In the research group of Prof. Börjesson, the fundamentals of photophysical systems are studied. Furthermore, are new concepts within photophysical chemistry derived, and physical-organic chemistry methodologies are used to build materials for tomorrow. The competence of the group involves both the synthesis of complex molecules and the photophysical/electrical characterization of the molecular based systems. Most often we are working with organic molecules and even though each molecule is able to perform a task on its own, our aim is not to use the single molecules but ensembles of molecules to create materials for the future. In the project, which are financed by the ERC, excitons and photons will be coupled together. This will create hybrid states and your task will be to explore how such system can funnel energy at length scales not previously possible.

For more information on the group see: Karl Börjesson | University of Gothenburg (gu.se)

For more information on strong light-matter coupling see: The Rise and Current Status of Polaritonic Photochemistry and Photophysics | Chemical Reviews (acs.org)

To see the latest group articles, click on the following link: ‪Karl Börjesson – ‪Google Scholar

General information about being a doctoral student at the University of Gothenburg can be found on the university’s doctoral student pages. 

https://medarbetarportalen.gu.se/doktorand/?languageId=100001&skipSSOCheck=true   

Duties   

A fundamental physical property of matter is its ability to interact with light. For example, plant leaves are green because they absorb visible light. However, it is less known that this light-matter interaction can be enhanced to the point where it is so strong that the photon and molecule cannot be regarded as separate entities, but as a combined system with unique properties. Nature uses strong chromophore-chromophore interactions to rapidly channel absorbed sunlight to the photosynthetic reaction centre. However, up to now, organic solar cells do not take advantage of such quantum processes to enhance light to electricity conversion. This project aim is to channel excitation energy to charge transfer states in an organic heterojunction using the delocalized nature of hybrid light-matter states. This interaction enables transport of excitation energy over distances much longer than being previously considered feasible. The outcome of your work is the description and mechanistic revelation of a novel quantum physical phenomenon that can enable production of organic solar cells from simple layered structures with unprecedented efficiencies. The phd project may also cover broader areas within molecular photophysics, such as strong exciton coupling and triplet-triplet annihilation photon upconversion.

During your studies you will become an expert within steady state and time resolved spectroscopy. Specifically, you will work at the UV/Vis regime of the electromagnetic spectrum, and you will probe both absorption and emission events at timescales from femtoseconds to microseconds. You will learn how to model the photophysics that is occurring using rate equations and how to link your experimental data to your model. Furthermore, you will learn how to simulate your studied systems from a classical electromagnetism point of view using the transfer matrix model. You will work independently within a research group consisting of about 8 researchers.

Education at third-cycle level comprises four years of full-time study, and leads to a doctoral degree.    

As part of your employment as a doctoral student, you may have departmental duties corresponding to up to 20 % of full-time employment, distributed throughout your study period. Departmental duties usually consist of teaching at first- and second-cycle levels, but may also include research and administration.  

Eligibility   

To be eligible for third-cycle studies, the applicant must meet both the general and specific entry requirements: A person meets the general entry requirements for third-cycle courses and study programs if he or she:

1. has been awarded a second-cycle qualification,
2. has satisfied the requirements for courses comprising at least 240 credits of which at least 60 credits were awarded in the second-cycle, or
3. has acquired substantially equivalent knowledge in some other way in Sweden or abroad.

To meet the specific entry requirements for third-cycle studies, applicants must: (i) have a second-cycle (advanced-level) degree in a relevant* subject area in the natural sciences, or (ii) have completed studies for at least 60 higher education credits at a second-cycle level in relevant subject areas in the natural sciences, or (iii) have completed a corresponding program of relevance to the planned third-cycle program, in Sweden or in another country, or have equivalent qualifications in Chemistry or physics

The specific entry requirements also include an acceptable command of spoken and written English. Guidelines for assessing English proficiency may include a minimum score of 550 on the TOEFL test (or 213 on the TOEFL-CBT, or 79 on the TOEFL-iBT).

Assessment criteria   

In selecting between applicants who meet the general and specific entry requirements, their ability to benefit from third-cycle studies shall be taken into account. The assessment shall attach particular importance to documented qualifications for: We seek a talented and dedicated doctoral student eager to pursue a career in physical chemistry. You should be open-minded, keen to learn and have a genuine interest in science. The ideal candidate has broad knowledge within chemistry and physics with courses in physical chemistry, optical spectroscopy and materials chemistry in the curriculum. We especially welcome applicants with documented practical experience within optical spectroscopy and scripting using MatLab or python. You should be able to work independently and within a group, and communicate well in English.   

Employment   

Once you have been admitted for education at third-cycle level, you will be employed as a doctoral student at the University of Gothenburg.  The provisions for employment as a doctoral student can be found in ordinance SFS 1993:100. Regulations for the evaluation of qualifications for education on a doctoral level are given in SFS 1993:10Initial employment as a doctoral student may apply for a maximum of one year, and may be renewed by a maximum of two years at a time. A doctoral student may be employed as a doctoral student for a maximum of eight years, but the total period of employment may not be longer than the equivalent of full-time education at third-cycle level for four years.   

Type of employment: Fixed-term employment, four years full time 

Location: Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, Gothenburg 

First day of employment: As soon as possible based on agreement. The University applies a local agreement on salaries for doctoral students.   

Contact information 

Karl Börjesson e-mail: Karl.borjesson@gu.se

Unions 

Union representatives at the University of Gothenburg can be found here:   
https://www.gu.se/om-universitetet/jobba-hos-oss/hjalp-for-sokande   

Application   

You can apply to be admitted for education at third-cycle level via the University of Gothenburg’s recruitment portal.  It is your responsibility to ensure that the application is complete as per the vacancy notice, and that the University receives it by the final application deadline. In order to apply for a position at the University of Gothenburg, you have to register an account in our online recruitment system. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that the application is complete in accordance with the instructions in the job advertisement, and that it is submitted before the deadline.

You must include the following, in PDF format

•  Personal letter
• CV
• Diploma and transcripts showing that you meet with the general entry requirement
• Proof of completion of  English 6 course or the acquired equivalent knowledge through previous studies
• Two references (name, e-mail, telephone number, relation)

If your degree is from a university outside of Sweden, check what you need to submit at https://www.universityadmissions.se/en/All-you-need-to-know1/Applying-for-studies/Documenting-your-eligibility-for-studies/Instructions-for-Masters-applicants/Specific-requirements-for-my-country1/ where you can also see what you need to submit in order to fulfill the English language requirement.

If your degree has not been verified by a Swedish authority you need to provide contact details to the issuing university, registrar or similar, that can verify the degree at our request.

Applications must be received by: 2024-02-28

Information for International Applicants 

Choosing a career in a foreign country is a big step. Thus, to give you a general idea of what we and Gothenburg have to offer in terms of benefits and life in general for you and your family/spouse/partner please visit: 

https://www.gu.se/en/about-the-university/welcome-services 
https://www.movetogothenburg.com/ 

  

The University works actively to achieve a working environment with equal conditions, and values the qualities that diversity brings to its operations.

Salaries are set individually at the University.

In accordance with the National Archives of Sweden’s regulations, the University must archive application documents for two years after the appointment is filled. If you request that your documents are returned, they will be returned to you once the two years have passed. Otherwise, they will be destroyed.

In connection to this recruitment, we have already decided which recruitment channels we should use. We therefore decline further contact with vendors, recruitment and staffing companies.