As Austria's largest research and technology organisation for applied research, we are dedicated to make substantial contributions to solving the major challenges of our time, climate change and digitalisation. To achieve our goals, we rely on our specific research, development and technology competencies, which are the basis of our commitment to excellence in all areas. With our open culture of innovation and our motivated, international teams, we are working to position AIT as Austria's leading research institution at the highest international level and to make a positive contribution to the economy and society.

Our Competence Unit " Battery-Technologies ”, part of the Center for Transport Technologies located in Vienna invites applications for a PhD Thesis position. The battery is the centrepiece of modern electric drive concepts. In order to make this electric energy storage unit as efficient, powerful, cost-effective and safe as possible, together with our multidisciplinary, international team you will develop the next generation of energy storage materials for a sustainable electromobility.

This PhD position, funded through a Horizon Europe project, focuses on the development of advanced solid-state polymer batteries using novel materials and processing techniques. The research will cover polymer processing and extrusion, high-voltage cathode design and coating, comprehensive material characterization (both ex-situ and in-operando), cell assembly, designing cycling protocol, and electrochemical characterization and interpretation of battery cells. This project will not only deepen your understanding of the fundamental science behind solid-state batteries but also provide hands-on experience with practical approaches to scaling up these technologies in a rapidly evolving field.

• You will conduct a comprehensive literature review to familiarize yourself with the state-of-the-art and current development of solid-state polymer batteries, with a focus on high-voltage cathodes and lithium metal anode, and their electrochemical performance.
• You will perform polymer extrusion and carry out material characterization using in-situ and ex-situ techniques such as XRD, SEM, Raman, BET, XPS, and etc.
• You will investigate the electrochemical performance of the solid polymer electrolyte (SPE) coupled with high-voltage cathodes and lithium metal anode via galvanostatic cycling, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry and novel in-operando techniques and etc.

• You will gain hands-on experience in energy storage materials (slurry formulation and preparation, coating, cell assembly in coin cells and pouch cells, etc.) and electrochemical characterization techniques.
• You will discuss your results within an interdisciplinary team of scientists, engineers, technicians and students and actively contribute in project meetings.
• You will write technical reports and publish your findings in peer-reviewed journals.
• You will participate in national and international workshops and conferences, where you will present your work.