PhD student position in electrocatalysis for sustainable reactions

Electrocatalysis will play a major role in the transition from our fossil fuel-based society to a more sustainable and renewable society. In this project, you will investigate the electrocatalytic conversion of carbon dioxide (CO2) into valuable products. This reaction has raised significant interest in recent years and is a promising and sustainable way to utilize CO2 as an alternative source of carbon in the chemical industry. As a PhD student, you will develop into an independent researcher with expertise in electrocatalysis for sustainable reactions which will open doors to a career in industry, academia or other relevant sectors.

Information about the project
The main purpose of this project is to develop new catalysts for the electrochemical reduction of CO2 into value-added chemicals such as ethylene and alcohols. Since most chemicals and fuels are derived from petrochemical processes today, implementing electroreduction of CO2 could reduce global demand for fossil fuels in the future. Despite major advances in the field, various challenges such as lack of stability and low selectivity are major barriers towards industrialization. New catalysts must thus be developed to reach high selectivity to specific products while maintaining high activity over a prolonged period of time.

The position will be located at the department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering in the Luneau Research Group. Using a multidisciplinary approach, the group focuses on designing and investigating new catalytic materials for sustainable reactions, with the overall goal to reduce carbon dioxide emissions originating from the production of energy and chemicals.
The position is funded by the Area of Advance Energy at Chalmers which covers the development of technologies and systems that support the transition towards a sustainable energy utilization in society. Within the department and the Area of Advance, you will have the opportunity to build a network and interact with world-class researchers in a multidisciplinary environment.

Major responsibilities
Throughout the doctoral project, you will gain strong expertise in highly relevant areas of catalysis and electrochemistry. You will aim to establish structure-activity relationships which will lead to the design of efficient catalysts for the conversion of CO2 into relevant chemicals.
You will synthesize catalytic materials consisting in supported and non-supported metal nanoparticles. You will have access to a wide range of advanced characterization techniques available at the department and at the Chalmers Materials Analysis Laboratory (CMAL) to characterize the prepared catalysts. You will also carry out electrocatalytic tests in electrochemical cells and analyze/quantify the products with different analytical methods.

In addition to your scientific expertise, you will be able to attend courses to strengthen your communication and leadership skills as part of the PhD program at Chalmers, which will help you prepare and plan your future career in industry, academia or other sectors.

The position generally also includes teaching on Chalmers' undergraduate level or performing other duties corresponding to 20 per cent of working hours.

Qualifications
A Master's degree in chemistry, chemical engineering, materials science or related fields corresponding to at least 240 higher education credits is required for this position. Experience with and/or knowledge about materials and catalysts synthesis is preferred. Experience with and/or knowledge about electrochemistry or electrocatalysis is also considered a merit.

The research project is experimental for the most part and you should be motivated to work in the lab, to learn new techniques and have the ability to take initiative. You should also be organized and able to work independently, as part of a collaborative research group.

Good written and oral communication skills in English are needed for the position. If Swedish is not your first language, you will have the opportunity to take classes during the PhD program.

Contract terms
Full-time temporary employment. The position is limited to a maximum of five years.

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 20220594 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
• Other, for example previous employments or leadership qualifications and positions of trust.
• 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 future goals and future research focus

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:December 2, 2022



For questions, please contact:
Assistant Professor, Mathilde Luneau, Applied Chemistry, mathilde.luneau@chalmers.se,
Tel: 0317724172

*** Chalmers declines to consider all offers of further announcement publishing or other types of support for the recruiting process in connection with this position. ***