Postdoc in Wood Nanocomposites for Photonics - Hiring in process/Finished, not possible to apply

The School of Engineering Sciences carries out a wide range of research at the international front line, from fundamental disciplines such as Physics and Mathematics, to Engineering Mechanics with applications such as Aeronautics and Vehicle Engineering. We also offer university degree programs in Engineering Physics, Vehicle Engineering, and 'Open entrance', as well as a number of international Master programs.

The position is at the Department of Applied Physics. It is a part of the multidisciplinary ERC-project WOOD-NANOTECH at the Wallenberg Wood Science Centre (WWSC) at KTH. WWSC is a research center with focus on new materials from trees. The mission of the center is to create knowledge and build competence that can form the basis for an innovative future value creation from forest raw material.

Job description

Wood is the most successful bio-based material throughout history for structural applications owing to its excellent mechanical properties and natural abundancy. Its mechanical superiority is fundamentally derived from its hierarchical structuring based on aligned cellulose fibers. Recently it was demonstrated in KTH that one can create optically transparent wood by infiltrating polymer into a wood-derived cellulosic template (see our recent review “Optically transparent wood: recent progress, opportunities and challenges” Adv. Opt. Mater. 2018, 6, 1800059). Adding transparency and other optical properties and functions to wood provides a new dimension to a traditionally load-bearing material. Besides aesthetic transformation of wood, application examples include light-transmitting façades and panels, solar cells, light-emitting surfaces, electrochromic windows for homes or vehicles, to name a few.

The project investigates fundamental optical properties of transparent woods, as well as transparent wood doped with quantum dots, dyes, plasmonic nanoparticles, etc. Sample preparation and nano-characterization will be largely carried out in our Electrum Laboratory and WWSC. It will be extensively used to study wood nanostructures and correlate the structure and chemical composition to observed optical properties.

This postdoctoral position is a full-time employment position for one year with a possible one-year extension. The starting date is open for discussion, preferably December 2019. The candidate is expected to participate in experimental team activities related to sample preparation and characterization of nanoparticle-wood composites.

What we offer

• International workplace.
• A leading technical university that creates knowledge and expertise for a sustainable future.
• Here you get colleagues with high ambitions in an open, curious and dynamic environment.
• A multidisciplinary research project

Qualifications

Requirements

The applicants should have a PhD degree obtained within last three years, in a subject relevant for the research, such as material chemistry or material science (with the focus on physical aspects). Candidates without a PhD degree but expected to defend before the project starting date are also welcome to apply. The applicant must show proven capability to publish in renowned international journals. He or she must be strongly motivated, able to work independently or together with team members. Project management and good communication skills are merits.

Great emphasis will be placed on personal competence and suitability.

Preferred qualifications

The candidate is supposed to have adequate knowledge on nanoparticle and/or composite material synthesis as well as optical analysis methods. In addition, solid practical experience on methods and instrumentation techniques to characterize inhomogeneous materials is required:

- optical spectroscopy/imaging, e.g. micro-Raman, micro-PL, etc.

- electron microscopy of soft materials, e.g. low-voltage TEM, microtome, etc.

- other methods capable of material analysis with a high spatial resolution.

Trade union representatives

You will find contact information to trade union representatives at KTH's webbpage.

Application

Log into KTH's recruitment system in order to apply to this position. You are the main responsible to ensure that your application is complete according to the ad.

The application must include the following documents in PDF format:

• CV including relevant professional experience and a publication list
• Copy of diplomas and grades from your previous university studies. Translations into English or Swedish if the original documents have not been issued in any of these languages.
• Brief account of why you want to conduct research in this project, your academic interests and how they relate to your previous studies and future goals. Max two pages long.

Your complete application must be received at KTH no later than the last day of application, midnight CET/CEST (Central European Time/Central European Summer Time).

Fixed term employment /temporary contract 2020-11-30.

About the employment

The position offered is still valid for at least two years.

A position as a postdoctoral fellow is a time-limited qualified appointment focusing mainly on research, intended as a first career step after a dissertation.

Others

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Disclaimer: In case of discrepancy between the Swedish original and the English translation of the job announcement, the Swedish version takes precedence.