I am hiring a PhD student and a postdoctoral researcher.

Details for both positions

• Location: Bochum, Germany
• Duration: 36 months
• Language requirements: The working language is English. Knowledge of German is not required.
• Start date: Between 1 January and 1 October 2027 (to be agreed upon)
• Salary:
  Postdoc: TV-L E13 100%, corresponding to an annual salary of €59,000–€66,000 before taxes
  PhD: TV-L E13 75%, corresponding to an annual salary of €44,000–€50,000 before taxes
• Benefits: Ample travel funding and no teaching responsibilities. As employees of Ruhr University Bochum, both positions also come with standard German employment benefits, including health and social insurance and family-friendly working conditions.

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. Both candidates will have the opportunity to develop their own research programmes and collaborate with others.

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. Other German mathematical research centres, such as Bielefeld, Bonn, and Münster, are within close proximity.

Application Process for the Postdoc Position

In order to apply for the postdoc position, follow the instructions on the Official Job Listing. Please do not send application materials directly to me; applications must be submitted through the official RUB application portal. The deadline for applications is 31 October 2026. Late applications cannot be accepted.

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 your application and who have agreed to provide reference letters upon request. Please include their institutional email addresses.
   • Indicate your preferred start date
   • Disclose to what extent generative AI has been used in your research. 
   • Disclose to what extent generative AI has been used in your application materials.
   • (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 access 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.

Application Process for the PhD Position

In order to apply for the PhD position, follow the instructions on the Official Job Listing. Please do not send application materials directly to me; applications must be submitted through the official RUB application portal. The deadline for applications is 31 October 2026. Late applications cannot be accepted.

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.
   • Disclose to what extent generative AI has been used in your academic work (e.g. in writing theses, project reports, or similar work).
   • Disclose to what extent generative AI has been used in your application materials.
   • (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 you cannot provide a letter from your Bachelor's thesis supervisor (for example, because your degree programme did not involve a Bachelor's thesis), please explain this briefly in your cover letter and ask another academic who knows your work well to provide a reference 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 letter from your Master’s thesis supervisor, please explain the situation briefly in your cover letter and ask another academic who knows your work 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 (or equivalent)
7. A copy of your Bachelor's thesis (or equivalent, if available)
8. Official transcript of your Master's degree (or current transcript, if the degree has not yet been completed)
9. A copy of your Master's thesis (or equivalent, if already available)