PhD Research Fellow in Semiconductor Defects for Biological and Quantum Technologies
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 PhD Research Fellow in Semiconductor Physics is available at the Department of Physics/Centre for Materials Science and Nanotechnology.
The fellowship period is four years, including 25 % of other career-promoting work. This may consist of teaching and/or project-related tasks, such as contributing to the organization of consortium seminars, maintaining websites, laboratory assistance, or other activities that support the project.
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 Department of Physics/Centre for Materials Science and Nanotechnology at Blindern, Oslo.
Job description
A PhD Research Fellowship is available at the Department of Physics, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, within the interdisciplinary research team GLIOFORCE – Targeting Cellular Biomechanics to Block Tumour Cell Invasion, a new Life Science Convergence Environment at the University of Oslo. The GLIOFORCE team merges world-class expertise in biomedicine, physics, engineering and pharmacy to explore mechano-adaptation as a targetable vulnerability in the most aggressive brain cancer, Glioblastoma. The successful candidate will work closely with 3 other PhD Research Fellow in an interdisciplinary research consortium that will describe, model and manipulate the physical forces that cancer cells experience during invasion. With this information, we aim to identify the weak spots in cancer cells’ spreading strategy and design innovative tools that specifically target these vulnerabilities. By focusing on physical mechanics of cancer cell spreading, GLIOFORCE aims to open up new avenues for treating aggressive cancers like Glioblastoma.
In this context, the present PhD Research Fellow will contribute to the project using semiconductor processing and quantum technology. The PhD Research Fellow will be affiliated with the Solid State Physics and Quantum Technology group with around 60 highly dedicated professors, researchers, postdoctoral Research Fellows, PhD Research Fellows, engineers, admin and master students. The research group has an excellent infrastructure, MiNaLab, covering chemical, structural, optical and electrical characterization methods, material growth, device fabrication and simulations. The student will also be affiliated with the newly formed Centre for Defects in Semiconductors for Quantum Sensing.
The work of the PhD Research Fellow will be of experimental character. In particular, the student will:
Design, fabricate, and test micro- and nano-structures at MiNaLab using lithography to create customized platforms (e.g. patterns, (confined) channels, mazes) for studying cancer cell dynamic, with a particular focus on biomechanical properties and cell migration. The Structures will be studied in-house using photoluminescence spectroscopy and using advanced light microscopy in collaboration with the Nuclear envelope dynamics group and the Laboratory for Neural Computation groups at the Institute for Basic Medical Sciences.
Explore quantum defect-based sensors as indicators of biomechanical forces. Point defect-based QT facilitates quantum bits based on either the electron spin or photon polarization and is well suited for optical readout using the single photon emitter (SPE) property. Importantly, point defect SPEs can operate at room temperature (RT), in contrast to most other available QT platforms that require milli-kelvin temperatures to function, which makes them highly intriguing for studying properties of cell dynamics and biomedical applications in general. Multiple approaches will be explored utilizing quantum defects as nanoscale sensors, ranging from quantum emitters as passive probes to more advanced techniques involving electron spin superposition states for enhanced sensitivity. The development will be supported by a larger activity in the Solid State Physics group and Centre for Defects in Semiconductors for Quantum Sensing, where the development of novel defect based sensor qubits, as well as more established defects like the NV centre in diamond, will be explored and evaluated towards various sensor applications.
The infrastructure includes the Micro- and Nanotechnology Laboratory (MiNaLab) with a clean room area in excess of 400 m2 with a multitude of modern fabrication and characterization facilities. The PhD Research Fellow will be closely knit with the supervisors’ other projects and activities, and in several cases work in a larger team with colleagues at the University of Oslo. Additional cosupervision and expertise will be provided by cancer cell biology experts (Campsteijn and Vervaeke) at the Institute for Basic Medical Sciences.
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.
Solid background in semiconductor physics
Experience with experimental work in a cleanroom setting
Strong data analysis skills
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:
Experience with semiconductor fabrication using lithography techniques
Experience with optical characterization, particularly using luminescence spectroscopy (or related techniques). Experience with quantum emitter characterization is a plus
Experience with biomedical applications is positively evaluated
Experience with data analysis using, e.g., Origin or MatLab
Programming skills, e.g. proficient with Labview or Python
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:
Ability to work both independently and as part of a team
Ability to work in a structured manner and swiftly adapt to new tasks
Good communication and collaboration skills
Positive attitude and strong interpersonal skills
Employment in the position is based on a comprehensive assessment of all qualification requirements applicable to the position, including skills.
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.
UiO/ Anders Lien
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.
