Design and synthesis of charge-transport materials for indoor photovoltaics (IPVs) PhD position in the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Doctoral Network / Väitöskirjatutkija (MSCA)

Tampere University creates a unique environment for multidisciplinary, inspirational and high-impact research and education. Our university community has its competitive edges in technology, health and society. www.tuni.fi/en

The MENTOR research initiative will provide a comprehensive and versatile technical platform for the development of next-generation indoor photovoltaics (IPVs) that efficiently re-use energy from artificial illumination to power electronics, eventually contributing to an energy- and climate-neutral future. MENTOR aims to unlock the full potential of IPVs taking into consideration growing concerns about sustainability, through the establishment of the first international network of 8 universities, 7 industrial partners, and 5 research centers. The consortium will cover all the key aspects and technologies related to IPVs, including sustainable design, organic and inorganic materials synthesis, photovoltaics manufacturing and characterization, device physics and modelling, theoretical and machine learning-driven approaches, photovoltaics recycling, and industrial processing. Doctoral Researcher position is in Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences | Tampere universities (tuni.fi) in hybrid solar cells group.  

Job Description 

The main tasks will comprise the synthesis of organic small molecules; their film processing with industrially acceptable solvents; spectroscopic characterization of solution and films.

The scientific objectives include:  

1) Sustainable and scalable synthesis and processability of organic and/or inorganic hole- and electron-transport materials (HTL, ETL) for lead-free Bi- and Sn-perovskites;  

2) Synthesis and green processing of inorganic ETL (metal oxides) for organic IPV;  

3) Study of the interfaces between charge-transport materials and other IPV device components to maximize the charge extraction and collection in IPVs. 

The DC will acquire a broad range of knowledge of the state of the art in related fields, such as organic chemistry; photophysics; organic and lead-free perovskite photovoltaics.  

The DC will also be involved in dissemination through social media promotion of the network, such as project webpages, LinkedIn groups, YouTube video channels and blogging.  

Planned secondments during the 36-month contract with Tampere University:

• University of Groningen, Netherlands; 4 months from M22;  Purpose: Photophysical study of the interfaces and testing the HTL/ETL in Sn-PSK 
• EPISHINE, Sweden; 3 months from M32; Purpose: Integration of novel ETL in organic IPVs.

Requirements 

We are looking for a talented, creative and highly motivated researcher. Recruited researcher can be of any nationality. Doctoral Candidate must be eligible to be enrolled into Doctoral Program at Tampere University and have not been awarded a doctoral degree.  

MSCA Mobility Rule: at the time of recruitment by the host organization the researcher must not have resided or carried out his/her main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country of his/her employer (Tampere University, Finland) for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately prior to his/her recruitment. Compulsory national service and/or short stays such as holidays and time spent as part of a procedure for obtaining refugee status under the Geneva Convention are not considered. 

The applicant must be in possession of Master of Science (MSc) diploma at the beginning of the employment. 

English language requirements: Proficiency in written/spoken English is mandatory. In certain cases, we may ask for a language certificate. 

We offer   

Place of employment is in Tampere University. Planned mobility and duration of the position is 36 months. The contract is full-time, commencing in March 2025. A trial period of six (6) months applies to all our new employees.  The salary will be set in accordance with MSCA rates. Approximate gross salary is about 3200 EUR/month. With family allowance about 3700 EUR/month. Target degree is PhD degree from Tampere University, Finland. 

Supervisory team: Paola Vivo TAU, Murthy Grandhi TAU, Thomas Österberg EPISHINE  

The new Tampere University and higher education community began their operations on 1 January 2019. Tampere University of Technology, the University of Tampere and Tampere University of Applied Sciences are building a unique environment for multidisciplinary, inspirational and high-impact research and education, and a hub of expertise in technology, health and society. We offer a wide range of staff benefits, such as occupational health care, flexible working hours, excellent sports facilities on campus and several restaurants and cafés on campus with staff discounts. Please read more about working at Tampere University here. 

Finland is among the most stable, free and safe countries in the world, based on prominent ratings by various agencies. It is also ranked as one of the top countries as far as social progress is concerned. Tampere is counted among the major academic hubs in the Nordic countries and offers a dynamic living environment. Tampere’s region is one of the most rapidly growing urban areas in Finland and home to a vibrant knowledge-intensive entrepreneurial community. The city is an industrial powerhouse that enjoys a rich cultural scene and a reputation as a centre of Finland’s information society.  

For more information on Tampere and Finland, please visit:  

•  https://visittampere.fi/en/  
•  https://www.visitfinland.com/en/ 
•  https://www.infofinland.fi/en/landingpage 

How to apply 

Please submit your application through our online recruitment system. The closing date for applications is 20th of November 2024 (at 23.59 EEST / UTC +2). 

The applicant must submit the following documents through LAURA portal, only a clear copy of the documents will be considered. 

• Certified copies of the bachelor's and master's degree certificates with the Diploma Supplement (DS) as approved by the EU Commission for degrees completed in European universities (when applicable) Official translations into English (if the original documents are in a language other than English) 
• Curriculum Vitae/CV (preferably in Europass format)  
• List of publications (if any) your contributions in the publication 
• References: Contact details of 2 or more referees included in the CV 
• Motivation letter: maximum 1 page where you introduce yourself and present your qualifications; you may include also your previous research fields and main research results. Please emphasize your future goals career-wise  
• Proof of residence: Statement and certificates/documents demonstrating your residence(s) in the last 4 years

 Please note that we will begin conducting interviews during the application period, so early applications are encouraged. This allows us to get to know candidates as soon as possible and keep the process moving efficiently. Please apply at your earliest convenience! 

For more information, please contact: 

Associate Professor, Supervisor, Paola Vivo paola.vivo@tuni.fi

Senior Research Fellow, Murthy Grandhi murthy.grandhi@tuni.fi

Specialist, Research and innovation services, Salla Kotakorva salla.kotakorva@tuni.fi