Job offer

• Formulation and analysis of Maxwell's equations in time-varying and nonlinear media.
• Design of scalable algorithms for large-scale 4D (space-time) inverse design.
• Implementation and extension of time-domain solvers (e.g., FDTD and related methods).
• Development of gradient-based optimization strategies for 4D design spaces.
• Application of these methods to obtain and validate physically realizable 3D nanophotonic designs.

Scientific Software Engineering:

• Development and optimization of high-performance numerical kernels in modern C/C++, with attention to scalability and portability.

• Development of modular, maintainable, and well-documented research software.

• Parallelization using MPI, GPU computing, or related technologies. Application of software engineering best practices (version control, testing, reproducibility).

• Contribution to open-source scientific computing infrastructure.

The candidate will publish results in leading journals, present at international conferences, and collaborate within an interdisciplinary environment spanning physics, mathematics, nanotechnology, and advanced computing., * Shape a new research direction: 4D inverse design of dynamic nanophotonic systems.

• Work at the interface of applied mathematics, computational physics, and nanophotonics.
• Access world-class research infrastructure within HOT and PhoenixD.
• Freedom to develop original mathematical and algorithmic contributions within an ERC-funded project.
• Strong support for career development, international networking, and scientific visibility.
• Family-friendly policies with flexible working arrangements. A part-time employment can be arranged on request.

The PhD project focuses on mathematical modeling, numerical analysis, and algorithm development for time-dependent electromagnetic systems. The candidate will receive structured supervision and training in advanced numerical methods, high-performance computing, and scientific software engineering. Responsibilities include the following tasks., Master Degree or equivalent, Master Degree or equivalent

Research Field Physics » Optics

Education Level Master Degree or equivalent, We seek highly motivated and creative candidates with a strong interest in the mathematical and computational foundations of inverse problems and large-scale scientific computing, and who are motivated to conduct interdisciplinary research across physics, nanotechnology, advanced computing, materials science, and design., * Completed university science degree (master's degree or equivalent) in applied mathematics, computational physics, scientific computing, electrical engineering, or a closely related field.

• Strong background in numerical analysis and partial differential equations.
• Experience with numerical methods for time-dependent PDEs.
• Excellent programming skills in C/C++ (required); Python or similar strongly preferred.
• Solid understanding of algorithm design and computational complexity.
• Strong interest in scientific software development and high-performance computing.

Desired additional qualifications:

• Experience with finite-difference or finite-element discretizations of Maxwell's equations.
• Familiarity with adjoint methods and gradient-based optimization.
• Experience with parallel computing (MPI, OpenMP, CUDA, or similar).
• Experience contributing to research software beyond scripting-level programming.
• Demonstrated mathematical maturity and interest in theoretical aspects of numerical modelling.

Languages ENGLISH

The Hannover Centre for Optical Technologies (HOT), the Cluster of Excellence PhoenixD, and the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering welcome applications for the following position to be filled at the earliest possible date: Doctoral Researcher in Computational Electrodynamics and Inverse Design of Time-varying Metamaterials (ERC project TEMPORE) (salary scale 13 TV-L "FwN", 100 %) The position is initially limited to 3 years, with the possibility of extension, providing the opportunity for further academic qualification, including a doctoral degree where applicable. About the project This position is funded by the European Research Council (ERC) under the Horizon Europe programme (ERC Consolidator Grant TEMPORE). This project pioneers the inverse design of time-varying metamaterials operating on picosecond to femtosecond timescales. You will contribute to redefining how light can be controlled in space and time for fully reprogrammable, multifunctional nanophotonic systems. The project requires an integrated approach: from rigorous mathematical modeling and derivation of algorithms, to efficient implementation and scalable execution on modern high-performance computing architectures. The doctoral project will place strong emphasis on the mathematical foundations of time-domain inverse problems and the development of scalable numerical algorithms for large-scale scientific computing.