PhD Student in Numerical Modeling of Plasmonic Crystals for Solar Energy

About the role

The SNSF project "Coupled oscillations in plasmonic crystals" seeks a PhD student with experience in numerical modeling of nanostructured materials. The project studies how plasmonic oscillations couple in metallic micro- and nanostructures, aiming at plasmonic crystals with broad bands of extraordinary optical transmission in the UV-VIS-NIR range, with applications in photovoltaics, displays, OLED lighting and energy-efficient glazing. The position is within the research group SCI-ENAC-AS, Nanotechnology for Solar Energy Conversion, led by Prof. Andreas Schüler.

Key responsibilities

• Take full responsibility for the PhD dissertation
• Carry out research in close collaboration with lab members and international collaborators
• Design and run experiments and analyze and interpret the results
• Write scientific articles for peer-reviewed journals and present at international conferences
• Contribute to teaching, coach Master students and provide basic administrative support

Required profile

• Masters' degree in Physics, Optics, Micro-/Nanotechnology, Materials Science, Energy or a related quantitative field
• Sincere interest in micro-/nanostructures, plasmonics and solar energy
• Strong motivation for academic research, critical thinking, independence and teamwork
• Interest in a career combining research and teaching is an asset

Required skills

• Background in theory of light-matter interaction, FDTD simulations, multiangle UV-VIS-NIR ellipsometry and/or UV-VIS-NIR spectrophotometry
• English proficiency (French is a plus)

What we offer

• A stable position for up to 4 years, on a 1-year fixed-term contract renewable for 4 years
• Financial support according to EPFL doctoral student conditions
• An international research environment with individual supervision and access to cutting-edge equipment

Applications (CV, motivation letter, diplomas and transcripts) are submitted through the EPFL online application portal by 30 November 2026; the expected start date is 1 May 2027. Successful candidates must also enroll in an EPFL doctoral school program (EDEY, EDCE, EDMX or EDPY).