Ph.D. Position in Organic Chemistry

Organisation/Company Charles University Department Department of Organic Chemistry Research Field Chemistry » Organic chemistry Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1) Positions PhD Positions Country Czech Republic Final date to receive applications 15 Jan 2026 - 00:00 (Europe/Prague) Type of Contract To be defined Job Status Full-time Hours Per Week 40 Offer Starting Date 1 Oct 2026 Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme?

Not funded by a EU programme Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

The growing demand for single‑enantiomer products in the agrochemical, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries has stimulated the development of innovative methods for preparing optically pure compounds. One of the most powerful strategies for their synthesis is asymmetric catalysis. Despite significant progress over the past five decades, the development of new asymmetric catalytic methods and catalytic systems with enhanced activity, selectivity, and broad applicability remains a vital area of research.

In recent decades, asymmetric organocatalysis has become one of the pillars of asymmetric catalysis, employing various small organic molecules, including N‑heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) as efficient catalysts. Most enantioselective NHC‑catalyzed transformations proceed through aldehyde umpolung via the Breslow intermediate. However, alternative activation modes involving different intermediates, such as acyl azolium or related (di) enolates, have recently gained considerable attention. The aim of this project is to develop new enantioselective carbon‑carbon and carbon‑heteroatom bond‑forming reactions applicable to the synthesis of diverse (hetero) cyclic molecules, including biologically relevant and structurally interesting compounds.

The studied transformations will build on our recently developed methodologies.

E-mail vojtech.docekali.cz

Research Field Chemistry » Organic chemistry Education Level Master Degree or equivalent

Skills/Qualifications

M.Sc. degree in organic chemistry, organometallic chemistry, or related fields, experience with synthesis and characterization of small molecules, strong interest in organic synthesis and catalysis, open to learning new techniques and working in a team, good knowledge of English.

Languages ENGLISH Level Good

Research Field Chemistry » Organic chemistry Years of Research Experience 1 - 4

Fully‑funded Ph.D. position (4 years, adequate to cover all living costs in Prague), working environment on challenging research projects in a young, friendly, and enthusiastic research team, collaborating with material, computational, and synthetic chemists, and getting training in state‑of‑the‑art organic methods and techniques.