PhD fellowship in “Roll-to-Roll (R2R) development of high performance tandem photovoltaics”

The Center for Advanced Photovoltaics and Thin Film Energy Devices (CAPE), Mads Clausen Institute, University of Southern Denmark, invites applications for a fully-funded PhD fellowship in “Roll-to-Roll (R2R)development of high performance tandem photovoltaics”. The starting date is September 1st, 2022, or as soon as possible thereafter, for a 3-year period.

What we offer
The PhD position is a part of the Roll-to-Roll (R2R) activities within the new SDU CAPE research center, which aims to develop new sustainable energy technologies using scalable and green Roll-to-Roll processing techniques. This includes the H2020 project CITYSOLAR (led by CNR-ISM, Prof. Aldo di Carlo), where the focus is to develop the next-generation transparent photovoltaics for windows, focusing on novel organic-hybrid perovskite tandem solar cells and modules with high power conversion efficiencies (15%), and high average visible transmittance (AVT). CITYSOLAR is conducted by an international consortium of leading academic (CNR - Institute of Structure of Matter (ISM), FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg, University of Southern Denmark (SDU), Tor Vergata University of Rome, CNRS - The Institut Photovoltaïque d’Île-de-France (IPVF)) and industrial (ENI, EDF, Hglass) partners, together with two non-EU partners (Brilliant Matters, KAUST) belonging to Mission Innovation countries. Read more about the CITYSOLAR project at: https://www.citysolar-h2020.eu/

The majority of your working time is devoted to your own research studies. As a PhD student you are expected to develop your own ideas and communicate scientific results in English. We offer a fully funded PhD position for the duration of three years.

The successful applicant will be enrolled as a PhD student at the PhD School at the Faculty of Engineering.

What we expect
Candidates who have a previous master’s degree in a field relevant to the mentioned PhD-project may seek the fellowships (electrical engineering, material science, physics, chemistry and similar). Preferred candidates have experience with some of the following: Roll-to-Roll technology, thin films fabrication and characterization, light-management for photovoltaics, organic photovoltaics, perovskite photovoltaics, tandem photovoltaics, and photovoltaic device physics. Due to the interdisciplinary nature of the work, the candidate is expected to have excellent collaboration skills. A very good capability of communicating scientific results in English, both orally and in writing is required.

Workplace description / Research environment
We are an international research center working in the field of green energy technologies (CAPE ), and we are looking for a highly motivated Ph.D. student to join our CAPE research center at University of Southern Denmark (SDU), campus Sønderborg, in development of next-generation sustainable and high performance photovoltaics. We offer a modern, inclusive, international and interdisciplinary working environment with state-of-the-art facilities as well as a strong tradition of international collaboration. Our ambition is, to recruit, develop, and retain talented scholars committed to both academic excellence and departmental development.

Having a focus on green energy technologies - improving performance, device stability and up-scaling, the center has full access to an ISOS5 cleanroom and surface science laboratory facility for the preparation and characterization, as well as a Roll-to-Roll (R2R) facility for upscaling flexible devices. Our research center CAPE is a partner in various national and international research projects and networks that include collaboration partners from both academia and industry.

Read more on: http://www.sdu.dk/en/stillinger

Contact information
For information about the Mads Clausen Institute, please see www.sdu.dk/en/mci .

Further information about this position is available from Professor Morten Madsen, e-mail: [email protected]

Please be aware that we will not accept any email applications, as all applications must be submitted through the SDU online recruitment system.

If you experience technical problems you must contact [email protected] .  

Conditions of employment
Applicants are required to have a master’s degree (equivalent to a Danish master's degree) at the time of enrollment and employment. Employment as a PhD fellow is a 3-year salaried position (start salary amounts to approx. 3.378,- EURO per month incl. supplements).

Employment of a PhD fellow can only happen after the Head of the PhD School has approved the candidate for admission to the PhD school. Employment and enrollment will cease without further notice at the end of the period.

A PhD fellow is not allowed to have any kind of sideline employment , while enrolled as PhD fellow at the faculty.

Employment is governed by the Protocol on PhD Research Fellows signed by the Danish Ministry of Finance and the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations. Please check links for more information on salary and taxation .

The successful candidate will be enrolled at SDU in accordance with Faculty regulations and the Danish Ministerial Order on the PhD Programme at the Universities (PhD order), read more here . 

The assessment process
Read about the Assessment and selection process . Shortlisting may be used. 

Application procedure
The Faculty expects applicants to read the Faculty information for prospective PhD students and the SDU information on How to apply before applying.

The application deadline is August 15, 2022.

The application must be in English and must include the following - the required forms can be found at the above mentioned Faculty website :

• Completed TEK PhD application form for 5+3 applicants.
• Motivation letter stating your specific interest, motivation and qualifications for the project in question (max. 2 pages). Upload in the field called “Project description”. 
• Detailed Curriculum Vitae, including personal contact information, describing research, publications (if any), along with any other relevant information, e.g. teaching experience, computational skills etc.
• Verified copies of the official bachelor diploma and master's diploma and transcripts of exams.
• Completed TEK PhD form for calculation grade point average. Upload in one of the fields called “Publication”. 
• An official document describing the grading scheme of the awarding universities (if not Danish). Upload in one of the fields called “Publication”. 
• Three names and emails of researchers, who can provide an informed reference letter at short notice.
• Reference letters may also be included. You're welcome to use the form for reference letter at the Faculty website.

Further information about the PhD-study can be found at the http://www.sdu.dk/Om_SDU/Fakulteterne/Teknik/Forskning/Phd_TEK/Optagelse?sc_lang=en

Incomplete applications and applications received after the deadline will neither be considered nor evaluated.

About SDU and Sønderborg

The University of Southern Denmark was founded in 1966 and now as a multi-campus university has more than 27,000 students, almost 20% of whom are from abroad. It has more than 3,800 employees, and 115 different study programmes in the fields of the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, health sciences, and engineering. Its main campus is located in Odense, while the newest campus is located in Sønderborg.

Sønderborg encompasses both a rural idyll and the pulse of the city center. Here you will find magnificent nature with beautiful forest and a long coastline, which invites to versatile water activities, but it is in many ways a distinct study city - from the student discounts on the cafés' menu, the shopping opportunities, a festive nightlife to an active and exciting study environment characterized by professional, cultural and social networks and events. And whether you are into sports, tango, art or jazz, you will find more than 700 voluntary associations and sports clubs to back you up and give the whole family ample opportunity to unfold and cultivate their interest. Sønderborg is also a model city in Denmark on energy sustainability, in which a full CO2 neutrality will be achieved by 2029.

International applicants will be offered Danish language training as part of the employment. International Staff Office  (ISO) at SDU provides a variety of services for new employees, guests and people who consider applying for a job at the University of Southern Denmark. Among other things, the staff answers questions concerning salary , taxation and housing . For further information on what it is like working at SDU, please read “10 good reasons why you should choose SDU” . Additional information about working in Denmark can be found at Work in Denmark .

SDU is actively working with UN's 17 sustainable development goals, based on the free, critical and independent research and education. The University wishes our staff to reflect the diversity of society and thus welcomes applications from all qualified candidates regardless of their age, gender, religious affiliation or ethnicity, or any other personal background.

The application deadline is 15.08.2022.