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 1st of May 2025, or as soon as possible. 

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

Knowledge development in a changing world - Science and technology towards 2030

The Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences

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Job description

New battery chemistries are quickly entering the energy storage market to compete with relatively mature Li-ion batteries. Among those is Na-ion battery technology, which was designed to provide cheap and sustainable alternative. 

The PhD Research Fellow will be involved in close collaboration between academia, research institutes and relevant industry within the project recently granted by the Research Council of Norwegian – C4Bat in addition to the MoreIsLess project. The focus of the C4Bat project is aimed to develop sustainable materials for Na-ion batteries.

The PhD Research Fellow will work on development, synthesis, optimization and advanced characterization of anode materials. The candidate will be also involved in studies of dynamical material changes through operando techniques, primarily X-ray based methods. The work related to materials preparation, modification and manipulation including characterization by SEM and TEM will be performed at UiO; the electrochemical studies will be done at UiO and/or facilities of the partners. Synchrotron-based characterization is foreseen at the ESRF facilities.

In addition to being a part of the projects C4Bat and MoreIsLess, you will be a part of the research group Nanostructured Functional Materials group (NAFUMA) at the Department of Chemistry. NAFUMA 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 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 group is a part of the interdisciplinary Centre for Materials Science and Nano-technology (SMN) which coordinates collaborations 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.

The purpose of the fellowship is research training leading to the successful completion of a PhD degree. 

The fellowship requires admission to the PhD programme at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences. The application to the PhD programme must be submitted to the department no later than two months after taking up the position. 

For more information see: http://www.uio.no/english/research/phd/ and http://www.mn.uio.no/english/research/phd/.

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. 

• Master’s degree or equivalent in Chemistry or related field.
• 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 with X-ray-based characterization (XRD, PDF).
• Experience in materials synthesis with particular focus on materials for Na-ion batteries.
• Knowledge of electrochemical characterization of battery materials.
• The position's subject area may require licensing under the Norwegian Ex-port Control Act. In order to be considered for the position, it is a prerequisite that UiO must be able to be granted such license. https://www.uio.no/english/studies/admission/master/export-control.htm 
• Since the research area for the position can include technologies referred to in the Ministry's export control regulations, the candidate must be eligible to obtain a security clearance.

Desired qualifications: 

• Experience with using large scale facilities (ESRF, Diamond, etc.). 

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 
• Fluent oral and written communication skills in English
• English requirements for applicants from outside of EU/ EEA countries and exemptions from the requirements: https://www.mn.uio.no/english/research/phd/regulations/regulations.html#toc8

Personal skills

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

We offer

• Salary NOK 536 200 – 579 400 per annum depending on qualifications 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

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

Your application should include:

• Cover letter
• Letter of motivation - 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, transcripts of records and documentation of English proficiency
• List of publications and academic work that the applicant wishes to be considered by the evaluation committee

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 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),  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 persons

For further information please contact: Assoc. Prof. Alexey Y. Koposov, phone: +47 966 94531, e-mail: alexey.koposov@kjemi.uio.no" rel="nofollow">alexey.koposov@kjemi.uio.no 

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