PhD Research Fellow in materials for Na-ion and K-ion batteries 

About the position

Position as PhD Research Fellow in battery materials available at the Centre for Materials Science and Nanotechnology, University of Oslo.

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

Preferred starting date September 1, 2025. 

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.

Job 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 Centre for Environment-friendly Energy Research, FME Battery, which is an interdisciplinary collaboration between multiple actors in Norway including academia, research institutes and industry. The selected PhD Research Fellow will be involved in the work package 3 of the Centre focusing on new materials and chemistries.

The development of modern Li-ion batteries faces unprecedented challenges including improvement of energy storage capacities, decreasing costs and improving sustainability. Emerging battery chemistries (including Na-ion and K-ion batteries) operating under the same rocking chair principle as Li-ion batteries, represent a promising alternative to state-of-the-art Li-ion batteries. However, the set of materials utilized in such batteries is somewhat different from conventional materials typically used for Li-ion chemistry. The focus of this PhD project is to study anode materials for Na-ion and K-ion batteries by employing cutting-edge operando characterization techniques. The work will include synthesis of materials, their modification and characterization mainly by X-ray based techniques. Most of the work will be performed at UiO facilities (NAFUMA), while synchrotron-based characterization is foreseen at the ESRF facilities. 

As PhD Research Fellow in FME Battery, 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. NAFUMA is part of Centre for Materials Science and Nanotechnology (SMN) - an interdisciplinary center based on 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 nanotechnology.

Qualifications

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 Chemistry or Materials Science
• Foreign completed degree (M.Sc.-level) corresponding to a minimum of four years in the Norwegian educational system
• Fluent oral and written communication skills in English
• Experience in synthesis of inorganic materials 
• 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.
   

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

Desired qualifications:

• An interest in chemistry and chemical synthesis would be advantageous. 
• A large part of the work will involve structural characterization of protein/peptide aggregates, so insight into scattering techniques, NMR, protein folding, and spectroscopic measurements would be advantageous.
   

Grade requirements:

The norm is as follows:

• 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: 
http://www.mn.uio.no/english/research/phd/

Personal skills 

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

We offer

• Vibrant international academic environment
• Oslo’s family-friendly surroundings with their rich opportunities for culture and outdoor activities
• Good welfare schemes.
• Career development programmes
• Membership in the Statens Pensjonskasse, which is one of Norway's best pension schemes with beneficial mortgages and good insurance schemes.
• Salary in position as Doctoral Research Fellow, position code 1017, in salary range NOK from 536 200 - 575 400, depending on competence and experience. From the salary, 2 percent is deducted in statutory contributions to the State Pension Fund.
• Read more about the benefits of working in the public sector at Employer Portal.

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.

Application 

The application must include:

• Cover letter - statement of motivation and research interests
• CV (summarizing education, positions and academic work - scientific publications)
• Copies of the original Bachelor and Master’s degree diploma and transcripts of records 
• Documentation of English proficiency if applicable
• 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)

The application with attachments must be delivered in our electronic recruiting system (please follow the link “Apply for this job”). Foreign applicants are advised to attach an explanation of their University's grading system. Please note that all documents should be in English or a Scandinavian language.

Interviews with the best qualified candidates will be arranged.

General information 

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 about the position please contact: Assoc. Prof. Alexey Y. Koposov, e-mail: alexey.koposov@kjemi.uio.no, phone: +47 966 94531 

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