Postdoctoral Researcher (M/F) for the Synthesis and Characterization of Metal-Rich Chalcogenides for Thermoelectric Applications

Organisation/Company CNRS Department Laboratoire de cristallographie et sciences des matériaux Research Field Chemistry Physics Technology Researcher Profile Recognised Researcher (R2) Application Deadline 24 Aug 2026 - 00:00 (UTC) Country France Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Hours Per Week 35 Offer Starting Date 1 Oct 2026 Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

As part of the MetCha2D project, the postdoctoral researcher will explore various synthesis methods (polycrystalline and single-crystal) of metal-rich chalcogenides. The synthesized materials will undergo in-depth structural characterization to study the structure-property relationships for thermoelectric applications.

The researcher will be responsible for:

• Synthesis of metal-rich chalcogenide materials (polycrystalline and single-crystal) and Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS)
• Structural characterizations (X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy (SEM))
• Measurements of electronic, thermal, thermoelectric, and magnetic properties
• Interpretation of structure-property relationships

The candidate will work within the CRISMAT Laboratory, a joint research unit of CNRS, ENSICAEN, and Université de Caen Normandie. The project will be carried out as part of a Label of Excellence project (MetCha2D), in collaboration with the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Physics of Solids (Germany) for the use of large-scale facilities (e.g. ESRF) and the University of Genoa (Italy) for modeling the properties of the synthesized materials. He/She will have access to the experimental techniques provided by the CRISMAT laboratory for synthesis, structural characterization, and the measurement of magnetic and electronic properties. Short-term travel within France or abroad may be required as part of the project.The contract is for 14 months, with the possibility of extension subject to funding.This position is in a sector subject to the protection of scientific and technical potential (PPST) and therefore requires, in accordance with regulations, that your arrival be authorized by the competent MESR authority. This job offer is subject to obtaining funding and applications are submitted to the Human Resources department for consideration.

• Excellent skills in materials chemistry and synthesis (in particular chalcogenides and/or intermetallics) and basic knowledge of solid-state physics.
• Proficiency in structural characterization of materials (powder and single-crystal X-ray diffraction using FullProf or Jana, electron microscopy, experience with Origin).
• Basic knowledge of Density Functional Theory (DFT)-based first-principles methods is desirable.
• Autonomy in managing research projects and ability to interpret complex data.
• Strong scientific communication and collaborative skills, fluency in English (written and oral).