main selection criteria. PhD candidates or postdocs from other disciplines who want to venture into these areas are explicitly welcome to apply.
The group will be integrated into JGU's highly interdisciplinary research campus, which includes the Center for Synthetic Genomics supported by the Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung (www.syn-gen.de ), the Collaborative Research Centre CRC1551 (www.crc1551.com ) on "Polymer concepts in cellular function" in collaboration with the local Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, and the CRC 1552 “Defects and Defect Engineering in Soft Matter” (sfb1552.de ). Applicants should feel comfortable working in an interdisciplinary and international environment.
In addition to the general requirements according to public services law, applicants must meet the recruitment requirements stipulated in § 57 of the Hochschulgesetz of Rhineland-Palatinate:
- A successfully completed scientific university degree
- If you are applying for a postdoctoral position, a doctorate in a field relevant to the position
An excellent knowledge of written and spoken English is required. German language skills are beneficial but not mandatory.
Compensation will be according to DFG recommendations: Postdoctoral scientists at 100% EG 13 TV-L and PhD candidates at 65% EG 13 TV-L with full social benefits—the positions to be filled immediately.
The position can serve the purpose of academic qualification (doctorate).
JGU and the Wilken Lab are committed to a diverse, LGBTQ+-friendly community and welcome qualified applications from people with varied backgrounds. We aim to increase the number of women in research and teaching and, therefore, encourage female researchers to apply. We will accommodate qualified candidates with severe disabilities.
Are you ready for a new challenge and interested in helping build a new experimental lab community? Submit your complete application:
- Cover letter summarizing your past research experience and research interests
- CV with list of publications
- One, or ideally, two contacts for reference letters
- Relevant certificates (with German recognition if applicable)
Applications completed on or before July 11, 2025 will receive primary consideration, but the positions will remain open until filled.
For questions and further information, please contact Sam Wilken by e-mail at swilken.apps [at] gmail dot com
Further Reading:
Wilken, S., A. Chaderjian, and O. A. Saleh (2023). Spatial organization of phase-separated DNA droplets. Physical Review X 13, 031014
Wilken, S., Abraham, G. R., and O. A. Saleh (2024). Condensation and activator/repressor control of a transcription-regulated biomolecular liquid. arXiv preprint arXiv:2410.21624 .
Abraham, G., Chaderjian, A., Nguyen, A., Wilken, S., and Saleh, O. A. (2024). Nucleic acid liquids. Reports on Progress in Physics , 87(6), 066601
Wilken, S., Gutierrez, J., and O. A. Saleh (2024). Nucleation dynamics of a model biomolecular liquid. Journal of Chemical Physics 160, 214903.
What we have to offer:
- The Wilken Lab is part of JGU Mainz Chemistry PhD programs
- Selected PhD candidates will be recommended to the Max Planck Graduate Center for further training (https://www.mpgc-mainz.de/ )
- Jobticket, optional for the entire Rhine-Main area
- Extensive human resources development offers
- Flexible working time arrangements