Our Offer

Comprehensive onboarding, professional development and further training opportunities

Diverse and varied tasks in an international work
environment

Remuneration according to TVöDBund, based on qualifications and experience, annual bonus and additional pension scheme (VBL)

30 days of vacation plus 4 additional days off

Full-time and part-time
employment; flexible working time and
possibility of mobile work

Collaboration with local
bilingual Montessori child care center

Good public transport
connection

Corporate health
management

The Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research (MPS) in Göttingen is one of the world's leading research institutions in the fields of solar physics and planetary research, with approximately 300 employees. The interdisciplinary research focus lies in the investigation of the development, diversity, and dynamics of planets, moons, small bodies, the sun, and solar-like stars. MPS develops and operates scientific instruments for current and future space missions (e.g., ESA, NASA) and conducts cosmochemical laboratory investigations of meteorites as well as numerical modeling on state-of-the-art supercomputers.

For the data analysis of two plasma spectrometers for the ESA/JAXA project "BepiColombo" the institute is looking for a

Plasma Scientist (m/f/d)

Your Tasks

Monitor, analyse, display, and interpret plasma spectrometer data on a daily basis in the orbital phase of the BepiColombo mission at Mercury
Present the scientific results at international conferences, team meetings, project-related meetings, and publish in refereed scientific journals
Modify existing data analysis tools and implement new tools to interpret the data
Convert existing tools to Python and document the software usage
Support the data archiving for the PSA system of ESA
Support the modelling of the Mercury plasma environment
Engage in public outreach

Your Qualification

University degree (PhD) in physics, space engineering or related field
Knowledge in plasma measurement techniques
Knowledge of common programming tools (Python, IDL, etc.)
Strong physical and technical understanding
Ability to work in a structured manner and to document the work
Willingness to travel internationally
Good knowledge of English
Publication record in the field of plasma/charged particles in space

You should have

• High motivation, problem solving attitude, be a continuous learner, and team player
• Profound background knowledge in plasma physics or astrophysics
• Profound mathematical and computing skills
• Experience in data analysis of charged particle data in planetary magne- tospheres or other plasma environments
• Experience in using SPICE kernels, AI applications are of advantage
• Experience in space projects (ESA, JAXA, NASA, etc.) is of advantage

Additional Information

The full-time position can be filled starting 1 September 2026 or later. Employment is initially limited in time until end of 2028 with a possible extension if the mission will be extended
The position is rated in acccordance to public service act (TVöD-Bund) as EG 13
Temporary teleworking can be negotiated
Social security benefits are in accordance with the public service regulations
End date for application is 15 July 2026

As a scientific institution, the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research offers an attractive international and sophisticated environment with the possibility of implementing one's own ideas and concepts. Moreover, we offer opportunities to reconcile work and family as well as health promotion.

We look forward to receiving your informative application documents (cover letter, CV, certificates, training and employers' references (if available)). Please submit these via the digital application portal (https://www.mps.mpg.de/career/jobs). If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Dr. Krupp (krupp@mps.mpg.de).

The Max Planck Society endeavours to achieve gender equality and diversity. Furthermore, the Max Planck Society seeks to increase the number of women in those areas where they are underrepresented and therefore explicitly encourages women to apply. The Max Planck Society is committed to increasing the number of individuals with disabilities in its workforce and therefore encourages applications from such qualified individuals.