项目介绍

2025年5月15日

About the position

A PhD position is available at the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). We are looking for a highly motivated candidate to join our research group focused on energy storage technologies and direct lithium extraction, as part of an internally funded project at NTNU.

Are you ready to take the next step towards a doctorate and explore exciting career opportunities? As a PhD Candidate with us, you will work toward your doctoral degree while gaining valuable experience that prepares you for a future career in academia, industry, or research.

The available position is affiliated with the Functional Materials and Materials Chemistry research group (FACET) (https://www.ntnu.edu/ima/research/facet), Department of Materials Science and Engineering, NTNU Norwegian University for Science and Technology. 

Research activities in the department cover functional materials and materials chemistry, nanomaterials, ceramics, electrochemical energy technology, corrosion, physical metallurgy, and metallurgical and electrochemical process engineering. 

You will report to Professor Daniel Rettenwander.

About the project

There is an increasing need to extract lithium and other commercially valuable elements from brines and recycled batteries. However, current extraction processes face challenges related to ion selectivity and transport efficiency, limiting the performance of existing materials.

In this project, we aim to develop innovative characterization techniques to gain a fundamental understanding of the extraction processes. This includes identifying both the limitations and strengths of current materials and monitoring these processes in real time. Insights gained will guide the engineering of advanced materials with improved performance.

Duties of the position

• Complete the doctoral education until obtaining a doctorate
• Carry out research of good quality within the framework described above
• Academic publications and popular science dissemination
• Be active part of the research group
• Participate in international activities such as conferences and/or research stays at foreign educational institutions

Required selection criteria

• You must have an academically relevant background within ceramics, membranes, electrochemistry,  
• You must have a Master’s degree in materials science, materials chemistry, solid-state chemistry or equivalent. Your course of study must correspond to a five-year Norwegian course, where 120 credits have been obtained at master’s level. 
• Master’s students are encouraged to apply, but the master’s degree must be obtained and documented before starting the position.
• You must have a strong academic background from your previous studies and have an average grade from your Master’s degree study, or equivalent education, which is equal to B or better compared to NTNU’s grading scale. If you do not have letter grades from previous studies, you must have an equally good academic foundation. If you have a weaker grade background, you may be considered if you can document that you are particularly suitable for a PhD education.
• You must meet the requirements for admission to the faculty’s Doctoral Programme https://www.ntnu.edu/nv/phd
• Good background in the synthesis and characterization of ceramics and/or polymers 
• Familiar with materials characterization techniques such as XRD, SEM, Raman, FT-IR, etc. 
• Good written and oral English language and communication skills

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The appointment is to be made in accordance with Regulations for the Universities and Colleges Act (university and colleges regulations) and Regulations for the degrees philosophiae doctor (ph.d.) and philosophiae doctor (ph.d.) in artistic development work at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) for general criteria for the position.

Personal characteristics

To complete a doctoral degree (PhD), it is important that you are able to: 

• Work independently
• Work in a structured way, set goals and make plans to achieve them
• Present and discuss your research with other professionals
• Show curiosity and a strong motivation for the subject
• Analyze data, assess different perspectives and draw well-founded conclusions 
• Be flexible and open to adjusting the plan for the project as needed

Emphasis will be placed on personal qualities.

We offer

• State-of-the-art laboratories and equipment
• A strong and international professional environment
• An exciting job with an important mission in society
• Open and inclusive working environment with committed colleagues
• Working capital that can be used to implement the project
• Mentor programme as a new employee at NTNU
• As a public employee, you have favourable benefits as a member of the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund (SPK)  

You will be employed as a PhD Candidate at NTNU and will have access to employee benefits and discounts. 

Diversity

Diversity is a strength, and at NTNU we aim to be an employer that reflects the diversity in society and that makes use of the potential of the population’s collective skills. Our vision is Knowledge for a better world and our values ​​are creative, critical, constructive and respectful. We believe that an organization that is equal, diverse and gender-balanced is essential for us to achieve our goals. 

