PhD Research Fellow in Semiconductor Defects for Quantum Technologies
Deadline: 07.04.2026
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
We invite applications for a PhD Research Fellow position in Semiconductor Physics is available at Centre for Materials Science and Nanotechnology, the Department of Physics, University of Oslo.
Preferred start date September 1, 2026. The fellowship period is three years.
A fourth year maybe considered and it will involve 25 percent 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.
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 at Blindern, Oslo.
Job description
A PhD Research Fellow is available at Centre for Materials Science and Nanotechnology (SMN), Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Oslo (UiO), within the Centre for Defects in Semiconductors for Quantum Sensing (DSQS). DSQS is one of four national research centers within quantum technology in Norway. DSQS is experimentally oriented center for physical realization of quantum technology using point defects in semiconductors. Point defects, e.g. a missing atom or a small defect complex, can act as artificial atoms for use in quantum communication and computing, or as in the present project, as quantum sensors. Such defects are often termed as quantum defects, highlighted for example by NV-centers after the nitrogen-vacancy center in diamond. At DSQS, we aim to explore emerging candidates for quantum defect components in silicon and silicon carbide, discover novel and previously unknown defects in other quantum materials, and further develop the NV center toward practical applications. DSQS aims to build a competitive research environment that spans over a large portion of the value chain - from fundamental understanding of materials and defects to integration and sensing applications. The Norwegian partners are the University of Oslo, SINTEF and Norwegian Defence Research Establishment (FFI) as well as international collaboration envisaged with Nordic partners in Denmark and Sweden.
In this context, the present PhD Research Fellow will contribute to the DSQS by focusing on formation and identification of quantum defects. The work of the PhD Research Fellow will be of experimental character. In particular, PhD Research Fellow will deal with:
Design of quantum defect formation schemes
Investigation of defect formation in diamond, Si and SiC by ion implantation and annealing
Fabrication of simple electronic and nanophotonic devices
Optical and electrical characterization of quantum emitters
Defect modeling and identification
The PhD research fellow will be affiliated with the Solid-State Physics and Quantum Technology research group at UiO with around 60 highly dedicated professors, researchers, postdocs, PhD Research Fellows, engineers, administrative staff 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 PhD Research Fellow will also be affiliated with the Centre for Materials Science and Nanotechnology, which is an interdisciplinary research centre in materials science and nanotechnology at UiO. The Centre is an international leader in basic science within functional materials and nanoscience, with applications within renewable energy, materials science, and nanotechnology.
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
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 physics 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
Solid background in semiconductor physics
Strong data analysis skills
Candidates without a master’s degree have until August 31, 2026 to complete the final exam.
Desired qualifications:
To or more of the below;
Experience with semiconductor defect formation using ion implantation
Experience with optical defect characterization, particularly using luminescence spectroscopy (or related techniques)
Experience with electrical defect characterization, particularly using deep level transient spectroscopy (or related techniques)
Experience with quantum defects and quantum defect characterization
Experience with defect modeling using density functional theory or related techniques
Experience with data analysis using, e.g., Origin, Python or MatLab
Programming skills, e.g. proficient with Labview or Python
Language requirement:
Good oral and written communication skills in English
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 seek a candidate who is flexible, good at taking initiative and has excellent communication and interpersonal skills
Having to work in a setting with many co-workers, we seek a candidate who enjoys working in a team
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.
