Vacant job

Assistant Professor in Wood and Bio-nanocomposites with a focus on Bio-based Battery Materials, their Manufacturing and Characterization

Luleå University of Technology is experiencing strong growth with world-leading competence in several research areas. Our scientific and artistic research and education are conducted in close collaboration with international, national, and regional companies, public actors, and leading universities. Luleå University of Technology has an annual turnover of over 2.3 billion SEK. We have more than 1,800 employees and nearly 21,600 students.

The Department of Materials Science at Luleå University of Technology is seeking a highly motivated researcher with an interest in research within bio-based battery materials and their processing within the field of wood and bio-nanocomposites. The research group is conducting ongoing research programs within energy storage, nanomaterials, biomaterials, and composite materials. The department is part of the School of Engineering Science and Mathematics, where several research areas have activities closely linked to battery technology and battery testing, such as energy technology, as well as fluid mechanics and experimental mechanics. Within the education, the internationally profiled programs in materials science are central to the school, especially the Civil Engineering program International Materials Engineering (EEIGM). Within these programs, many students carry out project work and thesis projects linked to our research.

Subject Description

The subject of wood and bio-nanocomposites covers the production of materials and composites based on renewable raw materials, for example, by-products from the forestry, food, and agricultural industries, as well as carbonized biomaterials. The research focuses on the manufacturing and material development of these raw materials through processes such as electrospinning, extrusion, composite manufacturing, injection molding, and film formation for applications in electronics, energy storage, the automotive industry, packaging, and other areas.

Responsibilities

The position is linked to Bio4Energy and RECAT at Luleå University of Technology. The focus is on the processing of bio-based carbon materials and their evaluation as advanced battery active materials for sustainable energy storage. The research includes the development and optimization of process routes and understanding the relationship between structure and properties of active materials for today's and next-generation batteries.

The Assistant Professor will work closely with RECAT's activities within the processing of active materials, battery cell manufacturing, and cell development, as well as in collaboration with academic and industrial partners within the Nordic battery ecosystem. The overall goal is to enable competitive and circular battery technologies through experimentally driven research combined with modeling, advanced material characterization, and process optimization. The work contributes to the green transition and the development of the European value chain for bio-based batteries.

As an Assistant Professor, you are expected to independently plan and conduct research, teaching, supervision, and administrative tasks in line with the long-term goals of RECAT and the research group Wood and Bio-nanocomposites. The role also includes project management, development of own research activities, and participation in other research projects and educational initiatives.

Qualifications

To be eligible for appointment as an Assistant Professor, the applicant must:

• have completed a PhD degree or have a foreign degree assessed as equivalent to a PhD.

Preference is given to those who have completed their PhD degree no more than five years before the application deadline. Those who have completed their PhD degree earlier may also be considered if special reasons exist. Special reasons include, for example, illness, parental leave, or other similar circumstances.

Evaluation Criteria

The following evaluation criteria apply to the appointment:

• scientific skill
• other evaluation criteria

Other evaluation criteria, ranked by importance:

• documented knowledge within the synthesis and production of active carbon materials for energy storage
• experience with advanced material characterization for energy storage
• experience with bio-based carbon materials in electronic applications
• experience with battery materials, electrochemical characterization, testing, process technology, and electron microscopy
• documented strong scientific publication within the subject area
• good teamwork skills and ability to collaborate with the surrounding society
• ability to communicate research and development results
• ability to teach in Swedish and/or English
• postdoctoral experience in a relevant research area is meritorious.

Duration of Employment

The employment is fixed-term for four years.

Promotion to Professor

An Assistant Professor shall, upon application, be promoted to Professor and given a permanent position if they are eligible for such an appointment and upon review are deemed suitable according to the evaluation criteria that apply for a Professor.

For promotion, it is required that the Assistant Professor has completed university pedagogical education equivalent to at least 7.5 higher education credits or has acquired equivalent knowledge in another way.

During the period of employment, the Assistant Professor must also independently, to a significant extent and with high quality, contribute to the university's research and show good pedagogical skill.

All information about the position can be found here: Link to position (https://web103.reachmee.com/ext/I003/583/main?site=5&validator=68a0c61034f021baa4299701b2dc5325&lang=SE&rmpage=job&rmjob=10355&utm_medium=talentech_publishing&utm_source=jobtip_editor)