Tampere University and Tampere University of Applied Sciences create a unique environment for multidisciplinary, inspirational and high-impact research and education. Our universities community has its competitive edges in technology, health and society. Read more: www.tuni.fi/en

Tampere University invites applications for 1-2 Postdoctoral Research Fellows to join the research team of Academy Research Fellow Dr. Erkka J. Frankberg working within the laboratory of Ceramic Materials and the Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences (ENS). The team of Dr. Frankberg studies the synthesis and mechanical properties of damage tolerant oxide thin films and has discovered a ceramic material capable of room temperature plasticity. Read more about the team’s recent work from Science, Advanced Materials and the university website. 

The open positions focus on the research of damage tolerant amorphous oxide coatings, such as amorphous Al₂O₃ and Ga₂O₃, tailored for industries that contribute to future products and sustainable development, such as solid oxide fuels cells, Li-ion batteries, damage tolerant future electronics, damage tolerant tooth laminates, and replacement of PFAS-chemicals in cooking utensils. The emphasis is on advanced vacuum-based thin film deposition and characterization of the deposited materials. The mechanical resilience of the deposited materials is studied using application-relevant standardized methods such as bending, scratching and nanoindentation. The ENS faculty has state-of-the art facilities for materials synthesis, characterization and mechanical testing and the university’s whole research infra can be utilized on demand.

Job Description

You will contribute to cutting-edge research in the field of functional oxide coatings, exploring their synthesis, structure-property relationships, and performance in demanding industry-relevant environments.

Key responsibilities of the position include:

• Fabrication of amorphous oxide coatings using vacuum-based thin film deposition techniques, mainly focusing on pulsed laser deposition.
• Characterization of the structure and properties of the deposited coatings using for example, electron/light based techniques, XRD techniques, and mechanical testing.
• Collaboration with industrial and institutional project partners to test the coating properties in relation to specific industrial demands.

The work will be done within the project “Damage tolerant ceramics in the technology industry - VASIKER” which is co-funded by the European Union. The companies involved in the project are Elcogen Oy, Pulsedeon Oy, Seldeon Oy, Stick Tech Oy, Heirol Oy, and the institutional partner is Turku Clinical Biomaterials Centre from University of Turku. Pulsedeon develops commercial pulsed laser deposition manufacturing solutions, while Elcogen, Seldeon, Stick Tech and Heirol develop products based on ceramic thin films/coatings.

The goal of the work is to publish cutting-edge research results in peer reviewed journals and to contribute to the project coordination, reporting and dissemination, and assist in planning of future research projects. The postdoctoral fellowship will give the candidate the training and experience needed to apply for more advanced positions within academia, and to apply for personal research funding. In addition, the fellowship trains in transferable skills allowing the candidate to effectively communicate with the industry related to the field of study and provides tools to pursue an industry career.

Tampere University is a unique, multidisciplinary, forward-thinking and evolving community. Our values are openness, critical thinking, diversity, learner-centredness, courage, erudition and responsibility. We hope you can embrace these values and promote them in your role. 

Requirements

A successful candidate will have a doctoral degree (PhD) in Materials Science, Chemistry, or Physics with experience in Materials Sciences (Ceramics/Glasses/Metals) and in materials characterization techniques, such as electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction/tomography, spectroscopy methods, atomic force microscopy or any other relevant techniques. The candidate is expected to be able to conduct research work independently and to be fluent in spoken and written English. Previous international experience and networks are also appreciated.

In addition, previous experience in any of the following topics is considered an asset: 1) vacuum-based thin film deposition techniques and devices, e.g., pulsed laser deposition, sputtering, atomic layer deposition, evaporation. 2) Mechanical testing theory and methods for ceramic/glass/thin film materials, such as 2, 3 or 4-point bending, nanoindentation, multiaxial bending (ball-on-three balls, ring-on-ring etc.), micromechanical testing (micropillars/microcantilevers methods) or 3) Fracture toughness testing theory and methods (such as notched cantilever methods and related focused ion beam fabrication).

We offer

The Postdoctoral Research Fellow position in the team of Dr. Frankberg offers a unique opportunity to have internationally high-quality postdoctoral training and to develop your competency and own research ideas for an academic career. The work is done in close collaboration with companies co-funding the project, allowing you to learn transferable skills. Personal training will be given on how to apply personal grants on national and EU level, and a career development plan will be written for the candidate with the help of the experienced PI.

