Assistant Professor in Physics with specialization in sustainable semiconductors (tenure track)

The Department of Physics at Lund University, Faculty of Engineering invites applications for a position as Assistant Professor.

We are looking for early-career academics conducting research in the priority area of sustainability and the environment, specializing in sustainable semiconductors. The position is funded through the Mistra environmental research leaders program and includes a start-up package with funds to cover a doctoral studentship and other costs, as well as participation in a leadership program organized by Mistra.

Our research environment involves several strong centres and infrastructures with a shared vision to be one of Europe’s leading environments within semiconductor research. The interdisciplinary strategic research area NanoLund includes, for example, groups with internationally leading expertise in the synthesis, processing and characterization of III-V and III-Nitride materials. This includes access to a full range of equipment for semiconductor nanofabrication at Lund Nano Lab, a central key facility for fabrication of materials and devices on the nanoscale. The environment also hosts the Swedish Chips Competence Center as well as a recently started Pilot Line focused on wide band gap semiconductors funded by the European Chips Act.

The position is located at the Division of Solid State Physics within the Physics Department. Together with NanoLund, of which we are a central part, we have the ambition to create an interdisciplinary and internationally visible research effort in circular and sustainable semiconductor electronics. The new position as Assistant Professor in Physics with Specialization in Sustainable Semiconductors, with funding from the Mistra Environmental Research Leaders program, is an important step towards realizing this vision. 

Subject

Physics with specialization in sustainable semiconductors

Subject description

The subject area of the position is broadly defined within circular and sustainable semiconductors, covering for instance novel semiconductor manufacturing methods with drastically reduced environmental footprint, the consideration of material recycling already at the design stage, and novel device designs and concepts to enhance component lifetime and lower energy consumption.

Examples of research topics include, but are not limited to:

• Increase circularity and material recycling in fabrication of devices based on III-V and metal oxide semiconductors, one example being to re-use substrates and reduce the use of the scarce element gallium in fabrication of GaN and Ga2O3 devices.
• Synthesis of new circular and sustainable semiconductor materials, use of earth-abundant materials, and hybrid organic-inorganic semiconductor materials. This could include highly innovative processes such as DNA-templated or protein-based synthesis, which essentially replaces highly advanced and resource demanding technology by wet-lab based bioprocesses.
• Enhance the lifetime and reduce the energy consumption of semiconductor components. This includes on-chip energy harvesting, heat management, and cooling to reduce thermal degradation, as well as technologies for computation with reduced energy consumption, such as low-dissipation wiring based on two-dimensional-, topological-, or superconductor-semiconductor materials, neuromorphic hardware, photonic chips, and other beyond-CMOS technologies.

Work duties

Employment as an assistant professor is a tenure track position, which aims for the holder to develop their independence as a researcher and educator. The work duties mainly involve research and teaching. The position includes the opportunity to undertake five weeks of training in teaching and learning in higher education.

Work duties include:

• Research within the subject area.
• Teaching in the first, second and third cycles of studies.
• Supervision of degree projects and doctoral students.
• Actively seeking external research funding.
• Collaboration with industry and wider society.
• Administration related to the work duties listed above.
• Participation in Mistras leadership programme.

Qualification requirements

Qualification requirements for employment as an assistant professor are fulfilled by someone who has been awarded a doctorate or has the corresponding research competence.

Primary consideration should be given to someone who has been awarded a doctorate or achieved the equivalent competence within seven years of the deadline for application for employment as an assistant professor. However, someone who has been awarded a doctorate or achieved the equivalent expertise at an earlier date may also be considered if there are special grounds. Special grounds are sick leave, parental leave or other similar circumstances.

Assessment criteria

For appointment to assistant professor, the following shall form the assessment criteria:

• A good ability to develop and carry out high quality research.
• Teaching ability.

Additional requirements

• Very good oral and written proficiency in English.
• Significant documented postdoctoral research experience.
• Significant documented research experience (e.g. from postdoc or doctoral studies) from another university/institute or relevant experience from industry/public sector.
• As part of the application, the applicant shall submit a research plan that clearly describes the research that will be conducted during the employment in the subject "Physics with specialization in sustainable semiconductors". The plan shall also describe how the applicant's research can complement and strengthen the research at the Department of Physics and the strategic research area NanoLund (https://www.nano.lu.se). Furthermore, the research plan should describe relevant and realistic potential collaborations with existing research groups within NanoLund and whether, and if so how, the planned research can benefit from and interact with the nanofabrication laboratory Lund Nano Lab. The research plan will weigh heavily in the assessment of the application.
• Collaborative skills, initiative and the ability to solve work tasks independently, as well as a demonstrated interest in leadership.

Other qualifications 

Experience in applying for and obtaining research funding Documented experience in project management. Documented experience of supervision and/or teaching. You contribute in a positive way to the work environment. It will be seen as highly positive if the research is synergistic with one of the many ongoing research activities within the Division of Solid State Physics.

The extent to which the applicant, through their experience and skills, may complement and strengthen ongoing research, undergraduate education, departmental innovation, and how they can contribute to the future development of the department will also be taken into consideration.

Terms of employment

This is a full-time, fixed-term employment of 6 years. The employment is regulated in accordance with Chapter 4 Section 12a§ HEA. The purpose of the appointment is for the teacher to be given the opportunity to develop research autonomy and acquire the scholarly and teaching qualifications required for eligibility for appointment as a senior lecturer.

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. 

Instructions on how to apply

Applications shall be written in English. Please draw up the application in accordance with LTH’s Academic qualifications portfolio – see link below. Upload the application as PDF-files in the recruitment system. Read more: To apply for academic positions at LTH.

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Promotion to Senior Lecturer in Physics with specialization in semiconductor photonics.

During the period of employment, an assistant professor can apply for promotion to a permanent position as Senior Lecturer if he or she has the required qualifications listed below, and is deemed suitable. An assistant professor can only apply for promotion once.

Qualification requirements

Appointment to senior lecturer requires that the applicant has:

• A PhD or corresponding research competence or professional expertise considered important with regard to the subject matter of the post and the work duties it will involve.
• Demonstrated teaching expertise.
• Completed five weeks of training in higher education teaching and learning, or acquired equivalent knowledge by other means.

Assessment criteria

The assessment criteria specify the aspects to be considered, and the level to be achieved, for the assessment criteria to be deemed fulfilled. The following assessment criteria must be fulfilled for appointment to senior lecturer:

• A good national and international standing as a researcher. The requirement for international experience shall be assessed with consideration to the character and traditions of the subject.
• Good teaching ability, including a good ability to conduct, develop and lead teaching and other educational activities on different levels and using a variety of teaching methods.
• An ability to supervise doctoral students to achieve a PhD.
• An ability to collaborate with wider society and communicate his or her activities.
• A general ability to lead and develop activities.

Additional requirements

• Good ability to collaborate, independence and drive.
• Progression in research and teaching expertise.
• Good ability to actively, independently and successfully apply for external funding.
• Ability to contribute to renewal of the activities.
• Ability to actively contribute to the creation and implementation of collaborations with other research groups in NanoLund.
• Sufficient knowledge of Swedish to carry out administrative and educational tasks that require an understanding of Swedish.