PhD student in Materials physics

Skilled and committed employees are a crucial factor in the success of Linköping University. And we need more of them. Our core expertise comes from teachers and researchers, but a successful university requires experienced and motivated employees in many fields. Everyone is important. We need to recruit many new employees thanks to, among all, an expansion in our research activity. We need you here. We look forward to receiving your application!

The Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology conducts research and offers education at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Research, the predominant activity, is often done in collaboration with corporate and international partners. We are one of the university’s largest, oldest and most well known departments, encompassing five interacting scientific fields: biology, chemistry, material physics, applied physics and theory and modelling.
Read more at https://liu.se/en/organisation/liu/ifm

We are looking for a PhD student in Materials physics.

Your work assignments
The project for which we are now looking for a PhD student concerns fundamental research within material physics and materials chemistry, primarily focused on investigation of novel 2D materials for energy storage and/or energy conversion.

The Materials Design division is currently active in the development of materials for supercapacitors and batteries, and also investigate novel materials for catalysis, including hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). We would now like to expand on these activities through application-inspired fundamental research: We have a strong track record in the discovery of new MXenes, and we now intend to explore MXenes as well as new 2D materials beyond MXenes for these areas of applications.

The PhD student will perform materials synthesis (primarily powder-based bulk synthesis), and characterize the 3D and 2D materials with respect to structure and composition. The 2D materials will be formulated into electrodes (and devices), and will be tested for energy storage potential (supercapacitors and batteries) and energy conversion potential (catalysis, such as HER).

The PhD student will be part of an international team (> 20 people) performing related theoretical investigations and experimental activities on laminated materials in 3D and 2D, including (in selection) advanced materials characterization, high resolution (in situ) microscopy, and synchrotron analysis.

As a doctoral student, you devote most of your time to doctoral studies and the research projects of which you are part. Your work may also include teaching or other departmental duties, up to a maximum of 20% of full-time.

Your workplace
The Materials Design division carries out research, undergraduate and postgraduate education within Materials physics (Materials chemistry). The division is divided in three units; Materials theory, Thin films and nanolaminated materials, and Applied electrochemistry. The PhD student will be part of the latter unit, though collaborate with people in the other units.

Your qualifications
You have graduated at Master’s level in physics, materials chemistry or materials science/engineering with a minimum of 240 credits, at least 60 of which must be in advanced courses. Alternatively, you have gained essentially corresponding knowledge in another way.

Documented experience from previous work on evaluation of materials for electrochemical energy storage or catalysis is beneficial.

The applicant must have fluent (correct) English spoken and written.

Since the project is part of a big collaborative project, excellent communication and collaboration skills are required.

Terms of employment
When taking up the post, you will be admitted to the program for doctoral studies. More information about the doctoral studies at each faculty is available at.

The employment has a duration of four years’ full-time equivalent. You will initially be employed for a period of one year. The employment will subsequently be renewed for periods of maximum duration two years, depending on your progress through the study plan. The employment may be extended up to a maximum of five years, based on the amount of teaching and departmental duties you have carried out. Further extensions can be granted in special circumstances.

Starting date
By agreement.

Salary and employment benefits
The salary of doctoral students is determined according to a locally negotiated salary progression.

More information about employment benefits at Linköping University is available here.

Union representatives
Information about union representatives, see Help for applicants.

Application procedure
Apply for the position by clicking the “Apply” button below. Your application must be received at latest 13 december 2021.

Applications and documents received after the date above will not be considered.

Equal opportunities
A majority of our PhD students within the Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology are men, which is why precedence will be given to women in cases where qualifications are deemed otherwise equivalent.


Linköping University will continue to develop as an attractive and creative place of work, characterized by equal terms and actively works for equality and diversity.

We look forward to receiving your application!


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