Research Associate in opto-electronic characterisation and modelling of organic solar cells

South Kensington Campus

Salary Range: Research Assistant: £38,194 - £41,388 per annum

Salary  Range: Research Associate: £43,093 - £50,834 per annum

Summary of Post

Applications are invited for a Research Assistant to join our research team in the Experimental Solid State Group in the Department of Physics. The research is concerned with understanding the structure-property-performance relationships of organic semiconductor materials and photovoltaic devices, with the aim of understanding and building on the rapid recent rise in the performance of organic solar cells. The post is based in Physics with Professor Jenny Nelson’s group and is part of an EPSRC funded programme grant. The Research Associate will be responsible for designing and carrying out experimental measurements of the materials and devices, modelling the material and device behaviour, writing up results for publication and helping with the organisation of research.

The successful candidate will carry out experimental and computational research to investigate the fundamental electronic processes (charge separation, transport and recombination) in organic donor:acceptor heterojunctions. Duties will include: designing experimental materials systems in which the driving forces for charge separation and recombination are systematically varied; designing, building, maintaining and using experimental measurement systems to study the photocurrent, luminescence, transport and recombination dynamics in organic devices; extending measurement systems to study these phenomena under varying conditions; and developing and using theoretical and computational models to explain the observed phenomena in terms of the material properties and device design.

Duties and responsibilities

The post holder will be self-motivated and will be expected to plan and carry out research, to write and submit publications to refereed journals, to liaise with collaborators within and outside Imperial College, to assist in the maintenance and development of experimental set-ups and computer codes, to support research (Masters and PhD) students, train users and assist with the administration of the research group. This project will involve a high degree of teamwork and interdisciplinary research.

Essential requirements

You will have a PhD or about to obtain PhD (or equivalent) in physics or physical chemistry or a related subject.

In addition, it is essential to the project that you are able to demonstrate:

• Experience of research into the opto-electronic properties of semiconductor materials
• Knowledge of opto-electronic processes in organic semiconductors and of underlying concepts
• Knowledge of the device physics of solar cells, along with some experience of using or developing models of the device physics
• Experience of designing and building experimental setups to characterise opto-electronic devices.
• Experience of programming in Python or similar languages
• Experience of writing codes to control instruments and collect data
• Experience of training other researchers in experimental and/or computational methods
• Experience of completing projects and writing up research results

In addition, experience in the following areas is desirable:

• Knowledge of the theory of electronic structure and interactions in organic electronic materials
• Experience of quantum chemistry calculations
• Experience of spectroscopic measurements and of interpreting spectroscopic data in terms of material properties.

Further information

To apply, please click on the ‘Apply’ button above.

This post is available for up to 24 months, commencing from  June 2023.

Interviews will be held between 19^th May to 26^th May 2023.

*Candidates who have not yet been officially awarded their PhD will be appointed as Research Assistant within the salary range £38,194 - £41,388 per annum

Queries relating to the position should be directed to Professor Jenny Nelson, email jenny.nelson@imperial.ac.uk

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