Attention: Due to limited space and administrative difficulties, we generally do not have the following positions, and application for these positions will generally not be replied.:
- Summer internships
- External master students for up to 6-month’s of project (exceptions might be made to selective French partner schools).
- PhD exchange
- Postdoc level stay of up to 12 months with a fellowship that amounts to less than 70% of EPFL standard salary.
Master’s Thesis/Research Projects
We host EPFL master students for conducting various types of projects required by their study plan. Please see this document for guidelines of application.
Ph.D. Positions
News (09.2025). All positions in the next 6 months are filled.
Recurring openings: From time to time (subject to the arrival of new funds or departure of former coworkers), we may have an opening for a Ph.D. position in one of the following areas:
(i) Biocatalysis.
(ii) Ionic membranes for electrochemical energy conversion.
(i) Electrocatalytic materials for energy conversion and storage. Typically nanoparticles or thin films. Reactions include water splitting (HER and OER), CO2 and CO reduction (both low temperature and high temperature), etc. A background in materials chemistry or electrochemistry is preferred.
(ii) Electrochemical energy devices. Construction and optimization of electrolyzers and redox flow batteries, employing state of the art components as well as new materials from the lab. A background in chemical engineering is preferred.
More information about EPFL and the Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering can be found at: www.epfl.ch and isic.epfl.ch.
Requirements: A Master’s degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or Materials is generally required. We expect you to have high grades (A-type; >5/6) and top rankings, as well as research experience in related fields. But most important is to have passion in research. Applicants whose first language is not English are recommended to provide results of the TOEFL and/or GRE tests, or other measure(s) of English proficiency. The initial appointment will be for one year. After one year you will have a qualifying exam. Those who pass the exam are definitely admitted to our PhD program. The normal duration of Ph.D. is 4 years. More information about the doctoral program can be found at: phd.epfl.ch
Interested candidates should include a curriculum vitae, copies of transcripts, names and contacts of three references, and a statement of motivation and career objective. Incomplete application will not be considered. Due to time constraint, we will only reply to those who will be further considered for on-site interviews (paid by us, available to international applicants too). If you do not hear from me within 2 weeks of initial application, please assume that you application is declined.
For applications and further information please contact:
Prof. Xile Hu
E-mail: [email protected]
The position requires acceptance in the Doctoral Program of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, for which you must file an application at: https://www.epfl.ch/education/phd/edch-chemistry-and-chemical-engineering/. Contact person: Ms. Anne-Lene Odegaard. You might contact Prof. Hu for the availability of position or a pre-evaluation of your profile before applying to the doctoral school.
Postdoctoral Position
News (09.2025). No more position in the next 9 months.
News (09.2024). We now have the following positions:
- Biocatalysis (see this file for details): Enzyme engineering. We seek to engineering and design natural enzymes to extend their application towards unnatural substrates or unconventional reaction mechanisms. We also plan to (re)design natural enzymes by computational means for abiotic reactivity. See our latest publication on our ammonia-lyase project: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/anie.202406008.The successful candidate should have one or more of the following:
- Practical experience in molecular biology techniques and enzymology (protein expression and purification, enzyme characterization and engineering, assay design)
- Strong expertise in organic chemistry and small-molecule characterization techniques including NMR, HPLC, MS.
- Basic proficiency in computational protein structure analysis and bioinformatic tools.In addition, Excellent communication skills, including fluency in English, as well as ability to conduct the project independently, although strong team-work skills are required.
The positions are initially for one-year. There is possibility to extend the position for one more year pending the progress and mutual agreements.
For all applications, please send your candidature to Prof. Hu via [email protected]. Please include a CV, research interest, and names of two reference providers. In case of a large volume of applications, we can only reply to those who will be further considered for Zoom or onsite interviews. In this case if you do not hear from me within 2 weeks of initial application, please assume that you application is declined. Note that applications that do not meet the requirements stated above (e.g., necessary academic background) will not be replied.