Postdoctoral Researcher, Corrosion

Are you interested in how corrosion impacts sustainability and looking for a postdoctoral opportunity in the field? Would you like to develop innovative technology with superb colleagues who are top experts in their field? Do you want to build an excellent science career and work at the interface of academy and industry? Are you enthusiastic about working with fascinating projects in state-of-the-art research facilities? VTT might be just the place for you. If you are an international talent searching for a new opportunity, read more about the benefits of living in Finland and VTT’s support for relocation here! 

VTT is one of the leading applied research organisations in Europe. What unites us are curiosity, a passion for learning and a purpose: to solve the biggest challenges of our time and turn them into sustainable growth and well-being. Our cross-disciplinary community of over 2300 brilliant minds from almost 60 different nationalities is focused on creating impact through science-based innovation. In recent years, we have created ground-breaking innovations such as the world's fastest and most accurate radiation detector, a cancer-sniffing sensor device for smartphones, and a headphone set entirely made of microbial materials. Get to know us further by exploring VTT's tech & infra. 

We are now looking for a Postdoctoral Researcher to join our materials Performance and interactions team for a fixed-term three-year contract starting in January 2025! 

VTT started a Postdoc programme in 2023 to develop new ways to support scientific excellence and to strengthen career paths from universities to VTT. We want to provide development opportunities for recent university PhDs in applied research and industry collaboration. As a Postdoctoral Researcher at VTT, you are able to make an impact on our customers and society. Our researchers work closely together with industry, often in interdisciplinary research groups. VTT has excellent research infrastructure and internal services to support your research work. 

We are now recruiting four Postdoctoral Researchers in the Knowledge Driven Design research area to boost the concept of a Materials Acceleration Platform (MAP). 

The MAP (Materials Acceleration Platform) concept is a next era of materials science beyond integrated computational materials engineering. It comprises set of highly automated building blocks merging experimental and modelling capabilities. It utilizes quantum computing, and application of data analytics and AI for the generation of new information and knowledge of materials.   

In this Postdoctoral Researcher position, you will have an essential role in defining the corrosion behaviour of materials in aggressive conditions, utilising electrochemical and characterisation methods. Our team “Materials performance and interactions” works on studying the degradation of materials related to mainly corrosion and tribology. To create new sustainable solutions, materials’ durability in increasingly aggressive environments is often the key – and understanding the reasons for materials’ degradation is one of the essential factors in developing new materials, as well as making better materials selection for the applications.  

We focus on solving material challenges in diverse industrial applications. In our team you will be working in close collaboration with researchers and scientists from many different domains in material research and testing as well as microbiology. 

The position is located in Espoo, Finland. 

Read more about our research:  

A day in the life of a Corrosion scientist -read what a typical day for looks like for your future colleague Andressa 

Corrosion in biomass power plants – | VTT News (vttresearch.com) 
Your responsibilities as a Postdoctoral Researcher:  

• Actively engaging in experimental research, monitoring and modifying the laboratory set ups: participating in conducting experimental work, its analysis and characterisation 
• Creating a process to enhance our ability to use and commercialize the research results and data, and how to make our data usable in computational materials science 
• Advancing the knowledge of material behaviour in association with alternative fuels and circular economy in specified projects 
• Collaborating in research team and project group with co-writing and project work  
• Utilizing our existing data and co-writing articles about the results: You’ll use your advanced skills in English to write research reports and publications that help the team communicate its results impactfully 
• Tutoring junior team members​ 
• Collaborating in project preparations 

Who we are looking for: 

• You have recently (max 5 years ago) gained your doctoral degree in corrosion engineering, materials science or chemistry, or a closely related field. 
• You have experience in electrochemistry and knowledge of materials and their characterisation methods. 
• You have excellent communication skills in English, both written and spoken. 
• You understand also the wider general as well as practical implications of material challenges in the changing industry and society and are willing to tackle those issues 
• You have hands-on experience in electrochemistry 

As a person, we hope that you are: 

• An open-minded and innovative person with a vision of longer-term research needs. 
• You are eager to work with new topics and methods, even out of your comfort zone to achieve the set ambitious goals. 
• You like to network, and tackle challenges as a part of even a bigger group of experts across various fields 

With VTT, you’ll enjoy:  

• Science with an impact. At VTT, we seek to solve large societal challenges and drive a sustainable future through applied research and innovation. With us, you’ll get to work on research projects that make a concrete, positive impact in the world. Read more about our strategy, the path of exponential hope, and our organisational culture as the builder of the world's most meaningful place to work. 
• Support for your postdoc research. During your postdoctoral term, we offer training in project management, scientific writing, communication, and commercialisation. You’ll have the opportunity collaborate with industry on projects, access our research infrastructure and internal support services, explore interdisciplinary research, and secure funding for your postdoc term. At VTT, you’ll enjoy flexibility and independence in your work, with a blend of academic research and engaging customer projects for an exciting career path. 
• Open culture of innovation. We have 80 years of experience in science-based innovation, a strong international reputation and global networks. We work truly across disciplines, and house all the cutting-edge sciences from quantum computing to synthetic biology under one roof. At VTT, you’ll join a community of over 2200 multidisciplinary experts who foster a culture of trust, openness and sharing knowledge. Collaborating with amazing colleagues is a source of learning, inspiration, and fun. 
• Nordic work-life balance. Working in Finland, the happiest country in the world, enables a great quality of life. At VTT, we make our people’s well-being a strategic priority. On top of 6 weeks of paid holidays annually (after one year of work), our benefits include extended occupational healthcare, and a range well-being services, such as exercise and culture benefits and hobby clubs. Read more about the benefits of living in Finland and VTT’s support for relocation. 

Apply now and join our community of brilliant minds! 

Please send your CV and application via our recruitment system as soon as possible but at the latest by 30th September 2024. We will process applications as they come in and fill in the position as soon as we find the right candidate. A security clearance procedure may be conducted during the recruitment process. 

Interested and want to hear more? 

For further information, please contact Research Team Leader Vilma Ratia-Hanby, vilma.ratia-hanby@vtt.fi, tel. +358 406 887 168 on 11.9. at 9-11 EET or 19.9. at 13-15 EET. 

We look forward to hearing from you! 

This postdoc position is part of Postdoctoral Programme for Research Institutes. The Programme has been granted 40 million euros in funding based on the Finnish government's multi-annual research and development (R&D) funding plan. This funding enables recruitment of 85 PhD-level experts to 12 Finnish government research institutes between 2025 and 2028. The aim of the Programme is to strengthen RDI competence in areas important to society and business. Postdoctoral researcher will conduct goal-oriented high-level research at the interface between the academic community, industry and administration. The Programme supports postdoctoral researcher’s networking and mobility between sectors.

Apply between 6 September 2024 and 30 September 2024 14:37 (Europe/Helsinki)

Employment type: Full-time, three-year PostDoctoral contract starting in January 2025

VTT

VTT is a visionary research, development and innovation partner. We drive sustainable growth and tackle the biggest global challenges of our time and turn them into growth opportunities. We go beyond the obvious to help the society and companies to grow through technological innovations. We have 80 years of experience of top-level research and science-based results. VTT is at the sweet spot where innovation and business come together.

VTT – beyond the obvious.