Vacant job

Postdoctoral Researcher in Organic Electronics

The Department of Physics conducts strong and expanding research with several different focuses, such as organic electronics, nanotechnology, photonics, space physics, and theoretical physics. The department is part of KBC, the Chemical-Biological Center at Umeå University. We have a strong focus on interdisciplinary research and excellent access to modern instrumentation and infrastructure for analysis.

Umeå University, Sweden, invites motivated and qualified researchers to apply for a two-year postdoctoral position focused on the development of a new technology in organic electronics, a light-emitting electrochemical cell (LEC).

The interest in LEC technology is currently increasing within both academia and industry, as it can: (i) deliver strong and easily patterned light emission at low voltage, (ii) be thin, lightweight, and flexible, (iii) be manufactured entirely through cost- and energy-efficient printing in air, (iv) exhibit high durability (free from toxic and rare materials and potentially recyclable).

The research will be conducted at the The Organic Photonics and Electronics Group (website: opeg-umu.com), where the postdoctoral researcher will be part of a larger collaborative project with industrial and international academic partners. The goal is to develop a printed LEC that emits white light and meets specific performance criteria for practical applications. The primary task of the postdoctoral researcher will be to develop the light-emitting active material, and it is therefore advantageous if you have experience in the development and/or use of light-emitting materials for white and/or blue light emission suitable for solution-based processes. It is also advantageous if you are interested in both academic publishing and the realization of practical components in collaboration with industry.

For relevant background research, we refer to our previous publications: doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-55954-3 (doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-55954-3) and doi.org/10.1002/ente.201402201 (doi.org/10.1002/ente.201402201) and doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-24761-x (doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-24761-x)

Why Apply?

• Innovative Research: Contribute to groundbreaking research aimed at revolutionizing the manufacturing and use of light-emitting components.
• Professional Development: Access to and training in the use of state-of-the-art experimental techniques, funding for conferences, and good opportunities for professional development.
• Collaborative Environment: Research in a dynamic and supportive team with active collaborations with leading research groups in academia as well as direct links to industry.
• Quality of Life: Enjoy Umeå's vibrant cultural life and experience its magnificent nature, beautiful winters, and magical northern lights.

Qualifications

To be employed under the agreement for fixed-term employment as a postdoctoral researcher, a doctoral degree or a foreign degree assessed to be equivalent to a doctoral degree is required. This eligibility requirement must be met no later than at the time when the employment decision is made.

For employment under the postdoctoral agreement, preference will primarily be given to those who have obtained their degree as mentioned above within the last three years. If there are special reasons, those who obtained their doctoral degree earlier may also be considered. Special reasons include leave due to illness, parental leave, trust assignments within trade unions, service in the total defense, or other similar circumstances as well as clinical service or relevant service/assignments in the subject area.

The awarded doctoral degree should be in materials science, organic or printed electronics, experimental physics, chemistry, electrical engineering, or a related subject.

Additional Requirements

• Documented experience with light-emitting components, such as OLEDs or LECs.
• Documented experience in the use and/or development of solution-processable light-emitting materials for integration into light-emitting components.
• Documented research merits, including scientific publications and international academic and/or industrial collaboration.
• Excellent ability to communicate in English, both orally and in writing.

Employment Conditions

Full-time, fixed-term employment for two (2) years. The position is planned to start on April 1, 2026, or by agreement.

Application

Your application should be written in English (preferred) or Swedish and submitted as PDF files. Applications should be submitted via our electronic recruitment system Varbi. You log in to Varbi and submit your application via the button at the bottom of this page.

Mandatory Documents:

• Curriculum vitae (CV), including a complete publication list with DOIs.
• Cover letter (1–3 pages) describing your qualifications and research interests as well as motivation for the application and future career goals.
• Electronic copy of your doctoral thesis.
• Certified copies of degree certificates, transcripts, and other relevant documents.
• Contact information (email and phone number) for two researchers willing to act as references.

The application deadline is February 28, 2026.

Contact

For questions, please contact Prof. Ludvig Edman (email: [email protected]) or Dr. Erik Zäll (email: [email protected]).

We look forward to your application!