Up to 30% off — ends 2 Aug
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Up to 30% off — ends 2 Aug
ONLY00h00m00s
Karlstad University
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1 week ago
Postdoctoral position in Physics with focus on AI-driven photocatalytic plastic upcycling Karlstad University in Sweden
Degree Level
Postdoc
Field of study
Computer Science
Funding
Full funding availableDeadline
Aug 2, 2026
Country
Sweden
University
Karlstad University

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About this position
Karlstad University is offering a postdoctoral position in Physics with a focus on AI-driven photocatalytic plastic upcycling. The appointment is hosted by the Department of Engineering and Physics within the Faculty of Health, Science and Technology, and is part of the international SPECTRA project under the Horizon Europe EIC Pathfinder programme.
The project combines computational modelling, AI-guided molecular design, and sustainable photocatalysis to support the selective depolymerization of mixed plastics. The successful candidate will help identify metal-free organic photocatalysts and suitable operating conditions for wavelength-selective conversion of plastic waste into valuable chemicals. The research environment is international and interdisciplinary, involving collaboration with partners in Sweden, the Netherlands, and Italy across photocatalysis, reactor engineering, optical systems, modelling, AI, and sustainability assessment.
Key duties include DFT and TDDFT calculations, QM/MM and reaction-pathway modelling, extraction of molecular descriptors, development of surrogate models and active-learning workflows, and building curated datasets and FAIR computational workflows. The postholder will also contribute to project reports, publications, consortium meetings, and conference presentations. Some teaching or other departmental duties may be included, normally up to 20% of full-time employment.
Eligibility requires a PhD in physics, chemistry, computational materials science, or a closely related field, completed before appointment and normally no more than three years before the deadline. Applicants should have documented experience with DFT-based molecular calculations and molecular dynamics simulations, together with strong English communication skills. Additional desirable experience includes quantum chemistry, excited-state methods, photocatalysis, polymer degradation, HPC tools such as Gaussian, ORCA, GROMACS or LAMMPS, Python programming, reproducible workflows, and AI methods for molecular or materials science.
The appointment is a fixed-term full-time position for two years, starting as soon as possible or by agreement. Extension may be possible. The application deadline is 2026-08-02, and applications must be submitted through Karlstad University’s Varbi recruitment system under reference number REK2026/125.
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.
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