Research Assistant/Associate

The successful candidate will be employed under a regular employment contract.

The position is to be filled by 4/1/2026 and offered for a fixed term of one year.

It is intended to extend the contract initial contract period by two years. The option to extend the contract for one further year is available.

The fixed-term employment is possible as it constitutes one of the fixed-term options of the Wissenschaftszeitvertragsgesetz (German Act on Fixed-term Scientific Contracts).

This is a full-time position.

The successful candidate has the opportunity to pursue a doctoral degree in this position.

The salary is based on the German public service salary scale (TV-L).

The position corresponds to a pay grade of EG 13 TV-L.

The Department for Industrial Furnaces and Heat Engineering (IOB) at RWTH Aachen University is one of the leading research institutes in industrial furnace technology and sustainable steelmaking in the electric arc furnace. It is particularly focussed on sustainable thermal process technology in material production. In this context, research topics of process and plant optimisation in the areas of production, processing and recycling of iron and steel, non-ferrous metals as well as glass and ceramics are dealt with in a total of five scientific working groups.

The current focus of research in the area of sustainable iron and steel production is on the transformation of the traditional BF-BOF route towards direct reduction and EAF/ESF melting. Among other things, the IOB is involved in the transdisciplinary research training group "Circular Steel: Enablers for a circular economy of climate-neutral steel." The aim of the "Circular Steel" research training group is to train the next generation of managers and experts for the steel manufacturing and processing industry.

Further topics include circular economy approaches regarding the reuse of residues as well as the use of hydrogen or biomass in EAF steelmaking. In addition to its technical expertise, the IOB is characterised by application-oriented research in close collaboration with industry.

Our partners not only include renowned research institutes but also well-known companies, especially from the steel, aluminium and glass sector as well as equipment and plant engineering companies. Cooperation takes place on an international level, currently especially through cooperative projects with institutes and companies from Europe.

As a research assistant at our department, you will be part of an innovative research environment that develops and establishes the topic of de-fossilisation of energy-intensive industries both nationally and internationally through application-oriented research projects and close contact with industry.

The prerequisites for joining the IOB are a university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) with above-average grades in materials engineering, computational engineering science, mechanical engineering, industrial engineering or comparable fields of study as well as fluency in written and spoken English.

You have in-depth knowledge of iron and steel metallurgy, energy and mass balances, heat and material transfer and/or modelling and optimisation. Knowledge of HSC Chemistry, Aspen Plus, or similar software, or programming skills in Python, is an advantage.

You have a high level of independence and commitment. You would like to develop and realise your own ideas. You enjoy working in a team, but can also motivate yourself to carry out project work on your own and concentrate on writing scientific articles.

If you would like to work with our team to help shape the transformation of the steel industry, one of the most exciting topics of our time, please send your application documents (cover letter, CV and references) preferably by e-mail to the contact person listed above.

As a research assistant (f/m/d) at the IOB, you will be part of a group of researchers working on sustainable and climate-neutral steel production of the future within the transdisciplinary DFG-funded Research Training Group "Circular Steel: Enablers for a circular economy of climate-neutral steel

As part of your research activities, you will focus on the topic of "Iron and steel making: transition to scrap- and H-based steel making" and deal with the process technology of direct reduction (DR) and electric arc furnaces (EAF). Your tasks will include implementing a DR shaft furnace model from the literature in a programming language such as Python, adapting and extending the existing dynamic EAF process model, coupling the DR and EAF models with models describing EAF waste heat recovery and high-temperature SOEC electrolysis, including, for example, buffer storage for steam, etc., and finally simulating various operating modes of this integrated hydrogen-based steel production.

RWTH is a certified family-friendly University. We support our employees in maintaining a good work-life balance with a wide range of health, advising, and prevention services, for example university sports. Employees who are covered by collective bargaining agreements and civil servants have access to an extensive range of further training courses and the opportunity to purchase a job ticket.

RWTH is an equal opportunities employer. We therefore welcome and encourage applications from all suitably qualified candidates, particularly from groups that are underrepresented at the University. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability or age. RWTH is strongly committed to encouraging women in their careers. Female applicants are given preference if they are equally suitable, competent, and professionally qualified, unless a fellow candidate is favored for a specific reason.

As RWTH is committed to equality of opportunity, we ask you not to include a photo in your application.

You can find information on the personal data we collect from applicants in accordance with Articles 13 and 14 of the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) at .

EG 13 TV-L