With cutting-edge research in the fields of ENERGY, HEALTH and MATTER, around 1,500 employees from more than 70 nations at Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) are committed to mastering the great challenges facing society today.
The Institute of Fluid Dynamics is conducting basic and applied research in the fields of thermo-fluid dynamics and magnetohydrodynamics in order to improve the sustainability, the energy efficiency and the safety of industrial processes.
Detailed information can be found here:
The Institute of Fluid Dynamics is looking for a
Department Head (f/m/d) Magnetohydrodynamics in Geophysics and Astrophysics
The position will be available from 1 July 2026. The employment contract is unlimited. The place of work is Dresden-Rossendorf. The working time amounts to 39 h/week.
Your tasks
* Scientific management and positioning of the department "Magnetohydrodynamics in Geophysics and Astrophysics", including budget and personnel responsibility
* Responsible management of the DRESDYN facility: planning and implementation of scientific experiments on the precession-driven dynamo, distribution of tasks and consolidation of results, including scientific reporting and publication activities; monitoring of facility maintenance and all safety-related aspects in cooperation with Department of Research Technology and the DRESDYN operating team
* Coordination and planning for the design, setup, and execution of new liquid metal experiments at the DRESDYN facility, in particular MRI (magnetorotational instability), convection, and various wave phenomena
* Acquisition of third-party funding at national and EU level
* Development of synergies in cooperation with neighboring departments of the institute and other institutes
Your profile
* Completed university studies (Master/Diploma and PhD) in the field of Physics, Fluid Mechanics, Measurement Technology, Modeling, and Numerical Simulation or related field
* Very good knowledge of geo- and astrophysics as well as of fluid dynamics
* Scientifically proven in numerical simulations of liquid metal flows and their experimental investigation
* Experience in acquiring third-party funding at national and EU level
* High interest in transferring scientific results to society and industry
* High level of commitment in the scientific field
* Ability to manage an interdisciplinary department
* Talent for organisation and strong communication skills
* German and English, fluent in spoken and written form
Our offer
* A vibrant research community in an open, diverse and international work environment
* Scientific excellence and extensive professional networking opportunities
* The employment contract is permanent with a six-month probationary period
* Salary and social benefits in accordance with the collective agreement for the public sector (TVöD Bund) including 30 days of paid holiday leave, company pension scheme (VBL)
* We support a good work-life balance with the possibility of part-time employment, mobile working and flexible working hours
* Numerous company health management offerings
* Employee discounts with well-known providers via the platform Corporate Benefits
* An employer subsidy for the "Deutschland-Ticket Jobticket"
We look forward to receiving your application documents (including cover letter, CV, diplomas/transcripts, etc.), which you can submit via our online-application-system.
At HZDR, we promote and value diversity among our employees. We welcome applications from people with diverse backgrounds regardless of gender, ethnic and social origin, belief, disability, age, and sexual orientation. Severely disabled persons are given preference in the event of equal suitability.
Helmholtz-Zentrum
Dresden-Rossendorf
Bautzner Landstraße 400
01328 Dresden
For any questions, do not hesitate to ask:
Prof. Dr. Kerstin Eckert
Tel.: +49 351 260-3860
Job-ID: 2025/146
Deadline: 4 December 2025
Apply now!