We're looking for a motivated post-doctoral researcher to contribute to a pioneering project in computational materials for photovoltaics. Explore novel solar cell materials using advanced density functional theory (DFT) simulations and help create a unique computational framework for designing high-efficiency solar cells.

Responsibilities:

• Evaluate DFT software, functionals, and post-processing methods for optimal accuracy and computation time.
• Conduct DFT simulations on a supercomputer to assess material electronic structures.
• Validate results by comparing with experimentally measured properties.
• Populate a high-quality materials database, focusing on non-toxic, abundant photovoltaic materials.
• Collaborate on integrating existing models into a novel computational framework.
• Use the database for solar cell device simulations to contribute to high-efficiency solar cell designs. 

At TU Delft you will join our internationally diverse Photovoltaic Materials and Devices (PVMD) Group. Proud to be among the global academic leaders in our field, we are an ambitious, friendly and supportive team of professors, lecturers and technical and support staff. We share ideas and knowledge, and give you all the training and coaching you need to evolve and grow your career in this tenure track. You will contribute to our team’s results as your devices will be used in various research projects. We share a drive to build solar cells and other devices based on thin semiconductor films, including amorphous and nano-crystalline silicon films, crystalline silicon and perovskites.

About the department

The PVMD group is part of the Electrical Sustainable Energy department which is inspired by the technical, scientific, and societal challenges originating from the transition towards a more sustainable society and focuses on four areas:

• DC Systems, Energy Conversion and Storage (DCE&S)
• Photovoltaic Materials and Devices (PVMD)
• Intelligent Electrical Power Grids (IEPG)
• High Voltage Technologies (HVT)

The Electrical Sustainable Energy Department provides expertise in each of these areas throughout the entire energy system chain. The department owns the large Electrical Sustainable Power (ESP) Laboratory assembling High Voltage testing, DC Grids testing environment, and a large RTDS that is actively used for real-time simulation of future electrical power systems, AC and DC protection, and wide-area monitoring and protection.   

• Ph.D. in Physics, Materials Science, Chemistry, or related field.
• Strong background in computational materials science, with DFT simulation expertise.
• Experience with DFT software (e.g., VASP, AMS, Quantum ATK).
• Proficient in programming languages for scientific computing.
• Familiarity with high-performance computing (HPC) is desirable.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills.

Fixed-term contract: 1 year.

Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities. The TU Delft offers a customisable compensation package, discounts on health insurance, and a monthly work costs contribution. Flexible work schedules can be arranged.

For international applicants, TU Delft has the Coming to Delft Service. This service provides information for new international employees to help you prepare the relocation and to settle in the Netherlands. The Coming to Delft Service offers a Dual Career Programme for partners and they organise events to expand your (social) network.

Delft University of Technology

Delft University of Technology is built on strong foundations. As creators of the world-famous Dutch waterworks and pioneers in biotech, TU Delft is a top international university combining science, engineering and design. It delivers world class results in education, research and innovation to address challenges in the areas of energy, climate, mobility, health and digital society. For generations, our engineers have proven to be entrepreneurial problem-solvers, both in business and in a social context.

At TU Delft we embrace diversity as one of our core values and we actively engage to be a university where you feel at home and can flourish. We value different perspectives and qualities. We believe this makes our work more innovative, the TU Delft community more vibrant and the world more just. Together, we imagine, invent and create solutions using technology to have a positive impact on a global scale. That is why we invite you to apply. Your application will receive fair consideration.

Challenge. Change. Impact!

Faculty Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science

The Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science (EEMCS) brings together three scientific disciplines. Combined, they reinforce each other and are the driving force behind the technology we all use in our daily lives. Technology such as the electricity grid, which our faculty is helping to make completely sustainable and future-proof. At the same time, we are developing the chips and sensors of the future, whilst also setting the foundations for the software technologies to run on this new generation of equipment – which of course includes AI. Meanwhile we are pushing the limits of applied mathematics, for example mapping out disease processes using single cell data, and using mathematics to simulate gigantic ash plumes after a volcanic eruption. In other words: there is plenty of room at the faculty for ground-breaking research. We educate innovative engineers and have excellent labs and facilities that underline our strong international position. In total, more than 1000 employees and 4,000 students work and study in this innovative environment.

Click here to go to the website of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science.