In this project you will use femtosecond visible and infrared light pulses to study the properties of water molecules and oil molecules at water-oil interfaces. The combination of these pulses at the interface leads to the generation of light at their sum frequency. The spectrum of this light provides unique and monolayer-specific information on the structural properties of the water and oil molecules at the interface. You will also study the effect of added ions and surfactants on the water-oil interaction. The goal of the project is to gain a molecular-scale understanding of the hydrophobic interactions between water and oil, and how this interaction can be influenced by the addition of ions and molecules. The project is part of an Industrial Partnership Programme with British Petroleum.

In this project you will acquire expert knowledge on femtosecond lasers, optics, nonlinear optics, and you will develop new knowledge on the physics and physical chemistry of molecules and ions at interfaces.

The goal of this group is to study the molecular-scale properties of water, ice and aqueous systems like hydrated ions, membranes and proteins. The research is carried out using spectroscopic techniques including femtosecond (nonlinear) vibrational spectroscopy, surface sum-frequency generation and GHz-THz dielectric relaxation spectroscopy. See also the AMOLF website

You have a MSc degree in Physics or Physical Chemistry.

Fixed-term contract: four years.

When fulfilling a PhD position at the NWO-I, the Institutes Organisation of NWO, you will get the status of junior scientist. You will have an employee status and can participate in all the employee benefits the NWO Institutes Organisation (NWO-I) offers. You will get a contract for four years. Your salary will be up to a maximum of 2,834 euro gross per month. The salary is supplemented with a holiday allowance of 8 percent and an end-of-year bonus of 8.33 percent.  You are supposed to have a thesis finished at the end of your four year term with NWO-I.  A training programme is part of the agreement. You and your supervisor will make up a plan for the additional education and supervising that you specifically need. This plan also defines which teaching activities you will be responsible (up to a maximum of ten percent of your time). The conditions of employment of NWO-I are laid down in the Collective Labour Agreement for Research Centres (Cao-Onderzoekinstellingen), more exclusive information is available at this website under Personeelsinformatie (in Dutch) or under Personnel (in English). General information about working at NWO-I can be found in the English part of this website under Personnel. The 'Job interview code' applies to this position.

AMOLF

AMOLF performs leading fundamental research on physics of Biomolecular Systems and Nanophotonics; two areas with key potential for technological innovations. The Institute focusses on knowledge transfer to industry and society and trains talented young researchers. AMOLF is located at Science Park Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and engages approximately 140 scientists and 70 support staff. See also http://www.amolf.nl