The positions will be filled for a fixed-term period of max. 32 months. The starting time is negotiable but preferably the start is as soon as possible. A trial period of six months applies to all our new employees. 

The salary will be based on both the job requirements and the employee's personal performance in accordance with the Finnish University Salary System. The position of a Postdoctoral Researcher is placed on the job demands level 5-6 (teaching and research staff). A typical starting salary of a Postdoctoral Researcher is around 3700–4000 EUR/month.

The team of Dr. Frankberg is part of the Engineering Materials Science subunit at Tampere University, which hosts 11 laboratories working at the interphase of natural science and applied sciences, with fundamental knowledge on all major materials groups and their characterization. The low hierarchy in our community encourages you to look for collaboration and advice at any stage of your work and career. Working in the team of Dr. Frankberg, amorphous oxide materials are also studied by computational methods by other members of the team, giving you full understanding of the materials and active mechanisms at the atom scale.

As a member of staff at Tampere University, you will enjoy a range of competitive benefits, such as occupational health care services, flexible work schedule, versatile research infrastructure, modern teaching facilities and a safe and inviting campus area as well as a personal fund to spend on sports and cultural activities in your free time. Please read more about working at Tampere University and information about Tampere University as an employer. You can also find more information about us and working and living Tampere by watching our video: Tampere Higher Education Community - our academic playground.  

Finland is among the most stable, free and safe countries in the world, based on prominent ratings by various agencies. Tampere is the largest inland city of Finland, and the city is counted among the major academic hubs in the Nordic countries. Tampere region is the most rapidly growing urban area in Finland and home to a vibrant knowledge-intensive entrepreneurial community. The city is an industrial powerhouse that enjoys a rich cultural scene and a reputation as a centre of Finland’s information society. Tampere is also surrounded by vivid nature with forests and lakes, providing countless opportunities for easy-to-access outdoor adventures and refreshment throughout the year. 

Read more about Finland and Tampere City:

• Visit Finland
• This is Finland
• Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment: Welcome to Finland
• Visit Tampere

How to apply

Please submit your application through our online recruitment system. The closing date for applications is October 5^th, 23:59 EEST / UTC +3. Please write your application and all accompanying documents in English and attach them in PDF format.

Applications should include the following documents:

• Curriculum Vitae including the list of scientific publications 
• Contact information of 1–2 people that can be contacted for references
• Letter of motivation in free form (max. 1 page) highlighting your most important achievements and describing your skills and competencies relevant for the position described above.

For more information, please contact:

Academy Research Fellow, Team leader Dr. Erkka Frankberg,

tel. +358469219827, erkka.frankberg@tuni.fi

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Tampereen yliopisto ja Tampereen ammattikorkeakoulu muodostavat yhdessä Suomen toiseksi suurimman monitieteisen, innostavan ja vaikuttavan tutkimus- ja oppimisyhteisön. Korkeakouluyhteisömme osaamiskärjet ovat tekniikka, terveys ja yhteiskunta. Lue lisää: www.tuni.fi

TkT. Erkka Frankbergin johtama tutkimusryhmä Tampereen yliopistosta etsii 1-2 tutkijatohtoria materiaalitieteen ja -tekniikan alalta. Työ tehdään projektissa VASIKER ”Vaurioita sietävät keraamit teknologiateollisuudessa”. Projekti tehdään yhteistyössä yritysten ja Turun Kliinisen Biomateriaalikeskuksen kanssa.

Frankbergin ryhmä tutkii oksidikeraamien plastista muodonmuuotosta ja murtomekaniikkaa kokeellisen ja laskennallisen materiaalitieteen avulla ja kehittää vaurioita sietävien keraamisten ohutkalvojen valmistustekniikkaa.

Tehtävänkuvaus

Tutkijatohtorin tehtäviin kuuluu projektin koordinointi, materiaalien synteesi vakuumipohjaisia pinnoitusmenetelmiä käyttäen, syntetisoitujen materiaalien karakterisointi ja mekaaninen testaus yrityksille relevanteissa laboratorio-olosuhteissa.

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Hakuaika tehtävään päättyy 05.10.2025 klo 23.59.