PhD Research Fellow in Materials for Li-ion Batteries

About the position

Position as PhD Research Fellow in Materials Science available at Centre for Materials Science and Nanotechnology (SMN), University of Oslo.

The fellowship period is 3 years. 

A fourth year may be considered with a workload of 25 % that may consist of teaching, supervision duties, and/or research assistance. This is dependent upon the qualification of the applicant and the current needs of the department.

Preferred starting date is September 1, 2025.

No one can be appointed for more than one PhD Research Fellowship period at the University of Oslo.

Jobb description

We are seeking a PhD Research Fellow with interest in understanding, developing and characterizing battery materials. This PhD Research Fellow will be part of a Research Counil of Norway funded project LiTIA on “Li transport and interface reactions in advanced battery materials” at the Centre for Materials Science and Nanotechnology (SMN) with SINTEF as the lead partner.  SMN is an interdisciplinary centre, collaboration between five research groups in physics and chemistry, and spearheads the MN Faculty's efforts for sustainable energy solutions. The Centre comprises UiO’s focus on renewable energy, materials science, and nano-technology.

The development of modern Li-ion batteries requires fundamental understanding of ionic and electronic transport through interfaces and interphases. In response to this challenge, the selected PhD Research Fellow will be involved in close collaboration between academia, research institutes and industry within the LiTIA project. The focus of the project is to employ cutting-edge dynamic and operando characterization techniques to provide new knowledge on Li-ion transport and interfaces in nanoparticle-based Si-C composite materials. The work related to materials preparation, modification and manipulation including characterization by SEM, NMR, XPS and TEM will be performed at UiO and SINTEF; the electrochemical studies will be done at UiO and/or facilities of the partners. Synchrotron-based characterization is foreseen at the ESRF facilities. The role of the PhD Research Fellow will be to use both electrochemical characterizations together with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) to try to understand the role of Li during the electrochemical cycling.

As PhD Research Fellow in the ”Litia” project, you will be part of the Nanostructured Functional Materials group (NAFUMA) at the Department of Chemistry has excellent capabilities and expertise in synthesis, advanced characterization, and modeling. The group also specializes in structural studies by using X-ray based operando methods. The battery activities at NAFUMA have been continuously developed over the last ten years and the laboratories are equipped with the tools required for fabrication, structural and electrochemical characterization of batteries and battery materials. NAFUMA is a diverse research environment and supports well-being of our employees. The NAFUMA group is one of the five groups that makes of the Centre for Materials Science and Nanotechnology.

Qualification requirements

The Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences has a strategic ambition to be among Europe’s leading communities for research, education and innovation. Candidates for these fellowships will be selected in accordance with this, and expected to be in the upper segment of their class with respect to academic credentials.

Required qualifications

• Master’s degree or equivalent in materials physics/chemistry or materials science

• Foreign completed degree (M.Sc.-level) corresponding to a minimum of four years in the Norwegian educational system

  Candidates without a master’s degree have until 30 June 2025 to complete the final exam.

• Knowledge in solid state physics, semiconductor materials, or electrochemistry
• Experience with characterization methods such as X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy or electrochemical characterization of battery materials
• Fluent oral and written communication skills in English
• All candidates and projects will have to undergo a check versus national export, sanctions and security regulations. Candidates may be excluded based on these checks. Primary checkpoints are the Export Control regulation, the Sanctions regulation, and the National security regulation

Desired qualifications

• Experience in materials synthesis with particular focus on materials for batteries
• Experience with structural characterization techniques (XRD, PDF, TEM)
   

Grade requirements

• The average grade point for courses included in the Bachelor’s degree must be C or better in the Norwegian educational system
• The average grade point for courses included in the Master’s degree must be B or better in the Norwegian educational system
• The Master’s thesis must have the grade B or better in the Norwegian educational system

Language requirements

• Fluent oral and written communication skills in English

English requirements for applicants from outside of EU/EEA/EFTA countries and exemptions from the requirements:
https://www.mn.uio.no/english/research/phd/regulations/regulations.html#toc8

The purpose of the fellowship is research training leading to the successful completion of a PhD degree. For more information see:

Doctoral degree: PhD at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences - The Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences

Personal skills

• Good social, communication and collaboration skills
• Ability to work independently and in an interdisciplinary scientific environment 

We offer

• Salary NOK 536 200 – 575 400 per annum depending on qualifications and seniority as PhD Research Fellow (position code 1017)
• Attractive welfare benefits and a generous pension agreement
• Vibrant international academic environment
• Career development programmes
• Oslo’s family-friendly surroundings with their rich opportunities for culture and outdoor activities

Inclusive worklife and diversity at UiO

Inclusion and diversity are a strength. The University of Oslo has a personnel policy objective of achieving a balanced gender composition. Furthermore, we want employees with diverse professional expertise, life experience and perspectives.

If there are qualified applicants with disabilities, employment gaps or immigrant background, we will invite at least one applicant from each of these categories to an interview.

We hope that you will apply for the position. 

More information about gender equality initiatives at UiO can be found here.

How to apply

Your application should include:

• Cover letter - statement of motivation and research interests
• CV (summarizing education, previous positions and academic work - scientific publications)
• Copies of the original Bachelor and Master’s degree diploma, transcripts of records
• Documentation of English proficiency
• List of publications and academic work that the applicant wishes to be considered by the evaluation committee 
• Names and contact details of 2-3 references (name, relation to candidate, e-mail and telephone number)

Application with attachments must be submitted via our recruitment system Jobbnorge, click "Apply for the position".

When applying for the position, we ask you to retrieve your education results from Vitnemålsportalen.no. If your education results are not available through Vitnemålsportalen, we ask you to upload copies of your transcripts or grades. Please note that all documentation must be in English or a Scandinavian language.

General information

The best qualified candidates will be invited for interviews. 

Applicant lists can be published in accordance with Norwegian Freedom of Information Act § 25. When you apply for a position with us, your name will appear on the public applicant list. It is possible to request to be excluded from this list. You must justify why you want an exemption from publication and we will then decide whether we can grant your request. If we can't, you will hear from us.

Please refer to Regulations for the Act on universities and colleges chapter 3 (Norwegian),  Guidelines concerning appointment to post doctoral and research posts at UiO (Norwegian) and Regulations for the degree of Philosophiae Doctor (PhD) at the University of Oslo.

The University of Oslo has a transfer agreement with all employees that is intended to secure the rights to all research results etc.

Contact Information

For further information, please contact:
Assoc. Professor Alexey Y. Koposov, phone: +47 966 94531, e-mail: alexey.koposov@kjemi.uio.no  

For questions regarding recruitment system Jobbnorge, please contact:
HR advisor Olga Holmlund, e-mail: olga.holmlund@mn.uio.no