Elzbieta Gradauskaite

Doctoral Position in Functional Oxide Thin Films at ETH Zurich The newly established Solid-State Materials Chemistry Group in the Laboratory of Inorganic Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences (D-CHAB), ETH Zurich, is offering a fully funded doctoral position in the area of functional oxide thin films. The project focuses on crystal chemistry, structure, and dimensionality in complex inorganic solids, with the goal of creating materials that exhibit useful electric, magnetic, ferroelectric, and structural properties. The research is centered on layered perovskite-based oxides and epitaxial thin films, where strain and interfacial effects can be used to stabilize metastable phases and tune electronic and magnetic functionality. The work combines experimental thin-film growth with structural, functional, and computational methods, offering an interdisciplinary environment at one of Europe’s leading universities. Project work includes growth of epitaxial thin films and heterostructures by pulsed-laser deposition and magnetron sputtering, followed by characterization using X-ray diffraction, scanning-probe microscopy, magnetometry, synchrotron-based experiments, and device-level electrical and transport measurements. The project also involves thin-film device fabrication in a cleanroom and the use of first-principles calculations and machine-learning foundation models to identify promising metastable compositions for experimental stabilization. The position is part of a new laboratory environment being established at ETH Zurich, and the successful candidate will contribute not only to research, but also to setting up equipment, developing reliable protocols, and helping build a collaborative group culture. The group’s long-term vision is to develop materials relevant to semiconductor and photonic technologies as well as energy conversion and storage applications. Applicants should hold a master’s degree in chemistry, physics, materials science, or a related field. Strong English skills, a high level of motivation, curiosity, and independence are expected. Prior experience in thin-film deposition, solid-state synthesis, crystallography, transition-metal oxides, scanning probe microscopy, electrical transport, device fabrication, or first-principles modelling is helpful but not mandatory. The post is fully funded for four years and includes a competitive salary according to ETH standards, access to advanced deposition and characterization facilities, and excellent employment conditions. Additional benefits include public transport season tickets, car sharing, sports opportunities, childcare, and attractive pension provisions. Applications should be submitted as a single PDF through the ETH Zurich online portal and include a cover letter, CV, transcripts, referee details, and optionally a representative sample of research work. Applications are reviewed immediately and accepted until the position is filled. The targeted starting date is 1 November 2026 or by mutual agreement.

Doctoral Position in topochemical tuning of layered oxides at ETH Zurich The newly established Solid-State Materials Chemistry Group in the Laboratory of Inorganic Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences (D-CHAB), ETH Zurich is recruiting a motivated doctoral researcher. The project sits at the intersection of inorganic chemistry, materials science, and condensed matter physics, with a strong experimental focus on layered perovskite oxides, soft-chemistry, and post-synthetic tuning of functional solids. Research will explore how low-temperature topochemical transformations can alter composition, symmetry, structure, and physical properties while preserving the underlying crystal framework. The work is centered on layered perovskite oxides, whose accessible interlayer chemistry makes them ideal candidates for ion exchange, intercalation, and redox-driven modification. These transformations can be used to tune electronic, magnetic, dipolar, ferroelectric, and ionic transport properties, opening routes to future memory, logic, sensing, semiconductor, and photonic applications. The successful candidate will develop and study layered oxide precursors as thin films, single crystals, and nanoparticles using methods such as pulsed-laser deposition, floating-zone growth, and hydrothermal synthesis. Post-growth reactions will be performed using solution-based and controlled-atmosphere approaches. Structural and functional changes will be analyzed with X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, scanning-probe microscopy, magnetometry, and electrical measurements, complemented by access to large-scale facilities such as the Paul Scherrer Institute. The position is fully funded for four years and offers a competitive salary according to ETH standards, together with access to a state-of-the-art ultra-high-vacuum thin-film deposition cluster, wet-chemical and solid-state synthesis laboratories, and advanced characterization facilities. The environment is collaborative, inclusive, and research intensive, with excellent training opportunities and strong institutional support. Applicants should hold a master’s degree in chemistry, materials science, physics, or a related field, and should have a foundation in inorganic materials synthesis. Strong English skills and the ability to work in an international team are required. Helpful but non-mandatory experience includes solid-state synthesis, soft-chemical methods, hydrothermal or solvothermal synthesis, thin-film deposition, single-crystal growth, microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and electrical transport measurements. Applications must be submitted as a single PDF via the ETH Zurich online application portal and should include a cover letter, CV, academic transcripts, names and contact details of two referees, and an example of research work if available. Questions regarding the position should be directed to Prof. Elzbieta Gradauskaite at [email protected]. Review begins immediately and continues until the position is filled. Target start date: 2026-11-01 or by mutual agreement.