Careers

Set New Standards in Research and Development

Do you have ambitious plans for both your career and our planet? Do you believe in the innovative power of big ideas and have the courage to take completely new paths? Then come aboard and shape the future with us.

Apply today

As a leading chemical company, we at BASF work on innovations for a sustainable future every day. Our goal is to develop solutions for the greatest challenges of our time – so that we can protect the climate better, make the best possible use of limited resources, and provide a fast-growing global population with the food, energy and clean water it needs.

Our research and development (R&D) is a core part of our plan. Around 10,000 employees in R&D work on developing pioneering technologies and industry solutions every day – benefiting from our excellent Know-How Verbund and a vibrant research community.

Why BASF? What our colleagues say:

Ask me anything: Interview with our colleagues Miriam and Fabian

Miriam Mathea - Global Scientific Discipline Leader

Fabian Hundemer - Lab Team Leader R&D

Working environment and projects

Our research and development is a global organization with research centers in Europe, North America and the Asia Pacific region. Together with the research units that work closely to business and applications, as well as the development units of our operating divisions, this forms the core of our worldwide skills and Know-How Verbund.

In addition, we maintain a global network with excellent universities, research institutions and companies.

More information

Research fields

Research focuses

Your route into our team

It is important to us that an appointment is a perfect match – for us and for you. That is why we take the time to conduct a thorough, holistic evaluation. Firstly, we want to give you enough opportunity to understand whether BASF is the right choice for you. Secondly, we want to get to know you, your personality, your experience and your skills.

Your application

Specialties with vacancies

We are looking for experts in the following fields for our research and development:

Agricultural sciences
Biology
Chemistry
Mathematics and bioinformatics
Pharmacy
Physics
Material sciences
Toxicology

Direct entry for experienced professionals

As a researcher with professional experience, you will usually begin as a specialist or lab leader – depending on experience – with direct project and/or management responsibility.

You will enjoy a challenging role in research and product development with a great deal of personal responsibility. You will work scientifically on specific research projects from day one. You will initiate projects and regularly conduct economic evaluations of the research projects under your control and register patents as part of your project management role.

Intensive collaboration with internal partners from research, development, marketing and production in interdisciplinary and intercultural teams is a key part of your work. In addition, in some projects, you may also support international research collaborations or lead a team.

Jobs for experienced professionals

Direct entry for graduates

As a graduate with a doctorate or master’s degree, you will usually join us as a lab leader or specialist.

Look forward to a challenging role with a great deal of personal responsibility. You will learn on the job in a dedicated, expert team.

In research and development, you will collaborate scientifically on multiple specific research projects. Your field of responsibility will also include project management with regular scientific evaluation of the research projects you are involved in, patent registration and specialist responsibility for a laboratory team. You will also initiate projects and contribute new ideas. Intensive collaboration with internal partners from research, development, marketing and production is a key part of your work.

Jobs for graduates

Your start as a postdoc

Have you successfully completed your doctorate? Are you looking for an exciting position that enables you to hone your scientific profile and round off your academic basis in impressive form? A postdoc position at BASF enables you to join one of our R&D units or Academic Research Alliances for a limited period. Here you will work on innovative projects, expand your qualifications and gather relevant research experience. Be a part of our large research community and benefit from an impressive network.

Discover postdoc vacancies

Your start as a trainee

Are you looking for a starting point with the right chemistry? Then our START IN Coatings program for chemists with PhDs is perfect for you. You will work in various fields of research and development and, as part of the R&D team, will support the development and implementation of innovative products and help lead (sub)projects.

START IN Coatings Chemistry (BASF Coatings - Münster)

Students @ BASF Research & Development

As a science student, you have the chance to get to know BASF better through an internship, a thesis placement or a doctoral thesis placement. You can also put what you have learned into practice and gain exciting practical experience in one of the student jobs we offer.

What will make your work at BASF unique? You will work independently on a research project or enrich one of our teams in our functional and central divisions. A few examples of fields you might work in:

Synthesis and development of new substances for crop protection agents, polymers, active ingredients or catalysts
Development of new processes for producing basic chemicals, intermediates, synthetic materials or active ingredients
Biocatalysis and biotech processes for producing fine chemicals
Research and development in the field of agricultural technology
Application and development of physical measuring methods in analytics

Want to know more? Discover our current vacancies.

Career opportunities – as unique as you are!

Starting out in research and development opens the door for you to enjoy a wide range of development opportunities.

As well as pursuing a career path as a scientific expert or a manager in research and development, you will also have the chance to develop in other fields.

You will discuss the next steps in your career with your line manager on a regular basis.

A map full of opportunities – discover the myriad career routes our colleagues have taken:

Still not sure where your career journey with us might take you? Click the travel photos to discover some of the fascinating career routes that colleagues at BASF have taken.

Join us and become part of the team!

Discover exciting jobs in research and development.

Vacancies

Want to know more?

You can find more insights into research and development at BASF here.

To the vacancies