ERC PhD and Postdoc Positions

I am hiring a PhD student and a postdoctoral researcher.

Details for both positions
  • Duration: 36 months
  • Start date: Between 1 January and 1 October 2025 (to be agreed upon)
  • Salary:
    Postdoc: TV-L E13 100%, corresponding to an annual salary of €52,000–€65,000 before taxes
    PhD: TV-L E13 75%, corresponding to an annual salary of €39,000–€44,000 before taxes
  • Benefits: Ample travel funding and no teaching responsibilities
  • Other incentives (standard German work benefits): Comprehensive health insurance and social security benefits, generous vacation policies, and a strong work-life balance

Both positions are funded by my ERC Starting Grant, "Cut-and-paste conjectures and multicurves". Expertise in knot homology theories, such as Heegaard Floer and Khovanov homology, is desirable but not essential. The selected candidates will also have the opportunity to develop their own research programs and collaborate with others.

To apply, please follow the instructions at the bottom of this page. For further details about the positions, see the official job listings:

About Ruhr University Bochum

Ruhr University Bochum is one of Germany's largest universities, with a mathematics department that has a strong focus on geometry and topology. The department is home to the Floer Centre of Geometry. It is also part of the DFG Collaborative Research Centre/Transregio "Symplectic Structures in Geometry, Algebra and Dynamics" in collaboration with the Universities of Cologne and Heidelberg. Furthermore, other German mathematical research centres, such as Bielefeld, Bonn, and Münster, are within close proximity.

Application Process for the Postdoc Position

The deadline for applications is 31 October 2024. Only complete applications will be considered. You will need:

  1. Cover letter (1–2 pages):
    • Provide a brief summary of your research to date.
    • Explain how you intend to use the three years of this postdoc position.
    • Name 2–3 mathematicians who are familiar with your work, whom you have informed of this application, and who can provide reference letters upon request. Please include their institutional email addresses.
    • Indicate your preferred start date.
    • (Optional) Highlight any specific points about your application, such as reasons for joining my research group at Ruhr University Bochum.
  2. Full CV (no page limit):
    • Include a list of your publications and preprints available in online repositories (e.g., arXiv).
    • Omit any works in preparation unless you also provide a link to a draft of the document.
    • Mention any programming experience, providing evidence where applicable (e.g. links to coding projects in online repositories such as GitHub).
  3. Research statement (up to 6 pages, excluding references):
    • Provide a detailed summary of your past, present, and future research.

Please send these documents as separate PDF attachments to the following email address: claudius.zibrowius@rub.de. The subject line of your email should be: "ERC Postdoc Position (ANR: 3813)". Short-listed candidates for the postdoc position will be interviewed remotely, with interviews expected to take place in November 2024.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Official Job Listing

Application Process for the PhD Position

The deadline for applications is 30 November 2024. Only complete applications will be considered. You will need:

  1. Cover letter (1–2 pages):
    • Provide a brief summary of your mathematical interests.
    • Indicate your preferred start date.
    • (Optional) Highlight any specific points about your application, such as reasons for joining my research group at Ruhr University Bochum.
  2. Full CV (no page limit):
    • Include full details of your university studies.
    • Mention any programming experience, providing evidence where applicable (e.g. links to coding projects in online repositories such as GitHub).
  3. A reference letter from the supervisor of your Bachelor's thesis (or equivalent):
    • Please ask your supervisor to send the letter directly from their institutional email address before the deadline.
    • If, for some reason, you cannot provide such a letter (e.g. if you have not written a Bachelor's thesis or equivalent), please explain the situation briefly in your cover letter and ask a university teacher who knows you well to provide a reference letter instead.
  4. A reference letter from the supervisor of your Master’s thesis (or equivalent):
    • Please ask your supervisor to send the letter directly from their institutional email address before the deadline.
    • If the supervisors of your Bachelor's and Master’s theses are one and the same person, or if you cannot provide a reference letter from the supervisor of your Master’s thesis, please explain the situation briefly in your cover letter and ask another university teacher who knows you well to provide the second reference letter.
  5. (Optional) Reference letter from other mathematicians:
    • Please ask them to send the letter directly from their institutional email address before the deadline.
  6. Official transcript of your Bachelor's degree
  7. A copy of your Bachelor's thesis (or equivalent, if available)
  8. Official transcript of your Master's degree
  9. A copy of your Master's thesis (or equivalent, if already available)

Please send these documents as separate PDF attachments to the following email address: claudius.zibrowius@rub.de. The subject line of your email should be: "ERC PhD Position (ANR: 3851)". Short-listed candidates for the PhD position will be interviewed remotely, with interviews expected to take place in December 2024 or early January 2025.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Official Job Listing

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