PhD student in Physical Chemistry with Focus on Light- and Spin-Based Spectroscopies

The Department of Chemistry - Ångström conducts research and education in the chemistry field. The department has more than 270 employees and has a turnover of 300 million SEK. At the department's six programs, we conduct very successful research of a high international standard. We have a large number of externally funded research projects, often with international cooperation and we see continued good growth in our subject area. The department has education assignments in engineering programs and master's programs. More information is available on our website. 

Duties 

The PhD candidate will be responsible for conducting advanced spectroscopic investigations of novel molecular materials capable of undergoing singlet fission. The primary techniques will include time-resolved optical spectroscopy, such as transient absorption as well as electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. The student will design, perform, and analyze experiments aimed at understanding the mechanisms of triplet pair formation and coherence, with the broader goal of establishing design principles for efficient singlet fission. Additional responsibilities include the writing of scientific manuscripts, presentation of research findings at internal meetings and international conferences, and active participation in collaborative discussions within the research group.

Description of research project: The project is rooted in fundamental physical chemistry and aims to explore the photophysical behavior of molecular systems with potential applications in quantum information technologies, such as quantum sensing. By combining light- and spin-based spectroscopies, the research seeks to uncover the underlying principles that govern singlet fission and triplet dynamics. While the focus is on fundamental understanding, successful outcomes may open pathways toward applied research in molecular quantum technologies.

Requirements

To meet the entry requirements for doctoral studies, you must

• been awarded a second-cycle degree in Chemistry, Physics or equivalent.
• have completed at least 240 credits in higher education, with at least 60 credits at Master’s level including an independent project worth at least 15 credits, or
• acquired essentially equivalent knowledge in some other way in Sweden or abroad.

The candidate must have:

• very good oral and written proficiency in English.

Consideration will also be given to good collaborative skills, drive and independence, and how the applicant’s experience and skills complement and strengthen ongoing research within the department, and how they stand to contribute to its future development.

Additional qualifications

Experience with transient absorption and/or EPR is particularly meritorious. Likewise, experience with programming in MATLAB, Python, or similar for data analysis is highly valued.

About the employment

The employment is a temporary position according to the Higher Education Ordinance chapter 5 § 7. Scope of employment 100 %. Starting date 1st November or as agreed. Placement: Uppsala

Rules governing PhD students are set out in the Higher Education Ordinance chapter 5, §§ 1-7 and in Uppsala University's rules and guidelines.

For further information about the position, please contact: Victor Gray +46737025030 victor.gray@kemi.uu.se 

Please submit your application by 15 September 2025, UFV-PA 2025/2408.