About the position

Position as PhD Research Fellow in Materials Science and Solid-state batteries available at Centre for Materials Science and Nanotechnology (SMN), Department of Chemistry, University of Oslo.

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

Preferred starting date August 15, 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 seek a PhD Research Fellow with qualifications and interest in materials science and renewable energy storage and conversion technologies. The Centre for Materials Science and Nanotechnology (SMN) comprises UiO’s focus on renewable energy, materials science, and nanotechnology. The Centre is an interdisciplinary collaboration between four research groups in physics and chemistry, and spearheads the MN Faculty's efforts for sustainable energy solutions.

The PhD Research Fellow will be affiliated with the research group Electrochemistry at SMN, located at Oslo Science Park, which consists of around 30 highly dedicated professors, researchers, postdocs, PhD fellows, engineers, admin, master and exchange students. The group is among the world-leading in solid-state electrochemistry and materials science of ionic transport in oxides for electrochemical energy conversion technologies. The group will be relocated to the Life Science Building in 2026 which brings new lab areas and excellent scientific infrastructure.

The position is part of the project “Solid-state sodium batteries: Screening for electrolyte materials” funded by the Research Council of Norway and coordinated by SINTEF in Oslo. The project deals with high-throughput screening of novel electrolytes for solid-state sodium ion batteries by means of machine learning (ML) techniques and density functional theory (DFT) simulations as well as experimental validation.

The PhD Research Fellow will mainly be involved in tasks related to synthesis and characterization of novel electrolyte materials, electrical characterization of Na-ion conductivities and half-cell testing. The research tasks and methodologies may be tailored to some extent according to the qualifications and academic interest of the top candidates including the possibility for combining experimental and simulation methods. The position will involve close collaboration with researchers at SINTEF and opens opportunities for further collaboration with national and international research communities.

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 Materials Chemistry, Materials Physics, Materials Science or equivalent
• Foreign completed degree (M.Sc.-level) corresponding to a minimum of four years in the Norwegian educational system
• 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:

• Experience with synthesis and characterization of functional ceramics by techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM).
• Experience with electrical characterization techniques such as electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) to study ionic transport in solid electrolytes.
• Experience with advanced structural and chemical characterization using synchrotron beam-line facilities.
• Strong data-analysis skills, e.g., using Python or Matlab.

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

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

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 PhD 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 
• 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: Jonathan Polfus, e-mail: jonathan.polfus@kjemi.uio.no, phone: +47 40061363 

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

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