PhD Position in Colloidal Assembly for Nanostructured Lithium-Ion Batteries

Join the Van ’t Hoff Laboratory for Physical and Colloid Chemistry at Utrecht University as a PhD candidate in a collaborative, non-hierarchical research environment. You will be part of the Debye Institute for Nanomaterials Science, with access to research schools, colloquia, career events, and social activities.

Your job
This PhD project aims to develop a nanostructured bijel lithium-ion battery (BLIB) with fast charge/discharge (<1 min) and high energy density. Working with three PhD candidates and one postdoc, you will help synthesise a conductive anode within a bicontinuous emulsion, coat it with a nanoscale separator, and fill it with cathode material. The goal is a scalable, robust fabrication method that could revolutionise battery technology and support sustainability.

Your project focuses on developing the BLIB, an experimental system studied using techniques such as modern microscopy, spectroscopy, electrochemistry, and materials synthesis. You work extensively in the lab, using equipment like 3D printers, furnaces, centrifuges, and microfluidic devices. Meticulous data recording and analysis are essential, as the project combines practical engineering with fundamental physical chemistry.

You collaborate with four industry partners, reporting progress twice a year and contributing to written reports. You also present your work at national and international conferences and aim to publish open-access papers forming your dissertation.

In addition to research, you contribute to BSc and MSc teaching by supervising lab work, guiding projects, and supporting academic development. You have freedom to explore ideas within the project scope, supported throughout by your supervisor, Dr. Martin Haase. This PhD position offers strong preparation for careers in academia or industry.

The key responsibilities include:

• conducting experimental research on the BLIB, using advanced physical chemistry techniques;
• designing and building setups with lab equipment and 3D printing;
• maintaining an electronic lab journal and organising research data;
• presenting regularly to internal teams and industrial partners;
• publishing in scientific journals and contributing to progress reports;
• attending and presenting at scientific conferences;
• supporting teaching in physical chemistry and mentoring students;
• engaging with the wider research community through the Debye Institute.

You are genuinely curious and bring a critical, science-driven mindset, combined with a strong drive to explore and understand complex systems. You are enthusiastic about problem-solving, enjoy tackling engineering challenges, and are motivated by contributing to the advancement of scientific knowledge. Furthermore, you bring multiple of the following qualifications:

Scientific and Technical Competence

• You hold an MSc degree in Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Physics or Chemistry.
• You have a strong interest in topics such as colloids, electrochemistry, transport phenomena, and physical chemistry.
• You have a solid understanding of thermodynamics, basic transport phenomena, and core concepts in mathematics and physics.
• You have experience working in a laboratory environment, including tasks such as calculating sample compositions, precise mixing using pipettes/scales, and handling instruments and equipment.
• You have a quantitative mindset with the ability to analyse data, make predictions, and perform back-of-the-envelope calculations.
• You are able to create clear and visually appealing figures and graphs for scientific communication.
• You have basic skills in scientific writing and familiarity with drafting technical reports or publications.

Mindset and Personal Qualities

• You are organised and structured in your working approach, with attention to detail and consistency.
• You are a logical thinker who approaches experimental design and data interpretation with a reasoning-based mindset.
• You demonstrate persistence and resilience when facing technical or research-related difficulties.
• You are approachable, friendly, and supportive in team interactions, fostering a collegial and inclusive work environment.

Teamwork and Communication

• You possess strong communication skills and are able to collaborate effectively across disciplines.
• You have an excellent command of spoken and written English.
• You have a strong collaborative spirit and willingness to support colleagues, including mentoring or assisting junior team members.
• You are interested in inclusive, high-quality teaching, and you want to contribute to student supervision and education.

• A position for 18 months, with an extension to a total of four years upon successful assessment in the first 18 months;
• a working week of 38 hours and a gross monthly salary between €2,901 and €3,707 (salary scale P 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 in their growth. For more information, please visit Working at Utrecht University.

A better future for everyone. This ambition motivates our scientists in executing their leading research and inspiring teaching. At Utrecht University, the various disciplines collaborate intensively towards major strategic themes. Our focus is on Dynamics of Youth, Institutions for Open Societies, Life Sciences and Pathways to Sustainability. Sharing science, shaping tomorrow.

Working at the Faculty of Sciencemeans bringing together inspiring people across disciplines and with a variety of perspectives and backgrounds. The Faculty has six departments: Biology, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Information & Computing Sciences, Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics. Together, we work on excellent research and inspiring education. We do so, driven by curiosity and supported by outstanding infrastructure. Visit us on LinkedIn and discover how you can become part of our community.

Research in the Van ’t Hoff Laboratory focusses on the interplay between colloidal synthesis and the physical description of soft matter. We prepare colloidal particles of different shapes, sizes, materials and interactions. Characterisation by various experimental techniques and development of theoretical models helps us to understand their physical chemistry.

The Haase research group specialises in colloid and interface science, with a focus on non-equilibrium soft matter structures—especially bicontinuous interfacially jammed emulsion gels (bijels). We engineer bijels through the interfacial self-assembly of colloids during liquid-liquid phase separation. Our work explores fundamental questions about bijels and their emerging applications in energy storage, filtration, and catalysis.

For more information, please contact Dr Martin Haase at m.f.haase@uu.nl.

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