Postdoc Position: In-Situ Electron Microscopy of Electrochemistry

Battery and fuel cell technologies are key in the energy transition; the storage of green electricity generated through sustainable energy resources like wind and solar, is becoming increasingly important. To obtain advanced understanding of the electrochemistry taking place at the electrode-electrolyte interfaces of batteries, the direct imaging of these processes in real time and at high resolution is urgently needed. To this end, we will perform electrochemistry inside the transmission electron microscope, which is expected to provide exciting insights.

Your job
As a postdoctoral researcher, you will be conducting in-situ electrochemistry experiments in the transmission electron microscope (TEM). Electrochemical processes are typically ruled by mechanisms acting at the nanoscale, and TEM is capable of determining the morphology and crystal structure of materials at atomic scale resolution. Utrecht University is leading in the development of in-situ TEM, where nanomaterials can be placed in liquid or gas environments and subjected to heating and biasing in order to study the electrodes under realistic (in operando) conditions. To overcome current technological barriers and to enhance the sustainability of battery technology, research into solid state battery materials with ions other than Li is urgently needed. In this project, we will focus on battery electrochemistry with Na, Zn, and Mn ions in novel porous nanomaterials. The EM Centre at Utrecht University has in-depth expertise regarding in-situ TEM, and is equipped with highly advanced microscopes and dedicated liquid cell and gas cell electrochemistry holders. You will also have the opportunity to contribute to method development in in-situ EM.

You will be trained in electron microscopy and electrochemistry, and will have the opportunity to visit specialised winter/summer schools. You are expected to consolidate the research outcomes in scientific papers that will be published in international peer-reviewed journals, and to present the results at international conferences. You will also have the opportunity to (co)supervise Master's or Bachelor's theses.

You are a collaborative and enthusiastic colleague with a scientific background in chemistry or physics, and with experience in electron microscopy. Experience with in-situ electron microscopy or electrochemistry is very welcome.

• A stimulating scientific environment where you will have ample opportunity to develop your own research ideas on the topic;
• a postdoc position for three years;
• a working week of 38 hours and a gross monthly salary between €3,378 and €5,331 in the case of full-time employment (salary scale 10 under the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities (CAO NU));
• 8% holiday pay and 8.3% year-end bonus;
• a pension scheme, partially paid parental leave and flexible terms of employment based on the CAO NU.

In addition to the terms of employment laid down in the CAO NU, Utrecht University has a number of schemes and facilities of its own for employees. This includes schemes facilitating professional development, leave schemes and schemes for sports and cultural activities, as well as discounts on software and other IT products. We also offer access to additional employee benefits through our Terms of Employment Options Model. In this way, we encourage our employees to continue to invest inc their growth. For more information, please visit Working at Utrecht University.

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The position is financed by the NWO Gravitation programme Advanced Nano-Electrochemistry Institute Of The Netherlands (ANION), and the project is a collaboration between the Soft Condensed Matter & Biophysics (SCMB) group and the Materials Chemistry and Catalysis (MCC) group, which are both part of the Debye Institute for Nanomaterials Science. The SCMB group studies the physics of soft matter model systems in order to generate new mesostructured materials from these insights. The MCC group focuses on the synthesis, characterisation and performance of supported catalysts. These allow efficient chemical conversions (and hence decrease the use of energy and raw materials), but are also essential to allow the transformation from fossil to renewable fuels, and optimize the performance of battery materials.

ANION is a national consortium with nodes in Leiden, Amsterdam, Groningen, Twente, and Utrecht. The local ANION team at Utrecht University consists of researchers from the Debye Institute for Nanomaterials Science (DINS) and the Institute for Theoretical Physics (ITP): Professor Petra de Jongh, Dr Peter Ngene, Dr Marijn van Huis, Dr Ben Erné (all DINS), and Professor René van Roij (ITP). You will strengthen this team, together with two ANION-funded PhD candidates at Utrecht University, and by other ANION consortium members elsewhere in the Netherlands. The postdoctoral project will be supervised by Dr Marijn A. van Huis (SCMB), Dr Peter Ngene and Professor Petra de Jongh (MCC).

For more information, please contact Marijn van Huis at m.a.vanhuis@uu.nl or +31 30 253 28 50 or Peter Ngene at n.ngene@uu.nl or +31 30 253 70 35.

Do you have a question about the application procedure? Please send an email to science.recruitment@uu.nl.

As Utrecht University, we want to be a home for everyone. We value staff with diverse backgrounds, perspectives and identities, including cultural, religious or ethnic background, gender, sexual orientation, disability or age. We strive to create a safe and inclusive environment in which everyone can flourish and contribute.

If you are enthusiastic about this position, just apply via the 'apply now' button. Please enclose:

• your letter of motivation;
• your curriculum vitae;
• the names, telephone numbers, and email addresses of at least two referens;
• a copy of your PhD certificate, or a letter from your university stating when your defence will take place.

If this specific opportunity isn’t for you, but you know someone else who may be interested, please forward this vacancy to them.