Postdoc Fellowship in Electrolyte Development for Sustainable Batteries - DTU Energy

This two-year postdoc position is funded by Villum Experiment program and is focused on developing fluorine-free, moisture tolerant high-entropy electrolytes for Li- and Na-ion batteries.
Are you a passionate battery (electro)chemist who would like to make a positive and lasting impact on society with green technology? If so, we have an exciting postdoc opportunity for you at the Technical University of Denmark, Department of Energy Conversion and Storage (DTU Energy). We are a diverse group of scientists and engineers who are spearheading the acceleration of the discovery of green materials that could be used in next-generation energy conversion and storage devices.

We have a two-year postdoc position focusing on developing sustainable electrolytes for Li- and Na-ion applications. The project aims to design high-entropy electrolytes that are moisture-tolerant and fluorine-free. We are looking for a battery chemist who specializes in battery electrolyte development design. You will be working with colleagues with diverse backgrounds, spanning from atomic/molecular simulations and machine learning to building hardware and software for self-driving labs (SDLs). You will work closely with people working on SDL and computational modeling to make groundbreaking discoveries around high-entropy electrolytes and design them for the next-generation batteries.

We have several ongoing projects surrounding the development of electrolytes for batteries and power-to-X applications. The focus of this position is to lead the battery science activities for designing high-entropy electrolytes through collaboration with SDL and the computational modeling team. There are opportunities to expand and explore other application areas, such as polymer electrolyte development and electrolytes for power-to-X activities at DTU Energy and the Pioneer Center for Accelerating P2X Materials Discovery (CAPeX, www.capex-p2x.com).

Responsibilities and qualifications
The focus of the position is to carry out the experimental investigation of both chemical and electrochemical processes of the high-entropy electrolytes, including their ionic conductivity, electrochemical stability, transference number, viscosity, and solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) analyses, to list a few. You will employ both conventional and high-throughput experimental techniques. The main objective of the project is to design fluorine-free high-entropy electrolytes that have high moisture tolerance with their overall performance on par with or exceeding the electrolytes that are commercially used.

Your primary tasks will include:

• Formulate electrolytes and perform screening based on their physicochemical and electrochemical properties
• Perform in-depth analyses of electrolytes to gain insights into the molecular interactions of various types of salts and solvents that give rise to good/bad characteristics
• Investigate the electrode surface/SEI using techniques such as SEM/TEM, EDS, XPS, etc.
• Construction of battery cells and performing electrochemical testing, including EIS, LSV, and long-term cycling tests
• Collaborate with colleagues to automate some of the synthesis and testing procedures and incorporate them into the overall research workflow

Qualified candidates must hold a PhD degree (or equivalent) in physics, chemistry, materials science, chemical engineering, or similar fields. The candidate must also be:

• Experienced with synthesis and testing of battery electrolytes
• Experienced with battery cell assembly and electrode synthesis
• Highly motivated and passionate about the research topic
• Proactive and driven by challenges
• Able to work independently as well as within a team environment
• Excited to work in a dynamic, diverse, and interdisciplinary group
• Able to plan and carry out complicated tasks and pursue parallel paths
• Effective at communicating and reporting your work in both written and oral English

As a formal qualification, you must hold a PhD degree (or equivalent).

We offer
DTU is a leading technical university globally recognized for the excellence of its research, education, innovation and scientific advice. We offer a rewarding and challenging job in an international environment. We strive for academic excellence in an environment characterized by collegial respect and academic freedom tempered by responsibility.

Salary and terms of employment
The appointment will be based on the collective agreement with the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations. The allowance will be agreed upon with the relevant union.

The period of employment is 2 years. The starting date is 1 March 2025, which can be changed according to the mutual agreement. The position is a full-time position.

You can read more about career paths at DTU here.
Further information
Further information may be obtained from Associate Professor Jinhyun Chang ([email protected]) or Head of Section and Professor Tejs Vegge ([email protected]).

You can read more about the Department of Energy Conversion and Storage at www.energy.dtu.dk/.

If you are applying from abroad, you may find useful information on working in Denmark and at DTU at DTU – Moving to Denmark.

Application procedure
Your complete online application must be submitted no later than 22 January 2025 (23:59 Danish time).

Applications must be submitted as one PDF file containing all materials to be given consideration. To apply, please open the link "Apply now", fill out the online application form, and attach all your materials in English in one PDF file. The file must include:

• Application (cover letter)
• CV
• Academic Diplomas (MSc/PhD – in English)
• List of publications
• 2-3 references
• (Optional) Additional documents showing relevant competencies and experience

Applications received after the deadline will not be considered.

All interested candidates irrespective of age, gender, disability, race, religion or ethnic background are encouraged to apply. As DTU works with research in critical technology, which is subject to special rules for security and export control, open-source background checks may be conducted on qualified candidates for the position.

The Department of Energy Conversion and Storage is focused on education, research, and development within functional materials and their application in sustainable energy technologies. In a sustainable energy system a large part of the energy will be supplied by fluctuating sources such as solar and wind power. This makes it critically important to be able to convert and store the energy as needed. The researchers in the Department of Energy Conversion and Storage work on technologies and materials for direct conversion and subsequent storage of different forms of energy.

Technology for people
DTU develops technology for people. With our international elite research and study programmes, we are helping to create a better world and to solve the global challenges formulated in the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Hans Christian Ørsted founded DTU in 1829 with a clear mission to develop and create value using science and engineering to benefit society. That mission lives on today. DTU has 13,500 students and 6,000 employees. We work in an international atmosphere and have an inclusive, evolving, and informal working environment. DTU has campuses in all parts of Denmark and in Greenland, and we collaborate with the best universities around the world.

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