PhD Research Fellow in Solid-state electrochemistry
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.
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 Research Fellow is part of the project Selective Oxygen Carriers with Catalytic Function for Sustainable Ethylen: innovating Redox chemistry in methane conversion (SOCCER) dedicated to research and innovations within chemical looping oxidative coupling of methane (CL-OCM). The project is coordinated by SINTEF, with University of Oslo (UiO) as a partner.
The PhD Research Fellow will be affiliated with the Electrochemistry group at the Department of Chemistry which consists of around 25 highly dedicated professors, researchers, postdocs, PhD fellows, engineers, admin, master and exchange students. The group will relocate to the new Life Science Building by mid 2026 which offers modern research facilities. The Electrochemistry group is among the world-leading in solid-state electrochemistry and materials science of oxides for electrochemical energy conversion technologies especially proton ceramic fuel cells and electrolysers. These technologies are central in the transition to renewable energy and in the electrification of industrial processes.
The PhD Research Fellow will investigate oxygen storage capacity, electrocatalytic activity and transport properties of complex oxides to obtain mechanistic insight into the thermodynamics, surface reactions and transport processes involved in oxidative coupling of methane.
The work will include:
Solid state and wet-chemical synthesis routes and fabrication of novel, complex functional oxides with properties optimized as selective oxygen carriers
advanced characterization of surface and bulk kinetics — isotope gas‑phase analysis and electrochemical methods
studies of surface micro-, defect- and electronic structure by means of surface‑sensitive spectroscopy and high-resolution electron microscopy
testing of chemical looping oxidative coupling of methane in collaboration with SINTEF
The content of the PhD Research Fellowship can to some extent be tailored according to the qualifications and academic interest of top candidates, including the possibility for combining experimental, simulation, and theoretical methods.
The PhD Research Fellowship will exist in an innovative environment with the possibility for collaboration with a range of academic and development projects on related topics. The Electrochemistry group is part of SMN, 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.
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 solid state or inorganic chemistry, materials chemistry, materials 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.
Candidates without a master’s degree have until June 30, 2026 to complete the final exam.
Desired qualifications:
Experience in synthesis, fabrication and characterization of electrocatalytic and transport properties of oxidic materials.
Experience with analysis of electrical, kinetic or electrochemical properties, e.g., using isotope exchange techniques or electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS).
Experience with advanced structural and surface sensitive spectroscopic characterization such as Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry, XPS, high resolution electron microscopy approaches and/or synchrotron beam-line facilities.
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
Interest to collaborate with PhD and/or Master/Bachelor students in a specialty field
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.
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.
