Doctoral Program at the HZDR

About 300 doctoral researchers (PhD students) are currently enrolled in our doctoral program. The program offered by the HZDR is in close collaboration with Saxon, German, and even international universities - especially with the TU Dresden. The Graduate Academy of the TU Dresden offers many ways to support doctoral researchers as well as postdocs.

The Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf stands out because of its scientific achievements and multidisciplinary approach. Our science covers the following fields, e.g., physics (i.e., solid state physics, materials research, quantum, laser and subatomic physics, and nuclear physics), chemistry (i.e., radiochemistry, radiopharmacy, and biochemistry), biology, material science, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering and computer science. At our Helmholtz Institute Freiberg for Resource Technology geosciences are the main focus. At the HZDR Institute of Radiooncology – OncoRay medical doctors, physicists, computer scientists, pharmacologists and biologists work closely together.

What we offer:

The objective of a doctoral research project is independent scientific research, which should be completed within three to four years. To achieve this goal, the HZDR offers an ideal environment:

• ten scientific institutes and two departments working in the three research fields Energy, Health, and Matter
• multidisciplinary research environment
• international: many doctoral researchers and scientists come from abroad
• running 4 large-scale research infrastructure (ELBE, HLD, IBC, ROBL)
• high-performance data center, state-of-the-art computer technology and big data competence
• continued progress due to our future projects and the Strategy 2030 +
• sustainable Green Campus

In particular, our doctoral researchers can take advantage of:

• individual supervision by experienced scientists
• professional training and support by the Career Center for Doctoral Researchers and Postdocs
• participation at international conferences and workshopps with talks or posters
• Graduate Academy of the TU Dresden: qualification program, travel and conference awards, bridging funding or completion grants
• lectures series on scientific topics, or workshops on professional topics such as presenting science, writing grant proposals, managing projects, or how to register patents
• language courses: German courses for foreign doctoral researchers
• communication courses, media training, etc.
• integration in junior research groups
• HZDR Summer Student Program
• annual HZDR Doctoral Award for the best doctoral thesis

Engage in Networking

• annual HZDR Doctoral Seminar for strengthen your PhD network
• PhD seminars at the institutes and departments of the HZDR
• integration in Helmholtz Juniors who represent the views of some 8,000 doctoral researchers from the Helmholtz Association's 18 research centers across Germany
• participating in the network DRESDEN-concept, for example in the following clusters of excellence:
  • OncoRay Postgraduate School: National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology – OncoRay
  • ctd.qmat: Würzburg–Dresden Cluster of Excellence ctd.qmat — Complexity, Topology and Dynamics in Quantum Matter
  • REC²: Responsible Electronics in the Climate-Change Era
  • PoL: Physics of Life
  • DIGS-ILS: Dresden International Graduate School for Interdisciplinary Life Sciences
  • cfaed: Center for Advancing Electronics Dresden

What can highly qualified young scientific academics expect after graduation?

• Helmholtz: Young Investigator Groups
• long cooperation history with partners from industry
• highly qualified young researchers are eligible for heading an own HZDR junior research group
• The HZDR has established a tenure track program that leads to a sustainable professional scientific career for outstanding young scientists.

Become a member of a strong team!

We need / expect:

• We are looking for graduates at the top of their class with degrees in natural sciences and engineering.
• Graduates from Universities of Applied Sciences are able to obtain a doctoral degree through a PhD project at our center. Certain preconditions need to be met such as excellent grades and your university of applied sciences has to support your promotion in a special collaborative procedure.
• During your doctoral project you are expected to publish in reviewed journals, contribute to scientific exchange, as well as to participate in the process of grant applications.

Click here to find more information about application and contacts.

A few things that are good to know

• Our institute directors are at the same time professors at the TU Dresden or TU Bergakademie Freiberg.
• Moreover, several HZDR senior scientists hold professorships at the University of Leipzig, the University of Rostock, the BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg, the TU Chemnitz, the University Wroclaw (PL), or the Dresden University of Applied Sciences –  Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft (HTW Dresden).
• The graduation is obtained by meeting the requirements of the respective university faculty.
• As a doctoral candidate of the TU Dresden, for example, you are subject to its rules and regulations. While pursuing your doctoral degree, you have to meet the entrance criteria of the TU Dresden for your chosen discipline, e.g., your degree has to be recognized by the respective faculty of the TU Dresden. In certain cases, you will have to take special courses or pass exams.