Researcher in Flow-chemistry-based High Throughput Experimentation

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At NTNU, 9,000 employees and 43,000 students work to create knowledge for a better world.

You can find more information about working at NTNU and the application process here.

   

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About the Position

A Researcher position is available at the Department of Chemistry, NTNU, involving the development and application of high-performance flow reactors for High Throughput Experimentation. The post is funded by the Research Council of Norway and will have a duration of at least two-years and up to four years for an exceptionally qualified candidate.

The job will be based in the NorHTE laboratory within the department of Chemistry at NTNU, Trondheim. The project will focus on the development of automated and self-optimising flow-reactors for a range of advanced functional materials. Specifically, it will involve the use and adaptation of commercial reactors, the design and construction of bespoke chemical reactors, the development of real-time instrumentation for analysing product properties, and the development of software routines for optimising product properties. The overall aim is to develop a new generation of self-optimising reactors that are capable of rapidly and reliably exploring extremely large chemical parameter spaces in search of materials with highly optimised physico-chemical properties. The Researcher will be closely involved in setting up the flow-chemistry facilities at NorHTE and will collaborate with many of its academic and industrial users.

Your immediate manager will be Prof. John de Mello.

About the project

The Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) and the University of Bergen are setting up a new national infrastructure in automated chemistry, NorHTE (“The Norwegian open infrastructure for high-throughput experimentation and scale-up”). NorHTE will give Norway’s academic and industrial research communities in chemistry and related sciences access to state-of-the-art hardware for high-throughput experimentation (HTE) and manufacturing. By offering a fast, automated and quality-assured alternative to error-prone manual methods, NorHTE will accelerate the discovery of new molecules and materials for multiple application areas, including electronics, catalysis, therapeutics, diagnostics and energy generation and conversion.

Duties of the position

• Design, adaptation and construction of flow-reactors
• Integration of in-line instruments into the flow-reactors
• Flow synthesis of functional materials
• Design and construction of self-optimising reactors
• Installation of flow-chemistry facilities at NorHTE
• Collaboration with academic and industrial users

Required selection criteria

The successful applicant will have a PhD degree within the fields of Physics, Chemistry, Materials Science, Chemical Engineering or Electronic Engineering (or a closely related field), and will have worked across the boundaries of these fields. The applicant should have a practical mindset and be comfortable designing and assembling flow-reactors and/or automated hardware.

Other requirements of the position include: 

• Good oral and written English.
• Good presentational skills.
• Strong publication record in relevant areas.

Owing to the interdisciplinary nature of the work, the candidate should be experienced in several of the following technical areas:

• Microfluidics and/or flow-synthesis;
• High-throughput experimentation;
• Self-optimising reactors / self-driving laboratories
• Synthesis of organic and inorganic functional materials;
• Electronics and hardware interfacing;
• Programming, including Matlab, Python and/or c++;
• Instrumentation for real-time chemical analysis;
• Chemometrics, advanced data analysis, and machine-learning;

Preferred selection criteria

• Experience in writing grant applications
• Experience working with industrial collaborators

Personal characteristics

• Creative individual
• Highly motivated
• Comfortable learning new skills and at working at the interface between disciplines and 
• Works well independently and as part of a team.

We offer

• exciting and stimulating tasks in a strong international academic environment
• an open and inclusive work environment with dedicated colleagues
• favourable terms in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund
• employee benefits

Salary and conditions

The gross salary for the position of 1109 Researcher is normally remunerated depending on qualifications and seniority. From the salary, 2% is deducted as a contribution to the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund. 

The duration of the position is 2 years, with the possibility of up to 2 years extension for an exceptionally qualified candidate.

The engagement is to be made in accordance with the regulations in force concerning State Employees and Civil Servants, and the acts relating to Control of the Export of Strategic Goods, Services and Technology. Candidates who by assessment of the application and attachment are seen to conflict with the criteria in the latter law will be prohibited from recruitment to NTNU

The position is subject to external funding.

It is a prerequisite that you can be present at and accessible to the institution daily. 

About the application

The application and supporting documentation must be in English.

Please note that your application will be considered based solely on information submitted by the application deadline. You must therefore ensure that your application clearly demonstrates how your skills and experience fulfil the criteria specified above.  If, for any reason, you have taken a career break or have had an atypical career and wish to disclose this in your application, the selection committee will take this into account, recognizing that the quantity of your research may be reduced as a result. 

The application must include:

• CV with list of publications
• Cover letter, describing your experience, suitability and motivation for the position
• Up to four academic works that you would like to be considered in the assessment
• Details of any projects you have managed, with information about funding, duration and size 
• Copies of certificates and diplomas 
• Names and contact information for three relevant referees 
   

In the assessment of the best qualified applicant, we will emphasise education, experience and personal suitability as well as your motivation for the position. 

NTNU is committed to following evaluation criteria for research quality according to The San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment - DORA. This means that we pay special attention to the quality and professional breadth of these works. We also consider experience from research management and participation in research projects. We place great emphasis on your scientific work from the last five years.

General information

NTNU believes that inclusion and diversity is a strength. We want our faculty and staff to reflect Norway’s culturally diverse population and we continuously seek to hire the best minds. This enables NTNU to increase productivity and innovation, improve decision making processes, raise employee satisfaction, compete academically with global top-ranking institutions and carry out our social responsibilities within education and research. NTNU emphasizes accessibility and encourages qualified candidates to apply regardless of gender identity, ability status, periods of unemployment or ethnic and cultural background.  

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The city of Trondheim is a modern European city with a rich cultural scene. Trondheim is the innovation capital of Norway with a population of 200,000. The Norwegian welfare state, including healthcare, schools, kindergartens and overall equality, is probably the best of its kind in the world. Professional subsidized day-care for children is easily available. Furthermore, Trondheim offers great opportunities for education (including international schools) and possibilities to enjoy nature, culture and family life and has low crime rates and clean air quality.

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As an employee at NTNU, you must at all times adhere to the changes that the development in the subject entails and the organizational changes that are adopted. 

A public list of applicants with name, age, job title and municipality of residence is prepared after the application deadline. If you want to reserve yourself from entry on the public applicant list, this must be justified. Assessment will be made in accordance with current legislation. You will be notified if the reservation is not accepted.

If you have any questions about the position, please contact Professor John de Mello, email john.demello@ntnu.no.  If you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact HR consultant Marie Kristiansen, e-mail: marie.kristiansen@ntnu.no 

If you think this looks interesting and in line with your qualifications, please submit your application electronically via jobbnorge.no with your CV, diplomas and certificates attached. Applications submitted elsewhere will not be considered. Upon request, you must be able to obtain certified copies of your documentation. 

Application deadline: 03.08.2025