PhD Student

Project Overview

Proton‑exchanged clays are promising natural materials for sustainable batteries, supercapacitors and eco‑friendly energy technologies. Fundamental to many geochemical and biochemical processes, proton transport in confined water and on material interfaces remains poorly understood. In particular, the role of solid‑fluid interfaces in enhancing proton transport is not yet clear. The project is a multidisciplinary collaboration between the Laboratory for Waste Management LES, the Laboratory for Neutron Scattering and Imaging LNS, and the Water Electrodynamics Group at TU‑Hamburg.

During the PhD, you will conduct tracer diffusion and electromigration experiments in clays at PSI’s radio chemical laboratories, perform molecular–scale investigations of water and proton transport by quasi‑elastic neutron scattering (QENS) at SINQ/PSI, and carry out dielectric characterisation of thin clay films at TU‑Hamburg. The focus is on the fundamental molecular mechanisms controlling proton diffusion in bulk and confined water, namely vehicular diffusion, Grotthuss hopping, and surface‑mediated proton transfer.

• Prepare and characterise clay samples and oriented clay films using XRD, Mössbauer spectroscopy, electron microscopy, and electrochemical methods.
• Study proton mobility with QENS in clays at SINQ/PSI and develop data‑analysis tools.
• Develop an experimental setup for radiotracer diffusion in thin clay films and perform tracer diffusion and electromigration studies.
• Communicate results at conferences, publish in peer‑reviewed journals, and write a PhD thesis.

• Master’s degree in physical chemistry, environmental chemistry or a closely related field.
• Highly motivated to conduct laboratory work with prior experience in a chemical laboratory environment.
• Eager to use advanced data‑analysis tools, e.g., Python programming.
• Familiarity with spectroscopic techniques or molecular simulations is advantageous.
• Excellent communication and time‑management skills.
• Excellent knowledge of English is essential; knowledge of German is an advantage.

• Fixed‑term position of four years, subject to satisfactory progress within the doctoral programme at the University of Bern, where you will be enrolled.
• Systematic training on the job, personal development opportunities, and a pronounced vocational‑training culture.
• Modern employment conditions and on‑site infrastructure to support work‑life balance.

For further information please contact Dr. Yaana Bruneel, phone , or Dr. Fanni Juranyi, phone .

Please submit your application, including a motivation letter and addresses of referees, online by 31 August 2026 for the position as a PhD Student (Index‑‑29009).