PhD student position in Polymer Chemistry

Are you motivated to support the development of low-carbon technologies for the chemical industry?
Imagine a future where organic chemical reactions are driven with electricity from renewables instead of applying heat or pressure to transform reactants into products. Electroorganic synthesis holds great promise for developing this technology. However, to develop this technology, we must identify scaleable electrode materials made from earth-abundant elements to develop the technology at scale. We are actively looking for a motivated Ph.D. student to join the Giovannitti group at the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering at Chalmers University of Technology to make this vision become true. If you are a team player and excited to support our research mission, we can offer you a position in our lab.

Project description
The project is part of a multidisciplinary research collaboration where you will collaborate with researchers at Chalmers and with national and international research groups. The tasks of the position include the design and synthesis of redox-active polymeric organic semiconductors. These materials are solution-processable and allow the fabrication of multifunctional, low-cost electrodes that will be tested in selected reactions for electroorganic synthesis. Next to developing a broad knowledge and expertise in synthetic chemistry and chemical characterizations of polymers, you will learn about computational chemistry to predict chemical structures using density functional theory (DFT). You will work closely with national and international research groups to benchmark the performance of the materials that you have synthesized. You will have opportunities to visit national and international research groups to learn from experts in the field and visit research facilities such as the synchrotron to carry out advanced characterization measurements to study the properties of the materials prepared.

Information about the division and the department
The research mission of the Giovannitti group focuses on the design and synthesis of next-generation organic semiconductors for electrochemical applications. We develop redox-active materials for electrochemical devices including electrodes for electroorganic synthesis and materials for bioelectronic applications. We apply chemical design strategies to improve the performance of materials and identify chemical structures that achieve high stability during continuous operation for real world applications. We are a new group at the Chalmers University of Technology with great opportunities for developing new ideas.

Major responsibilities
The Ph.D. student is responsible for the design and synthesis of polymeric organic semiconductors, purification, and chemical characterization of the synthesized materials. The Ph.D. student will use theoretical calculations based on density functional theory (DFT) calculations to assist in the design of polymeric organic semiconductors which will be synthesized in the laboratory. The Ph.D. student will collaborate with national and international research groups to test the performance of the synthesized materials and study structure-property relationships of the synthesized materials with opportunities to carry out advanced characterization at national and international research facilities. In addition, up to 10 percent of your time will be dedicated to departmental duties with opportunities to develop your teaching skills for undergraduate courses.

Qualifications
The successful candidate must have a Master's degree in Chemistry, Physics, Materials Science, or equivalent (or be in the process of completing a Master's degree). Experience with the organic synthesis of π-conjugated systems is required. Expertise and knowledge in electrochemistry or organic electronics are beneficial but not mandatory. Due to the interdisciplinary nature of the work, the candidate is expected to have excellent collaboration skills to work with team members at Chalmers and collaborators located in Sweden and abroad. 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.

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
To apply, please go to: https://www.chalmers.se/en/about-chalmers/Working-at-Chalmers/Vacancies/Pages/default.aspx?rmpage=job&rmjob=11201

Application deadline: 15-01-2023
(interviews will be conducted on a continuous basis until the position is filled.)

For questions, please contact:
Prof. Alexander Giovannitti
E-mail: alexander.giovannitti@chalmers.se