A postdoctoral position is available in the research group of Professor Maria Ibáñez at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA).

Advanced microstructural characterization of functional materials by transmission electron microscopy. The project will focus on understanding the relationships among processing, microstructure, defects, and material properties using high- and atomic-resolution electron microscopy.

The successful candidate will have access to a new aberration-corrected transmission electron microscope and will work closely with researchers developing nanostructured and bulk functional materials.

Your profile

Required qualifications and experience

• PhD in Materials Science, Nanoscience, Chemistry, Physics, or a closely related field.
• Extensive hands-on experience in advanced TEM/STEM.
• Strong experience in microstructural characterization of materials, including identification and analysis of defects, interfaces, grain boundaries, secondary phases, and nanoscale precipitates.
• Experience with high-resolution TEM and/or atomic-resolution STEM imaging.
• Experience in the preparation of electron-transparent lamellae, preferably using focused ion beam (FIB) techniques.
• Strong knowledge of crystallography, diffraction, and defect analysis.
• Ability to independently design, perform, analyze, and interpret electron microscopy experiments.
• Experience connecting microscopic structural features with materials processing and physical properties.
• High motivation, scientific independence, and strong problem-solving skills.
• Excellent written and spoken English.

Highly desirable experience

• Experience with aberration-corrected TEM/STEM.
• Advanced STEM techniques such as HAADF-STEM, ABF-STEM, or related imaging modes.
• Experience with STEM-EDS and/or EELS for nanoscale chemical and electronic-structure analysis.
• Detailed analysis of dislocations, stacking faults, twins, grain boundaries, strain fields, and other crystallographic defects.
• Experience with electron diffraction, including selected-area diffraction, nanobeam diffraction, or 4D-STEM.
• Experience with quantitative image analysis, strain mapping, or crystallographic orientation analysis.
• Experience with semiconductor, thermoelectric, or other functional inorganic materials, particularly metal chalcogenides, is an advantage.

Application documents: Please email a motivation letter and CV to Prof. Ibáñez mibanez@ista.ac.at