Postdoctoral position in Physics, focus on solar cell materials - Hiring in process/Finished, not possible to apply

Description

The Department of Engineering and Physics at the Faculty of Health, Science and Technology is now looking for a postdoctoral researcher in physics to be part of the research project ”Durable Organic Solar Cells by Sequential Processing from Environmentally Friendly Solvents”.

The department has a strong research profile in solar energy materials. The research group where the postdoc will be active conducts research on molecular semiconductor materials and solvent-based halide perovskite for solar cells. The group has a broad international partner network. The research laboratories are well-equipped with modern equipment for the production and testing of solar cells, as well as a number of instruments to characterise the structure, composition, electron structure and optical properties of materials. In addition, the research group also uses X-ray methods at synchrotron laboratories in Sweden and abroad.

This recruitment is connected to the Wallenberg Initiative Materials Science for Sustainability (WISE, wise-materials.org). WISE, funded by the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation, is the largest-ever investment in materials science in Sweden and will encompass major efforts at Sweden’s foremost universities over the course of 10 years. The vision is a sustainable future through materials science. Read more: https://wise-materials.org

Since postdoctoral appointments are career-development positions for junior researchers, we are looking for candidates who have completed their PhD no more than three years before the application deadline.

Duties

The main duties include planning and carrying out experiments, analysing, reporting and disseminating research findings. Collaboration within the research group and with partners is an important part of the duties, as well as writing scientific publications and contributing to conferences. To contribute to a positive work environment and further the department’s activities, we expect you to be a present and active part of the day-to-day operations and workplace community.

You are also expected to be active in the WISE Graduate School. The WISE Graduate School, which includes both PhD students and postdocs, provides important skills needed to achieve excellence in the interdisciplinary area of materials science for sustainability. Through an ambitious programme with research visits, partner universities, and visiting lectures, the Graduate School actively supports forming a strong multi-disciplinary and international professional network between PhD students, postdocs, researchers, and industry. The WISE Graduate School thus offers a unique opportunity for early-stage researchers who are interested in world-class international research with industrial relevance.

More specifically, the experimental work includes the production of solar cell materials and studies of their properties, as well as the fabrication and testing of organic solar cells. Measuring methods that will be used in the project include atomic force microscopy (AFM), electron microscopy, secondary-ion mass spectrometry (SIMS), X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) and Near Edge X-ray Absorption Fine Structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy for analysis of the structure and composition of the thin films. In addition, the project will also use methods for electrical testing of solar cells.

Qualification requirements

To be eligible for the postdoctoral appointment, applicants are required to hold a PhD degree in Physics, Materials Science, or another related subject relevant for the appointment, or have equivalent qualifications achieved abroad. The PhD must be completed before an employment decision can be made. The candidate must have completed the PhD degree no more than three years before the application deadline.

PhD degree obtained earlier may be considered if there are special grounds, such as sick leave, parental leave, clinical service, service as a union representative, military service or similar, or service/assignment of relevance to the appointment.

The position requires excellent command of spoken and written English.

Assessment criteria

Special weight will be given to documented academic qualifications, as well as practical experience within the following relevant research areas:
fabrication and characterisation of molecular semiconductor materials, electrical testing of solar cells, and spectroscopy and microscopy methods of relevance to the project.

Considerable weight will be given to skills related to methods of data analysis and the candidate’s experience of writing and publishing research articles in international journals.

We will also give considerable weight to personal qualities, such as the ability to cooperate and take responsibility, as well as the ability to work independently, good organisational skills and excellent communication skills. Having a positive attitude towards colleagues and students is fundamental.

Experience of international employment, research projects or collaborations is seen as a valuable qualification. We also value up-to-date experience of outreach and networking with the wider community.

Terms

Fixed-term full-time employment for two years and starting at the earliest convenience.

Application

Submit the application via the university’s web-based recruitment tool, Varbi.
Applicants are responsible for submitting a complete application in accordance with the advertisement, for providing translations of any documents written in a language other than Swedish or English, and for ensuring that the documentation allows for objective and qualitative assessments. A complete application should be submitted by the application deadline. An incomplete application may jeopardise a fair assessment of qualifications.

The application should include:

• CV
• cover letter describing the applicant’s qualifications and research interests in relation to the duties of the position,
• a list of publications (in multi-authored publications, the role of the applicant must be specified)
• copies of relevant transcripts, degree certificates, certificates to corroborate previous employment, and letters of recommendation
• copy of doctoral thesis and a selection of relevant publications
• account of language skills
• two references, at least one of which is a current or former manager

Attach all the documents and publications you wish to be considered to the electronic application (do not just provide links). Name each uploaded document to clearly indicate its content.

Documents that cannot be submitted electronically, such as books or publications, should be sent to:

Karlstads universitet
HR avdelningen, Elisabeth Wessling
651 88 Karlstad
Sweden

State the ref.no: REK2023/38

Application deadline: 24 mars 2023

We look forward to your application!

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