Associate Professor or DTU Tenure Track Assistant Professor in Experimental Electrochemistry - DTU Energy

If you are establishing your career as scientist and you are looking for the best possible foundation for fulfilling your dreams and ambitions, it could well be here right in front of you. At DTU Energy you will have the opportunity to break new ground and work on the electrochemical science and technologies that we need for the green transition, in a collaborative, diverse, dynamic, and family-friendly organization.

Electrolysis plants will constitute an essential part of any Power-to-X-scheme to produce green fuels in future. For efficient synthesis and use of fuels, different types of electrolysis and fuel cells will be important. At DTU Energy we pursue R&D in several different fuel/electrolysis-cell technologies as a part of our broad focus on electrochemical energy conversion and storage technologies, including solid oxide fuel/electrolysis cells, alkaline electrolysis, polymer fuel cells, molten salt-based electrochemical processes, as well as organic electrosynthesis.

The intermittent nature of electricity production from wind and sun requires technologies for energy storage at both short and long time scales. This and the need to electrify transport calls for cheap and sustainable battery technologies. At DTU Energy we do R&D on novel types of flow batteries, next-generation metal and metal ion batteries, as well as solid-state batteries with a special focus on only using elements of high abundance.

Furthermore, direct carbon capture and (electrochemical) utilization is important both for the remediation of atmospheric CO2 and for the sustainable synthesis of fuels and chemicals. At DTU Energy we investigate novel materials and processes addressing carbon capture and electrochemical conversion of CO2 to valuable chemicals. 

Common to these technologies, all based on electrochemical cells, is that their development relies strongly on accurate and efficient techniques for the characterization of electrochemical performance. Such techniques enable us to identify what limits performance and operational lifetime. Detailed insight into the electrochemical performance of materials employed in different conversion and storage cells also serves to focus the associated materials engineering for faster discovery and development of next-generation cell materials. 

We are looking for experienced and visionary scientists in electrochemical science and technology, who can help accelerate the discovery and development of novel and improved materials, processes, and techniques for electrolysis (power to X, electrified chemicals production), batteries and other electrochemical devices.

Responsibilities and qualifications 
Your main focus will be to strengthen the department’s competencies and research broadly within characterization of electrochemical devices and electrode processes. Depending on your background we expect you to contribute to several of the following areas:

• Development of improved methodologies and experimental facilities for SOEC testing enabling identification of elementary steps of the electrode reactions. 
• Development of methodologies for test of electrochemical cells at high pressure. 
• Development of accurate and fast methodologies for characterization of solid-state batteries and electrochemical cells based on proton-conducting ceramics.
• Detailed characterization of both homogeneous and heterogeneous electro-catalytic electrode processes.
• Research in materials and methods for “electro-synthesis” of chemicals 
• Project management of national and international projects involving electrochemical characterization. 
• Securing funding for our research on electrochemical cells.       

In carrying out our research we work in project-teams, so besides interacting with colleagues in your own section, you will work together with colleagues from other sections specializing in, e.g., materials synthesis, modelling, component manufacture, or microstructural characterization to carry out the targeted project work. Hence, we expect you to contribute to the identification of new materials and the development of improved components/devices/processes from the insights gained in the testing.

You must be responsible for the teaching of courses. DTU employs two working languages: Danish and English. You are expected to be fluent in at least one of these languages, and in time are expected to master both.

As formal qualification you must hold a PhD degree (or equivalent). If you are applying for the associate professor position, you should also have academic qualifications equivalent to those obtained by holding an assistant professorship and documented didactic/pedagogic training.

You will be assessed against the responsibilities and qualifications stated above and the following general criteria:

• Experience and quality of teaching 
• Research experience 
• Research vision and potential
• International impact and experience 
• Societal impact
• Innovativeness, including commercialization and collaboration with industry
• Leadership, collaboration, and interdisciplinary skills
• Communication skills

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 assistant professor position is part of DTU’s Tenure Track program. Read more about the program and the recruitment process here .

You can read more about career paths at DTU here . 

The positions are full time and we expect to recruit two associate/assistant professors.

Further information 
Further information may be obtained from Professor Peter Vang Hendriksen (pvhe@dtu.dk) or Professor Johan Hjelm (johh@dtu.dk).

You can read more about DTU Energy at https://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
Please submit your online application no later than 15 October 2023 (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)
• Vision for teaching and research 
• CV including employment history, list of publications (applicants applying for the position as associate professor should indicate scientific highlights), H-index and ORCID (see http://orcid.org/ )
• Teaching portfolio  including documentation of teaching experience
• Academic Diplomas (MSc/PhD)

You can learn more about the recruitment process here .

Please indicate whether you are applying for the position as Associate or Assistant Professor.

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.

DTU Energy is focusing on functional materials and their application in sustainable energy technology. Our research areas include fuel cells, electrolysis, solar cells, and batteries as well as advanced filtration devices. We are ca. 250 employees organized in 7 sections and three teams.  

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.