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Paul Scherrer Institut

PhD Student in Proton Transport in Clays and Physical Chemistry Paul Scherrer Institute in Switzerland

Degree Level

PhD

Field of study

Chemistry

Funding

Full funding available

Deadline

Aug 31, 2026

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Country

Switzerland

University

Paul Scherrer Institut

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Keywords

Chemistry
Environmental Science
Materials Science
Electrochemistry
Python Programming
Physics

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About this position

PhD opportunity at the Paul Scherrer Institute in Switzerland for a project on proton transport in clays, physical chemistry, materials science, and related environmental chemistry topics.

The project is part of a multidisciplinary collaboration between the Laboratory for Waste Management (LES), the Laboratory for Neutron Scattering and Imaging (LNS), and the Water Electrodynamics Group at TU-Hamburg. The PhD student will investigate proton diffusion in bulk and confined water, including vehicular diffusion, Grotthuss hopping, and surface-mediated proton transfer.

Research tasks include preparing and characterizing clay samples and oriented clay films, studying proton mobility with quasi-elastic neutron scattering (QENS) at SINQ/PSI, developing data analysis tools, and building an experimental setup for radiotracer diffusion in thin clay films. The student will also conduct tracer diffusion and electromigration studies, present results at conferences, publish in peer-reviewed journals, and write a PhD thesis.

Eligibility highlights: a Master's degree or equivalent in physical chemistry, environmental chemistry, or a closely related field; prior chemical laboratory experience; motivation for hands-on lab work; ability to use advanced data analysis tools such as Python; and an advantage for candidates with spectroscopic techniques or molecular simulations experience. Excellent English is required, and German is beneficial.

Funding/contract: fixed-term PhD position for 4 years, linked to the doctoral programme at the University of Bern, subject to satisfactory progress. No stipend amount is stated.

Application deadline: 31 August 2026, 23:59 (Europe/Zurich). Apply online through the PSI portal and include a motivation letter and referee addresses.

Funding details

Full funding including tuition fees and living expenses is available for this position. The scholarship covers all educational costs and provides a monthly stipend.

How to apply

Please submit your application including a cover letter, CV, academic transcripts, and contact information for two references. Applications should be sent via the online portal before the deadline.

More information can be found here

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