Junior Postdoctoral Researcher (JPR) – Computational Materials Science

Job offer is published also on Euraxcess: https://euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs/473372

Profile of candidates/requirements:

• PhD degree in Physics, Materials Science, Computational Materials Science, Electrical Engineering, or a closely related discipline (obtained not earlier than 3 years before the application deadline, in line with the JPR profile);
• Documented publication record in peer-reviewed journals (at least 5 publications), appropriate to the candidate's career stage.
• Strong background in solid-state physics, quantum mechanics, and materials science.
• Knowledge of materials physics, including crystal structure, electronic structure, defects, phase stability, and the physical properties of crystalline materials and alloys.
• Research experience in theoretical, computational, or experimental investigations of materials, preferably involving semiconductor materials.
• Experience in theoretical or numerical modeling, including practical use of at least one advanced computational package (e.g., VASP, Quantum ESPRESSO, SIESTA, or equivalent).
• Experience working in high-performance computing (HPC) environments.
• Programming skills in Python or other scientific programming languages, with familiarity with numerical computing and data analysis tools (e.g., NumPy, SciPy, pandas, or equivalent).
• Ability to relate theoretical modeling to experimental observations and willingness to collaborate closely with experimental teams.
• Good command of written and spoken English.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Research experience with GaN, related III-nitrides, or other wide-bandgap semiconductor materials.
• Experience in first-principles calculations of structural, electronic, mechanical, or thermodynamic properties of materials, including investigations of relationships between atomic structure and macroscopic material properties.
• Hands-on experience in crystal growth or materials characterization (e.g., structural, optical, or electrical characterization).
• Demonstrated ability to combine theoretical calculations with experimental investigations.
• Familiarity with image analysis tools (e.g., OpenCV, scikit-image) and machine learning libraries (e.g., scikit-learn, PyTorch).
• Knowledge of the Polish language.

The Junior Postdoctoral Researcher will conduct theoretical, computational, and experimental research on GaN and related III-nitride semiconductor materials within WP4 (Materials Informatics). The work will focus on understanding their structural, electronic, optical, and thermodynamic properties, crystal defects, doping mechanisms, and growth processes using theoretical approaches, including atomistic simulations and first-principles methods such as density functional theory (DFT).

The candidate will contribute to modeling and optimization of ammonothermal GaN crystal growth in collaboration with WP1. Research activities may include numerical simulations of crystal growth mechanisms, thermodynamics, heat and mass transport, fluid dynamics, and growth kinetics. The candidate will also participate in developing a digital twin of the ammonothermal growth process by integrating physics-based models, experimental data, and predictive approaches. Using data science, machine learning (ML), and artificial intelligence (AI) methods, the team will investigate relationships between technological process parameters, material properties, defect formation, and crystal quality to support process optimization and predictive modeling.

In the area of epitaxial growth and doping technologies, the candidate will closely collaborate with experimental teams working on MOCVD, HVPE, ion implantation, and ultra-high-pressure annealing (UHPA). A solid understanding of epitaxial processes and defect formation mechanisms will be important for developing reliable simulation strategies and supporting technology optimization. The ability to combine theoretical modeling with hands-on experimental research will be particularly valued.

The candidate will collaborate with researchers across WP1–WP3, contribute to interdisciplinary scientific publications, and present research results at international conferences.

Required documents:

• Detailed Curriculum Vitae (maximum 3 A4 pages; font size not smaller than 9 pt; single line spacing; margins not smaller than 1.5 cm), including a list of publications and a summary of scientific achievements.
• Cover/motivation letter (maximum 1 A4 page; formatting rules as above), including a concise summary of scientific accomplishments (maximum 3,500 characters, including spaces), a brief description of research interests and motivation for applying, and the earliest possible starting date.
• Copy of the PhD diploma or an official document confirming the award of the doctoral degree.
• Contact details of at least one academic referee (reference letters may be requested at a later stage of the selection process).
• Signed personal data processing statement (GDPR clause).

All documents must be submitted in English in PDF format. Applications that do not comply with the formal requirements may be excluded from further consideration.

Personal data protection clause (GDPR)

Due to the entry into force of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 (General Data Protection Regulation – GDPR), we require that your application includes a statement of consent to the processing of your personal data by the institution conducting the recruitment process.

To allow us to process your data, please include the following statement in your application:

“I hereby consent to the processing of my personal data by the Institute of High Pressure of the Polish Academy of Sciences, with its registered office at Sokolowska 29/37, 01-142 Warsaw, Poland, for the purpose of carrying out the recruitment process, selecting a candidate, and concluding an employment contract at the Institute of High Pressure of the Polish Academy of Sciences. I have been informed of my rights and obligations. I understand that the provision of my personal data is voluntary.”

In accordance with Article 13 of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data (Official Journal of the EU L119/1 of 4 May 2016), the Institute of High Pressure of the Polish Academy of Sciences informs that:

1. The Controller of your personal data is the Institute of High Pressure of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Sokolowska 29/37, 01-142 Warsaw, Poland.
2. The Controller has appointed a Data Protection Officer who supervises the processing of personal data and can be contacted at: rodo@unipress.waw.pl.
3. Your personal data will be processed for the purpose of conducting the recruitment process, selecting a candidate, and concluding an employment contract with the Institute of High Pressure of the Polish Academy of Sciences.
4. The provided data will be processed pursuant to Article 221 §1 of the Act of 26 June 1974 – Labour Code (uniform text: Journal of Laws of 2018, item 917) and on the basis of your consent.
5. Provision of data within the scope required by the Labour Code is mandatory, while the remaining data are processed on the basis of your consent.
6. The data will not be shared with external entities.
7. The data will be stored until you withdraw your consent to their processing.
8. You have the right to access your personal data, to rectify or erase them, to restrict their processing, to object to processing, and to withdraw your consent at any time.
9. You have the right to lodge a complaint with the President of the Office for Personal Data Protection.

dyrekcja@unipress.waw.pl