PhD fellowship in inorganic materials chemistry

PhD Project in synthesis and structural characterization of nanoparticles for electrocatalysis
Department of Chemistry
Faculty of SCIENCE
University of Copenhagen
Department of Chemistry invites applicants for a PhD fellowship in synthesis and structural characterization of alloy and oxide nanoparticles for electrocatalysis. A special focus will be on elucidating structural changes that take place in the material under operating conditions.

The position is one of the open positions in the 2024 CAPeX PhD cohort call. CAPeX is a 13-year and 300 MDKK "Pioneer Center for Accelerating P2X Materials Discovery", funded by Danish Ministry of Higher Education and Science, the Danish National Research Foundation, the Carlsberg Foundation, the Lundbeck Foundation, the Novo Nordisk Foundation, and the Villum Foundation. CAPeX is hosted by the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) and co-hosted by Aalborg University (AAU), and unites leading experts from DTU, AAU, University of Copenhagen, Aarhus University, and the University of Southern Denmark with international partners from Stanford University, Utrecht University, and the University of Toronto to form a truly Pioneering Center on P2X. You can read more about the CAPeX research themes and X-trails, our organization, and the other open PhD and postdoc cohort positions at http://www.capex-p2x.com.

Start date is (expected to be) 1 February 2025 or thereafter.

The project
The PhD project will focus on synthesis/structure/property relations in alloy and oxide materials for electrocatalysis with a strong emphasis on synthesis and structural analysis using X-ray scattering techniques. The project especially concerns understanding the structural changes taking place during synthesis and catalytic reactions, and in situ synchrotron experiments will be central for the work. Apart from synthesis, a major part of the PhD project will be acquisition and high-level analysis of scattering and spectroscopy data.

Who are we looking for?
We are looking for candidates within the fields of chemistry and nanoscience. Applicants can have a background from materials synthesis and characterization. Experience in material synthesis as well as in structural characterization using X-ray scattering using e.g. Rietveld refinement and/or Pair Distribution Function analysis is required. Experience and interest in programming using e.g. Python is an advantage.

Our group and research - what do we offer?
The research in the Nanostructure group at University of Copenhagen focuses on elucidating atomic and nanoscale structure in materials for energy. The group is led by Associate Professor Kirsten M. Ø. Jensen and includes postdocs, PhD students, and MSc and BSc students. We are currently about 15 members.

The group is part of the Department of Chemistry, Faculty of SCIENCE, University of Copenhagen. We offer creative and stimulating working conditions in a dynamic and international research environment.

Principal supervisor is Associate Professor Kirsten Marie Ørnsbjerg Jensen, kirsten@chem.ku.dk, Direct Phone: +45 35 33 47 97.
The PhD programme
Depending on your level of education, you can undertake the PhD programme as either:

Option A: A three year full-time study within the framework of the regular PhD programme (5+3 scheme), if you already have an education equivalent to a relevant Danish master's degree.

Option B: An up to five year full-time study programme within the framework of the integrated MSc and PhD programme (the 3+5 scheme), if you do not have an education equivalent to a relevant Danish master's degree – but you have an education equivalent to a Danish bachelor's degree.

Qualifications needed for the regular programme
To be eligible for the regular PhD programme, you must have completed a degree programme equivalent to a Danish master's degree (180 ECTS/3 FTE BSc + 120 ECTS/2 FTE MSc) related to the subject area of the project, e.g. chemistry or nanoscience.

Terms of employment in the regular programme
Employment as a PhD fellow is full time and for a maximum of 3 years. Employment is conditional upon your successful enrolment as a PhD student at the PhD School at the Faculty of SCIENCE, University of Copenhagen. This requires submission and acceptance of an application for the specific project formulated by the applicant.

Terms of appointment and payment accord to the agreement between the Danish Ministry of Taxation and The Danish Confederation of Professional Associations on Academics in the State. The position is covered by the Protocol on Job Structure.

Qualifications needed for the integrated MSc and PhD programme
If you do not have an education equivalent to a relevant Danish master's degree, you might be qualified for the integrated MSc and PhD programme, if you have an education equivalent to a relevant Danish bachelor's degree.

Terms of the integrated programme
To be eligible for the integrated scholarship, you are (or are eligible to be) enrolled at one of the faculty's master programmes in chemistry or nanoscience.

The duration of the integrated programme is up to five years, and depends on the amount of credits that you have passed on your MSc programme.

Responsibilities and tasks in both PhD programmes

• Complete and pass the MSc education in accordance with the curriculum of the MSc programme (ONLY when you are attending the integrated MSc and PhD programme)
• Carry through an independent research project under supervision
• Complete PhD courses corresponding to approx. 30 ECTS / ½ FTE
• Participate in active research environments, including a stay at another research institution, preferably abroad
• Teaching and knowledge dissemination activities
• Write scientific papers aimed at high-impact journals
• Write and defend a PhD thesis on the basis of your project

We are looking for the following qualifications:

• Professional qualifications relevant to the PhD project
• Relevant publications
• Relevant work experience
• Other relevant professional activities
• Curious mind-set with a strong interest in materials and structure/property relations.
• Good language skills

Application and Assessment Procedure
Your application including all attachments must be in English and submitted electronically by clicking APPLY NOW below.

Please include:

• Motivated letter of application (max. one page)
• Curriculum vitae including information about your education, experience, language skills and other skills relevant for the position
• Original diplomas for Bachelor of Science or Master of Science and transcript of records in the original language, including an authorized English translation if issued in another language than English or Danish. If not completed, a certified/signed copy of a recent transcript of records or a written statement from the institution or supervisor is accepted.
• Publication list (if possible)
• Reference letters (if available)

Application deadline: The deadline for applications is 9 October 2024, 23:59 GMT +2.

We reserve the right not to consider material received after the deadline, and not to consider applications that do not live up to the abovementioned requirements.

The further process
After the deadline, a number of applicants will be selected for academic assessment by an unbiased expert assessor. You will be notified whether you will be passed for assessment.

The assessor will assess the qualifications and experience of the shortlisted applicants with respect to the above mentioned research area, techniques, skills and other requirements. The assessor will conclude whether each applicant is qualified and, if so, for which of the two models. The assessed applicants will have the opportunity to comment on their assessment. You can read about the recruitment process at https://employment.ku.dk/faculty/recruitment-process/.

Questions
For specific information about the PhD fellowship, please contact the principal supervisor.

General information about PhD study at the Faculty of SCIENCE is available at the PhD School's website: https://www.science.ku.dk/phd/.

The University of Copenhagen wishes to reflect the surrounding community and invites all regardless of personal background to apply for the position.

Info
Ansøgningsfrist: 09-10-2024

Ansættelsesdato: 01-02-2025

Afdeling/Sted: The Department of Chemistry