Saarland University is a campus university with an international focus and a strong research profile. Its four core research areas -Computer Science-, -BioMed-, -Sustainability- and -Europe- are defining features of the university. With numerous internationally respected research institutes situated in the vicinity of the university and dedicated support for start-up companies, Saarland University is an ideal environment for research, teaching and innovation. The proportion of international students studying at Saarland University is well above the national average and is testimony to the university-s strong international focus. Saarland University has been officially certified as a family-friendly university since 2004. The Faculty of Natural Sciences and Technology at Saarland University brings together numerous disciplines under one organizational umbrella with the aim of fostering interdisciplinary collaboration in teaching, fundamental and exploratory research and in the development of practical applications. The engineering departments Systems Engineering and Materials Science & Engineering conduct research on sustainability and the circular economy, multifunctional materials and systems, quantum engineering, and digitalization, data and AI. These key research fields are continuously evolving and are well represented in the teaching curricula. The Department of Materials Science and Engineering in the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Technology at Saarland University in Saarbrücken is inviting applications for the following position to commence on 1 April 2027: W2 Professorship (W3 tenure track position) in Product Development and Circularity-Driven Design (m/f/x; Reference no.: W2765) This professorial position is a fixed-term public sector appointment (Beamtenverhältnis auf Zeit) for a maximum period of five years. If the tenure evaluation procedure (teaching appraisal and external assessment of research work) is positive, the appointee will be promoted to a permanent professorship (lifetime tenure) at the German academic salary scale W3. The university is also inviting applications for four further professorships in the fields of Advanced Recycling Processes for Circular Material Flows (m/f/x; Reference no.: W2763), Sustainable Metallurgy and Structural Materials in a Circular Economy (m/f/x; Reference no.: W2764), Applied Mechanics (m/f/x; Reference no.: W2677) and Functional Materials (m/f/x; Reference no.: W2675). Applicants whose research focus is between any of these areas are encouraged to submit a separate application to each professorship position for which their scientific profile is suitable. This professorship is one of the key positions within Saarland University-s newly established core research area -Sustainability-, to which Systems Engineering and Materials Science & Engineering - both departments in the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Technology - are major contributors. The person appointed to this position will strengthen Systems Engineering by focusing on system assessment and system design through the dual lenses of materials and sustainability, thereby creating an important bridge between engineering disciplines. In addition to aligning research activities within the faculty and its departments with this new core research area, the role will also involve developing and designing new study programmes to complement the existing academic portfolio. This new position will also play a pivotal role in the regional transformation project CircularSaar, which is of strategic importance to the university, the faculty and the engineering disciplines. In the fixed-term W2 phase of the professorship, your focus will be on supporting the CircularSaar project and on establishing a new area of engineering expertise in the design of circular material flow systems. In addition, you will be expected to assist in the acquisition and implementation of collaborative projects that build on this work. At the full-tenure W3 level, you will be responsible for integrating this new area of engineering expertise into the broader field of product development and product creation, including developing relevant teaching modules covering foundational aspects of this field. The focus of your research work will be on the evaluation and design of product life cycles and material loops. You will extend existing methods of evaluating sustainability to incorporate circularity metrics. Circularity-driven design covers not only material selection for closed-loop applications but also material-appropriate eco-design principles that support diverse value-retention strategies. The methods developed will be integrated into general systems engineering methodologies as well as into a comprehensive circular economy strategy for the department, faculty and university. The appointment will be made in accordance with the general provisions of German public sector employment law (see legal recruitment requirements in 41 Saarländisches Hochschulgesetz, current version available at ). The appointment will be made in accordance with the general provisions of German public sector employment law. Applicants must have a university degree in the engineering sciences, engineering management, sustainability science or a related subject. They will hold a high-quality PhD or doctorate and will be able to demonstrate a particular capacity for independent academic research, typically by having obtained an advanced, post-doctoral research degree (Habilitation) or by having published an equivalent volume of peer-reviewed research or by having successfully completed the interim evaluation of a junior professorship or equivalent position. Experience acquired in an industrial environment is desirable. You should demonstrate strong technical expertise in eco-design/design for sustainability and the circular economy. Ideally, you will also have proven competence in the methodologies used to evaluate sustainability and closed-loop systems, as evidenced by high-quality, peer-reviewed publications and regular active participation in relevant conferences. You will have a comprehensive understanding of and experience in systems engineering and product development, preferably with a focus on sustainability and circular economy. In-depth knowledge of materials science, sustainability-driven material selection and/or business model development would be advantageous. We expect a strong commitment to academic teaching documented by previous regular teaching duties and positive teaching evaluations, ideally in the fields of product development, design for sustainability and circular economy. We also expect you to be a strong team player and to have a collaborative mindset, demonstrated, for example, by successful participation in joint projects and active involvement in academic committee work. You must have good communication skills in written and spoken German and/or English. Saarland University views internationalization as a process spanning all aspects of university life. We therefore expect members of our professorial staff to promote and foster further internationalization. Special support will be provided for projects that expand collaboration within existing international cooperative networks, e.g. projects with partners in the European University Alliance Transform4Europe ) or the University of the Greater Region (). In accordance with the objectives of its gender equality plan, Saarland University is actively seeking to increase the proportion of women in this field. Qualified women candidates are therefore strongly encouraged to apply. Preferential consideration will be given to applications from disabled candidates of equal eligibility. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates irrespective of gender, nationality, ethnic heritage or social background, religious beliefs, personal beliefs or values, disability, age, sexual orientation or identity. To apply for this position, please submit your application by no later than 28 May 2026 via Saarland University-s online professorial appointments platform: Application documents must be uploaded as a single PDF file (max. size 10 MB) and should include the following documents in the order specified: Cover letter CV (incl. list of external research funding and awards) List of publications Overview of research (previous work and research planned at Saarland University, max. 5 pages) Teaching history and concept (list of previous courses taught incl. evaluations, explanatory outline of your teaching concept and approach; max. 5 pages) academic qualifications (undergraduate, postgraduate and PhD/doctoral degree certificates, habilitation (if applicable) and other relevant credentials) Full copies of your three most important publications Proof of disability if you declared a disability in your application If you hold a university degree from a non-German university, please provide proof of equivalence from Germany-s Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB) if available. If you have not yet requested proof of equivalence from ZAB, you must submit proof at a later date if so requested. When you submit a job application to Saarland University, you will be transmitting personal data. Please refer to our privacy notice for information on how we collect and process personal data in accordance with Art. 13 of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) (). By submitting your application, you confirm that you have taken note of the information in the Saarland University privacy notice. The full job advertisement can be found at: