Junior researcher (doctoral student) in hydrogen research – cost-efficient green hydrogen through...

The LUT School of Energy Systems is looking for a junior researcher (doctoral student) in hydrogen research – cost-efficient green hydrogen through durable electrolysers. 

Our hydrogen research team has participated in the internationally recognized Neo-Carbon Energy , SOLETAIR , and Neo-Carbon Food  projects. In 2017 in SOLETAIR, we at LUT were the world’s first to demonstrate the production of Fisher-Tropsch fuels from the air with solar electricity. During summer 2019, the Neo-Carbon Food pilot was the first in the world to produce protein-rich biomass from the air with an in-situ electrolyser.

Are you interested in becoming part of our success story? Would you like to be a researcher studying key technologies and solutions to tackle the climate crisis? If you have the motivation and ambition to conduct international high-level research and aim to become a doctor and a highly valued expert in your field, you might be just the person we are looking for. Join our internationally recognized hydrogen research team.

In this research project, you will be a researcher in the hydrogen research group. Green hydrogen is considered a most promising pathway to meet emission reduction targets and achieve the decarbonization of the entire industry generating and using power. The production of renewable hydrogen is therefore expected to increase radically. Water electrolysers will play a key role in this development. The research contributes to the extension of the lifetime of alkaline and/or PEM electrolysers through fundamental understanding of the structure-performance-durability relationships in electrolyser single cells and short stacks. The main outcome of the doctoral research will deliver knowledge of key electrolyser degradation phenomena and new tools to address them, and thus improve the economics of water electrolysis systems operating with intermittent wind and solar power.

You must have a higher university degree (M.Sc. or equivalent) in a relevant field (e.g. chemistry, physics, materials science or similar), the ability and motivation to complete the doctoral studies within their normative duration (i.e. four years) and a postgraduate study and research plan. The employment contract can be concluded only if the candidate obtains the right to pursue postgraduate studies at LUT University. 

To achieve the project objectives, you will need basic knowledge about electrochemical, chemical and physical characterization methods of electrocatalyst materials, separator membranes and metal coatings. In addition, FEM and/or CFD modelling skills are considered an advantage. 

The employment starts with a one-year term and can be extended for another three years provided that the studies have progressed satisfactorily. 

The salary is based on the current collective agreement for Finnish universities. The typical gross starting salary for a junior researcher is approximately 30 420 euros a year (plus a holiday bonus in accordance with the collective agreement). The work starts with a six-month trial period.

The deadline for application is 30 September 2021 at midnight, Finnish local time (UTC +3 h). You can start your work in our research group directly after the recruitment process. Suitable applicants will be video interviewed.

Please send your application through the university's online application system with the following attachments:

• a curriculum vitae 
• a copy of your Master’s degree diploma; if the original documents are not in English, Finnish or Swedish, each document must be accompanied by an official certified translation into English or Finnish
• an account of important merits and activities relevant to the position
• recommendation letters. 

For further information, please contact Professor Pertti Kauranen, [email protected],  +358 50 574 8912. 

Join our team of trailblazers. Clean energy, water and air are life-giving resources for which we at LUT University seek new solutions with our expertise in technology and business. We help society and businesses in their sustainable renewal. Our international community consists of 6500 members. Our modern campuses are in Lappeenranta and Lahti. Video of our strategy: https://youtu.be/PpFawdT8CDE  

Technical support for using the recruitment system: [email protected]