Doctoral student in materials chemistry with focus on characterisation of hard materials

Description of the workplace

The position is at the Department of Chemistry and at the Centre for Analysis and Synthesis. Within materials chemistry, the centre has 6 senior researchers and ca. 15 doctoral students. We work on a broad range of materials from semiconductors and catalysts to ceramics.

The focus for this position is to study hard tooling materials at the atomic scale using mainly transmission electron microscopy. There will be a strong focus on characterizing the materials at the high temperatures and reactive environments occuring in industrial manufacturing processes. The project has connections both to research at the Department of Mechanical Engineering Sciences and affected industry.

Subject description

The subject covers third-cycle education in the area of material chemistry. The research areas overlap to some extent with the research subject of inorganic chemistry, physical chemistry, organic chemistry, polymer technology and physics. The research focuses on synthesis of new solid materials and assembly of soft matter, and studies of their chemical and physical properties. Since the physical properties are directly dependent on the material’s order/disorder, their structure (both atomic and long range) is studied mainly with diffraction and/or scattering techniques. Collaboration with researchers in other areas of chemistry, physics, biology and other engineering subjects is an important part of the third-cycle programme.

Work duties

The main duties of doctoral students are to devote themselves to their research studies which includes participating in research projects and third cycle courses. The work duties can also include teaching and other departmental duties (no more than 20%).

Your main work duties in connection with the research project will be characterization of tooling materials using tranmsission electron microscopy (TEM) in order to understand how microstructure and composition affects their properties. In collaboration with other researchers you will actively select or tailor suitable materials, and prepare samples thereof for the TEM experiments. You can expect to make week long visits to other Swedish or European research facilities at a few occasions.

Detailed description of the work duties, such as:

• Preparation of samples from coatings and cemented carbides using focused ion beam milling
• Characterization of these using transmission electron microscopy
• Complementary characterizations using for example X-ray based diffraction and spectroscopies.
• In collaboration with other researchers, make connections between microstructure, simulations and macroscopic properties

Admission requirements

A person meets the general admission requirements for third-cycle courses and study programmes if the applicant:

• has been awarded a second-cycle qualification, or
• has satisfied the requirements for courses comprising at least 240 credits of which at least 60 credits were awarded in the second cycle, or
• has acquired substantially equivalent knowledge in some other way in Sweden or abroad.

A person meets the specific admission requirements for third cycle studies in Materials chemistry if the applicant has:

• at least 30 credits of relevance to the subject area, of which at least 15 credits from the second cycle and a specialised project of at least 15 second-cycle credits in the subject, or
• an MSc in Chemical Engineering or Engineering Nanoscience
  
  

Additional requirements:

• Very good oral and written proficiency in English.
• Prior theoretical and practical knowledge of electron microscopy

Assessment criteria

Selection for third-cycle studies is based on the student’s potential to profit from such studies. The assessment of potential is made primarily on the basis of academic results from the first and second cycle. Special attention is paid to the following:

• Knowledge and skills relevant to the thesis project and the subject of study.
• An assessment of ability to work independently and to formulate and tackle research problems.
• Written and oral communication skills.
• Other experience relevant to the third-cycle studies, e.g. professional experience.

Other assessment criteria:

• Course or demonstrated knowledge of hard materials
• Prior experience of focused ion beam instruments
• Prior experience of transmission electron microscopy, in particular in situ studies
• Knowledge of other relevant material characterization techniques, for example X-ray diffraction and spectroscopies (absorption, photoelectron emission)

Consideration will also be given to good collaborative skills, drive and independence, and how the applicant, through experience and skills, is deemed to have the abilities necessary for successfully completing the third cycle programme.

We offer

Lund University is a public authority which means that employees get particular benefits, generous annual leave and an advantageous occupational pension scheme.

Read more on the University website about being a Lund University employee Work at Lund University. https://www.lunduniversity.lu.se/about-university/work-lund-university

Terms of employment

Only those admitted to third cycle studies may be appointed to a doctoral studentship. Third cycle studies at LTH consist of full-time studies for 4 years. A doctoral studentship is a fixed-term employment of a maximum of 5 years (including 20% departmental duties). Doctoral studentships are regulated in the Higher Education Ordinance (1993:100), chapter 5, 1-7 §§.

How to apply

Applications shall be written in English and include a cover letter stating the reasons why you are interested in the position and in what way the research project corresponds to your interests and educational background. The application must also contain a CV, degree certificate or equivalent, and other documents you wish to be considered (grade transcripts, contact information for your references, letters of recommendation, etc.).

Welcome to apply!