Assistant Professor in solid-state chemistry with specialization in inorganic battery materials

Uppsala University’s tenure track system grants assistant professors the possibility to be assessed for promotion to the position as associate professor. The university provides support in various areas, such as scientific and educational development, leadership development as well as patent and innovation support.

The Department of Chemistry – Ångström Laboratory has for many years hosted an environment focused on research and development of materials and their applications within the energy storage area: the Ångström Advanced Battery Centre. We develop novel electrode and electrolyte materials, characterize them, evaluate and improve them with respect to battery performance, and study fundamental chemical processes and properties using both experimental and computational techniques. The research is, as such, both fundamental and applied.

COMPEL (Competence and excellence for the electrification of the transport system) is a strategic initiative from the Swedish government to ensure Sweden's long-term competitiveness in battery development and electrification of the transport sector. Research and education within the platform cover the entire battery value chain and offers an interdisciplinary network for collaboration between three universities: Lund University, Chalmers University of Technology and Uppsala University. It is within this context that COMPEL is now recruiting several young researchers with different competencies within the battery value chain, with the ambition to build a unique interdisciplinary research and education environment. This initiative is based on a strong partnership between academia and industry to drive research and development forward.

Within the COMPEL initiative at Uppsala University, an assistant senior lecturer will be employed at the Department of Chemistry at Ångström Laboratory to pursue research and education in the field of Inorganic solid-state chemistry of battery materials. The new assistant senior lecturer is invited to collaborate with the department's and COMPEL's researchers in an environment that supports the establishment of their own research group. The position comes with a starter package.

Description of subject area of the employment: Inorganic solid-state chemistry constitutes a vital part of battery research, and encompasses both anode, cathode and solid-state electrolyte materials, as well as other battery components. The synthesis, application and characterization of these materials belongs to the core of battery materials research. Synthesis involves gas phase techniques, sol-gel methods and high-temperature bulk fabrication, while characterization involves primarily diffraction techniques (x-rays, neutrons) but with several spectroscopy methods also being important. Here, the use of large-scale infrastructure is today essential for cutting-edge research. We are now seeking a new co-worker with this type of expertise.

Duties:

• Teaching, research and administration. Teaching duties include course responsibility and course administration and supervision of second- and third-cycle students. The research is primarily considered to have an experimental focus.
  
  
• Follow developments within the subject area and the development of society in general that is important for the work at the university.
  
  
• Build your own research group within the department by defining and planning research activities within the framework of the subject area described above, seek external research funds, supervise post docs.
  
  
• Initiate and contribute to collaborations between research groups at Uppsala University as well as with other organizations and industry and especially actively participate in, and contribute to, the COMPEL environment at Uppsala University and in Sweden.

Appointment Period: The position can be held for a maximum of six years. An Assistant Professor can apply for promotion to Associate Professor. If the Assistant Professor is deemed suitable and fulfills the criteria for promotion established by the Faculty Board he/she shall be promoted to and employed as Associate Professor.

Qualifications Required:

• PhD in Chemistry or equivalent involving inorganic solid-state chemistry. Applicants who have obtained a PhD degree or achieved the equivalent competence in seven years or less prior to the end of the application period will be given priority.
  
  
• Research Expertise and Teaching Expertise. It is necessary that the pedagogical skills, the research expertise and the professional skills are relevant to the content of the employment and the tasks that will be included in the employment.
  
  
• Applicants should have completed teacher training of relevance to operations at the University, comprising five weeks, or have acquired the equivalent knowledge. If special circumstances apply, this training for teachers in higher education may be completed during the first two years of employment.
  
  
• Documented ability to teach in Swedish or English is a requirement unless special reasons prevail.
  
  
• Personal capabilities necessary to carry out fully the duties of the appointment.

Assessment Criteria/Ranking of applicants that fulfil the above-mentioned qualifications required

The ranking of eligible applicants will be based primarily on research and teaching expertise, of which weight will be primarily given to research expertise.

Research Expertise comprises research merits as well as the applicant´s potential to contribute to the future development of both research and teaching. In assessing research expertise research quality must be the prime consideration. The scope of research, primarily in regard to depth and breadth, must also be afforded consideration. In assessing research expertise special weight will be attached to research merits in inorganic solid-state chemistry, involving relevant synthesis methods for materials and characterization thereof. For synthesis, sol-gel methods are of particular interest. For characterization, diffraction techniques and neutron scattering are of particular interest. Experience of battery materials, either through synthesis or characterization, is essential for the position. Thereby, experiences of battery prototype fabrication and testing is an advantage

Teaching Expertise comprises educational and teaching qualifications. In assessing teaching expertise teaching quality must be the prime consideration. The scope of teaching experience, in terms of both breadth and depth, must also be afforded consideration. In assessing teaching expertise special weight will be attached to merits in chemistry, particularly inorganic and solid state chemistry, especially materials synthesis and characterization. Diffraction techniques and use of large-scale infrastructure are of particular interest.

Administrative Expertise is important for the employment and will be given consideration Administrative expertise is demonstrated, for example, through the capacity to plan, organise, and prioritise work in an efficient and task-related manner as well as through the ability to assign and observe time frames. Expertise includes overall operational planning and the capacity to manage resources in a way that reflects operational priorities as well as the ability to work in a structured manner based on an awareness of goals and quality.

Management Expertise is important and will be afforded consideration. Management expertise is demonstrated through the capacity to lead operations and personnel, make decisions, take responsibility, and motivate others, providing them with what is needed for the efficient achievement of common goals. The abilities to coordinate the group and help create a sense of involvement, participation, and enjoyment in work and to deal with conflicts constitute further examples of demonstrated expertise.

Collaboration Expertise is important and will be afforded consideration. Collaborative expertise is demonstrated by the ability and skill of planning, organizing and implementing interaction with the surrounding community. Popular publications, public debate and lectures are examples of forms of interaction with the surrounding community. Other examples of collaboration are patent applications, commercialization and industrial cooperation. The ability to translate knowledge sharing with the surrounding community into activities of importance to the education's development and quality is part of the collaboration expertise.

All merits must be documented in a manner that makes it possible to assess both quality and scope.

In filling this position the university aims to appoint the applicant who, following a qualitative holistic assessment of her/his competence and expertise, is judged to have the best potential to carry out and develop the relevant duties and to help advance operations.

Further information

In an overall assessment of the applicant’s qualifications, parental leave, part-time work relating to care of children, union assignments, military service, or the like are to be regarded as work experience.

University appointment regulations

Faculty appointment regulations

Instructions for application

For further information about the position, please contact Professor Daniel Brandell, +46-18-4713709 or Professor Erik Berg, Erik.Berg@kemi.uu.se.

Type of position: Temporary full-time position six years.

Number of positions: 1

Town: Uppsala

Salary: Individually negotiated salary.

Starting date: as agreed

Scope of employment: 100%

Please submit your application by May 22 2025, UFV-PA 2025/712.

In the event of any disagreement between the English and the Swedish versions of this announcement, the Swedish version takes precedence.

If you are an international candidate, you will find a lot of information about working and living in Sweden at www.uu.se/joinus.