We strive to attract employees with different skills, life experiences and perspectives to contribute to even better problem solving of our societal mission in research and education. 

If you think this position is relevant and interesting, we encourage you to apply, regardless of gender, functional ability and cultural background, or whether you have been out of work for a period of time.

Salary and conditions

In the position of PhD Candidate, code 1017, your gross salary will normally be NOK  536 200,-  per annum. A 2% statutory contribution to the State Pension Fund is deducted from the salary. 

The employment period is 3 years. If learning Norwegian (level A2 corresponding to at least 15 credits) is to be completed before the end of the employment period, the employment period can be extended by 10 weeks after completed and documented the Norwegian course.

For employment as a PhD Candidate, it is a prerequisite that you gain admission to the PhD programme in Materials Science and Engineering (https://www.ntnu.edu/studies/phmt) within three months of your employment contract start date, and that you participate in an organized doctoral programme throughout the period of employment.

As an employee at NTNU, it is important that you keep yourself up to date with academic and organizational changes and adapt to them.

For the necessary academic and social interaction, it is a prerequisite that you are physically present and available to the institution on a daily basis.

The appointment is carried out in accordance with the principles of the State Employees Act, and Export control(legislation that regulates the export of knowledge, technology and services). Candidates who, after assessment of the application and attachments, are considered to bein conflict with the criteria in the latter act, will not be able to be employed.

About the application

Please note: the application will only be assessed on the basis of the information we have received by the application deadline. Therefore, make sure that your application clearly shows how your skills and experience meet the criteria described above. The application and all attachments must be sent electronically via Jobbnorge.no. If you are invited to an interview, you must bring certified copies of certificates upon request. 

The application must include: 

• Transcripts and diplomas for Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees
• CV 
• Copy of Master’s thesis. If you have recently submitted your Master’s thesis, you can attach a draft of the thesis. Documentation of a completed Master’s degree must be presented before taking up the position.
• Short letter of motivation (400 words/1 page)
• Names and contact information of three relevant referees

If all, or parts, of your education has been taken abroad, we also ask you to attach documentation of the scope and quality of your entire education, both Bachelor’s and Master’s education, in addition to other higher education. If your institution uses “diploma supplement” (normal for most European institutions), you must attach this. A description of the documentation required can also be found here. If you already have a statement from Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills (HK-dir), please attach this as well. 

Joint works will be considered. If it is difficult to identify your contribution to joint work, you must attach a brief description of your participation.

When assessing the best qualified, we emphasize necessary qualifications such as education, experience and personal suitability. Motivation for the position, ambitions and potential for research will also count when assessing the candidates.

NTNU recognizes a wide range of academic contributions and has committed itself to The San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment and CoARA (responsible assessment of research and recognition of a greater breadth of academic contributions in accordance with NTNU’s social mission).

General information

A public list of applicants with name, age, job title and municipality of residence is prepared after the application deadline. If you wish to be exempt from entry on the public applicant list, this must be justified. Assessment will be made in accordance with current legislation. You will be notified if the exemption is not granted.

If you think this position looks interesting and in line with your qualifications, you are welcome to apply.

If you have any questions about the position, please contact Professor Daniel Rettenwander, e-mail: Daniel.rettenwander@ntnu.no. 

If you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact HR consultant Marie Kristiansen, e-mail: marie.kristiansen@ntnu.no. 

Application deadline:03.06.2025

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For practical information about working at NTNU, please visit this webpage. 

(velg by og ta bort byene som ikke er relevant)The city of Trondheim is a modern European city with a rich cultural scene. Trondheim is the tech capital of Norway with a population of 200,000. The Norwegian welfare state, including healthcare, schools, kindergartens and overall equality, is probably the best of its kind in the world. Professional subsidized day-care for children is easily available. Furthermore, Trondheim offers great opportunities for education (including international schools) and possibilities to enjoy nature, culture and family life and has low crime rates and clean air quality.