PhD position in New Materials Concepts for Stable Organic Solar Cells

A PhD student position is available in the research group of Christian Müller at the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering of Chalmers University of Technology. We are looking for a highly motivated PhD student who will develop new material concepts for organic solar cells. The project is funded by the Swedish Research Council. You will work closely with several PhD students and postdocs at Chalmers as well as other universities in Sweden and abroad. There will be the opportunity to travel to attend conferences and to visit labs at other universities.

Information about the research group and the project
The Müller Research Group focuses on the physical chemistry and materials science of organic semiconductors, polymer blends and composites, and develops new plastic materials for wearable electronics and energy technologies ranging from organic solar cells and thermoelectrics to power cables. All research is conducted in co-operation with other universities/institutes and/or industry. Presently, the group consists of 1 Professor, 1 senior scientist, 3 Postdocs and 9 PhD students.

The development of new acceptor materials for organic solar cells has led to a steady increase in device efficiencies, reaching more than 17% today. A remaining challenge is the relatively poor long-term stability of organic solar cells. The goal of your research will be to understand how the use of mixtures of acceptor molecules influences and improves the stability of organic solar cells. An example of recent work relevant for the position can be found here: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-39830-6

Major responsibilities
The majority of your working time is devoted to your own research, in collaboration with students and postdocs at Chalmers as well as other universities in Sweden and abroad. As a PhD student you are expected to develop your own ideas and communicate scientific results orally as well as in writing. In addition, 10 percent of your time will be dedicated to departmental duties, especially teaching on the undergraduate level.

Qualifications
The successful candidate must have a Master’s degree in Chemistry, Physics, Materials Science or equivalent with a focus on physical chemistry (or be in the process of completing a Master’s degree). Experience with organic electronics is required and experience with organic solar cells is a merit. Due to the interdisciplinary nature of the work, the candidate is expected to have excellent collaboration skills.

A very good capability of communicating scientific results in English, both orally and in writing is required. If Swedish is not your native language, Chalmers offers Swedish courses.

Contract terms
Full-time temporary employment. The position is limited to a maximum of 4 years of fulltime research studies. The monthly salary of a PhD student at Chalmers is about 32'000 SEK before tax (approx. 2'900 €).

We offer
Chalmers offers a cultivating and inspiring working environment in the coastal city of Gothenburg. 
Read more about working at Chalmers and our benefits for employees.

Chalmers aims to actively improve our gender balance. We work broadly with equality projects, for example the GENIE Initiative on gender equality for excellence. Equality and diversity are substantial foundations in all activities at Chalmers.

Application procedure
The application should be marked with Ref 20230520 and written in English. The application should be sent electronically and be attached as PDF-files, as below. Maximum size for each file is 40 MB. Please note that the system does not support Zip files.

CV: (Please name the document: CV, Family name, Ref. number)
• CV
• Two references that we can contact.

Personal letter: (Please name the document as: Personal letter, Family name, Ref. number)
1-3 pages where you:
• Introduce yourself
• Describe your previous experience of relevance for the position (e.g. education, thesis work and, if applicable, any other research activities)
• Describe your experience with organic electronics and organic solar cells

Other documents:
• Copies of bachelor and/or master’s thesis.
• Attested copies and transcripts of completed education, grades and other certificates, e.g. TOEFL test results.

Please use the button at the foot of the page to reach the application form. 

Application deadline: 3 September, 2024
Interviews will be conducted on a continuous basis until the position is filled. Therefore, please submit your application prior to the application deadline.



For questions, please contact:
Prof. Christian Müller, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
Email: christian.muller@chalmers.se
Phone: +46317722790
   



Chalmers University of Technology conducts research and education in engineering sciences, architecture, technology-related mathematical sciences, natural and nautical sciences, working in close collaboration with industry and society. The strategy for scientific excellence focuses on our six Areas of Advance; Energy, Health Engineering, Information and Communication Technology, Materials Science, Production and Transport. The aim is to make an active contribution to a sustainable future using the basic sciences as a foundation and innovation and entrepreneurship as the central driving forces. Chalmers has around 11,000 students and 3,000 employees. New knowledge and improved technology have characterised Chalmers since its foundation in 1829, completely in accordance with the will of William Chalmers and his motto: Avancez!