We are seeking a highly motivated PhD candidate to join our research team in developing state-of-the-art Low-Dose Electron Microscopy and Electron Energy-Loss Spectroscopy methods to characterize beam-sensitive functional materials.
Specifically, the project will investigate photocatalytic semiconductors and their interfaces with biopolymers that modulate their energy-conversion performance. This multidisciplinary project is conducted in close collaboration between EPFL (Switzerland) and the Adam Mickiewicz University (Poland).
Key Responsibilities
- Develop and apply low-dose STEM-EELS and cryo-electron microscopy techniques to characterize fragile organic-inorganic interfaces down to atomic resolution.
- Develop and implement data analysis methods (in Python) to extract meaningful physical insights from low signal-to-noise datasets.
- Collaborate closely with international synthesis and theory teams to model and correlate experimental observations.
The successful candidate should possess:
- Masters degree in Physics, Materials Science, Physical Chemistry, or a closely related field.
- Programming Skills: knowledge of Python for data processing, scientific computing, or scripting.
- Some experience or theoretical background in transmission electron microscopy (TEM/STEM), EELS, or cryo-EM is desirable but not required.
- Curiosity for multidisciplinary research at the intersection of electron microscopy, energy materials, and biopolymers.
- Proficiency in spoken and written English is also required.
What We Offer
- A state-of-the-art research environment equipped with modern electron microscopy facilities and computing tools.
- Direct involvement in an international, highly collaborative interdisciplinary grant project.
- Full-time contract of a duration up to 4 years, subject to the standard requirements of the EPFL PhD program. Starting date: January 2027.
Interested candidates are invited to contact Prof. Cécile Hébert and Dr Pau Torruella with a curriculum vitae and motivation letter. Prof. Hébert and Dr Torruella can also be contacted for any further details on this PhD opening.
Prof. Cécile Hébert: [email protected]
Dr Pau Torruella: [email protected]
The position requires acceptance into the EPFL Doctoral Program in Physics (EDPY). Details on the EDPY program and application process can be found on this page: https://www.epfl.ch/education/phd/edpy-physics. Applications will be considered outside of the standard deadlines, subject to pre-screening by the LSME.