PhD Research Fellow in Materials Physics and Chemistry for Energy-Efficient Solid-State Cooling
Deadline: 01.03.2026
Publisert
The University of Oslo is Norway’s oldest and highest rated institution of research and education with 26 500 students and 7 200 employees. Its broad range of academic disciplines and internationally esteemed research communities make UiO an important contributor to society.
Centre for Materials Science and Nanotechnology (SMN) is an interdisciplinary focus field for material and energy research at the University of Oslo. SMN has focused on basic research in renewable energy and environmentally friendly use of fossil energy sources. The center consists of research groups from the Department of Physics and the Department of Chemistry, has about 100 employees from around the world and manages more than 80 projects funded by EU, RCN and others.
About the position
Position as a PhD Research Fellow in Materials Physics and Chemistry for Energy-Efficient Solid-State Cooling available at Centre for Materials Science and Nanotechnology (SMN).
The fellowship period is three years.
A fourth year may be considered and it will involve 25 % of other career-promoting work. Other career-promoting work may consist of teaching, supervision, and/or research assistance. This is dependent upon the qualification of the applicant and the current needs of the department.
Starting date no later than October 1, 2026.
No one can be appointed for more than one PhD Research Fellowship period at the University of Oslo.
Place of work is Centre for Materials Science and Nanotechnology (SMN) at Blindern, Oslo.
Job description
The PhD project is part of the CoolCatch project, a research initiative aiming to develop sustainable and energy-efficient cooling technologies for cryogenic temperatures (<70 K). At such low temperatures, conventional refrigeration technologies based on gas compression become inefficient or impractical, as suitable compressible gases no longer exist and the required infrastructure becomes prohibitively complex and energy intensive. Solid-state caloric cooling represents a promising and environmentally friendly alternative. Focusing on functional oxides, the project targets conceptually new cooling concepts that can achieve the same cooling performance with up to two orders of magnitude lower energy consumption compared to state-of-the-art caloric cooling approaches. Access to this temperature regime is essential for applications including hydrogen liquefaction for future transport and energy storage, quantum technologies (such as computing and sensing), and low-temperature energy systems for space and satellite applications. The project investigates how microstructural design in polycrystalline functional oxides, such as grain size, crystallographic orientation, and strain, can be used to enhance and control the caloric cooling performance.
Relevant tasks may be a combination of:
Synthesis and processing of functional oxides using solid-state methods and hydrothermal synthesis
Microstructural engineering of polycrystalline materials (e.g. grain size and texture control)
Electrical characterization of ferroic materials under applied electric fields
Magnetic and magnetoelectric measurements at cryogenic temperatures
Structural and microstructural characterization using diffraction and microscopy techniques
Use of advanced research infrastructure, including synchrotron and neutron facilities or high-magnetic field laboratories
The PhD project includes the possibility of a funded international research stay (3–12 months), for example at DTU Energy (DTU Copenhagen, Denmark), and close collaboration with leading international universities, research centres, and startups working at the forefront of energy-efficient cryogenic caloric cooling.
The PhD Research Fellow will be employed within the project CoolCatch (Advancing materials for energy-efficient cryogenic refrigeration), funded by the Norwegian Research Council, and will work in close collaboration with a large interdisciplinary team at the Centre for Materials Science and Nanotechnology (SMN), as well as with international partners worldwide. SMN is an interdisciplinary center spanning physics and chemistry and plays a central role in the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences’ activities in materials science, physics, nanotechnology, and sustainable energy solutions. The candidate will be affiliated with the research group for Nanostructures and Functional Materials (NAFUMA), a world-leading group in functional oxide materials for energy and electronic applications. At the start of the PhD position, the research environment will have relocated to the newly built Life Science Building, Norway’s largest university and hospital building, offering state-of-the-art laboratories and access to cutting-edge research infrastructure for world-class research and innovation.
What skills are important in this role?
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 nanotechnology, materials science, physics, chemistry, or a closely 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.
Candidates without a master’s degree have until June 30, 2026 to complete the final exam.
Desired qualifications:
Expertise in one or more of the following areas is an advantage: solid-state synthesis, hydrothermal synthesis, templated grain growth, crystallographic and microstructural characterization, electrical or magnetic characterization of ferroic or related functional oxides.
Knowledge of advanced functional materials, such as ferroic, magnetic, or multiferroic systems, or in energy-efficient cooling concepts is an advantage.
Experience in experimental materials science, with motivation for materials synthesis, processing, and characterization in physics and chemistry laboratory environments.
Experience in experimental methods and data analysis, for example diffraction (XRD), microscopy (SEM, AFM), cryogenic measurements, or numerical/data-driven analysis from large-scale facilities.
Ability and motivation to develop skills in communicating scientific results in writing, demonstrated for example through reports, a Master’s thesis, or other academic texts.
Language requirement:
Good oral and written communication skills in English
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
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/
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.
What are we looking for in you?
Personal skills:
We are looking for a curious and motivated PhD Research Fellow with an interest in experimental research at the intersection of materials science, physics, and emerging technologies. The candidate should enjoy working both independently and together with others in an interdisciplinary and international research environment and be motivated to engage in international exchange and research stays abroad. We value a proactive and solution-oriented approach to challenges, as well as openness to learning and exploring new ideas.
We are looking for someone who is motivated to grow both professionally and personally within a research project that develops over time and involves exploratory experimental work. A positive, constructive attitude and the willingness to actively contribute to and help shape a growing research project are important qualities for this position.
Employment in the position is based on a comprehensive assessment of all qualification requirements applicable to the position, including personal qualifications.
Membership in the Statens Pensjonskasse, which is one of Norway's best pension schemes with beneficial mortgages and good insurance schemes
Oslo’s family-friendly surroundings with their rich opportunities for culture and outdoor activities
Salary in position as PhD Research Fellow, position code 1017 in salary range NOK from 550 800 - 595 000, depending on competence and experience. From the salary, 2 percent is deducted in statutory contributions to the State Pension Fund
We need different perspectives in our work
UiO is an open and internationally oriented comprehensive university that strives to be an inclusive and diverse workplace and academic environment. You can read more about UiO’s work on equality, inclusion, and diversity at uio.no.
We fulfill our mission most effectively when we draw upon our variety of experiences, backgrounds, and perspectives. We are looking for great colleagues, could you be the next one?
We will do our best to accommodate your needs. Relevant adjustments may include modifications to working hours, task adaptations, digital, technical, or physical adjustments, or other practical measures.
If you have an immigrant background, a disability, or CV gaps (Norwegian), we encourage you to indicate this in the job application portal. We always invite at least one qualified candidate from each group for an interview. In this context, disability is defined as an applicant who identifies as having a disability that requires workplace or employment-related accommodations. For more details about the requirements, please refer to the Employer portal (Norwegian).
The selections made in the job application portal are used for anonymized statistics that all state employers include in their annual reports. More information about gender equality initiatives at UiO can be found here. We hope you will apply for the position with us.
How to apply
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)
Application with attachments must be submitted via our recruitment system Jobbnorge, click "Apply for this job". Foreign applicants should attach an official explanation of their University's grading system.
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.
