Job details

Recruitment result
Place of work

INSITUTE OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY PAS, Team 9: Coordination metal complexes and functional materials

Funding institution

NATIONAL SCIENCE CENTRE

Project description

Project title, type and project number

OPUS 27 Project no 2024/53/B/ST4/02393 Entitled “Towards new chemistry of metal-TEMPO complexes as activators of CO2 and H2 molecules”, 27/2025

Project leader

Dr inż. Arkadiusz Kornowicz

Description

The proposed project is aimed at advancing the fundamental knowledge of the synthesis and structure of homoleptic and heteroleptic metal-TEMPO complexes and their utilization to develop new reaction systems. Specific objectives include: i) development of a general non-redox synthesis of homo- and heteroleptic metal-TEMPO complexes, ii) analysis of the critical factors controlling the stability and structure of homoleptic and heteroleptic metal-TEMPO systems in photo-, thermo- and mechanochemically triggered conditions, iii) investigation on the reactivity of well-defined metal-TEMPO complexes toward model small molecules: CO2 and H2. The proposed investigations should provide a more in-depth mechanical understanding of the formation and reactivity of metal-TEMPO complexes in their initial and subsequent steps. Further studies involving CO2 and H2 should shed a light on the mechanism of their activation by metal-TEMPO systems, which may pave the way for developing novel well-defined stoichiometric and catalytic processes.

Job description

Number of vacancies

1

Key responsibilities include

The responsibilities of the post-doctoral researcher will include:

• Development, synthesis (including mechanochemical and light-induced methods) and characterization of homo- and heteroleptic complexes with selected active metal centers supported by radical and anionic TEMPO.

• Investigation of small molecule activation and transformations on metal-TEMPO complexes.

• Characterization of physicochemical properties of the resulting complexes including following spectroscopic techniques IR, NMR, UV-Vis and basics of X-ray crystallography and SEM.

• Manuscript Preparation.

Offer

Position in the project

Post-doctoral position

Job type

• Type of contract: temporary • Status: full-time employment • Hours Per Week: 40

Salary

Around 9 650 PLN gross

Planned start of work in the project

1.09.2025

Planned period of contract/stipend agreement

12 months with a possible extension

We offer

We offer a post-doctoral position (full-time employment) in the Institute of Physical Chemistry PAS with a gross salary of Around 9 650 PLN gross per month financed from the NCN OPUS 27 Project no 2024/53/B/ST4/02393 Entitled “Towards new chemistry of metal-TEMPO complexes as activators of CO2 and H2 molecules” 100% of the work time of Postdoc will be devoted to the realization of the proposed project. The offer is for 12 months with a possible extension

Career development prospects at IPC PAS

The selected candidate will gain valuable new knowledge and techniques to enhance their skill set. This project encompasses fundamental and inorganic chemistry, offering a learning opportunity for individuals from diverse backgrounds. We intend to publish the findings in prestigious high-impact journals. The successful candidate will be eligible for all programs at the IPC PAS, including the IPC PAS Young Scientists competition and the IPC PAS Young Scientists Mobility competition. Institute provides an opportunity to participate in ERASMUS+ programme.

Requirements

Scientific discipline

Chemistry: Inorganic chemistry

Scientific profile of a candidate

Recognised Researcher (R2)

Requirements

1. PhD degree in chemical sciences, obtained in the year of employment in the project or within 7 years before 1 January of the year of employment in the project. For researchers with multiple PhDs, the date of the first PhD award is deemed the reference date. Extension might apply according to National Science Centre, Poland, rules.

2. Additionally, the candidate for the postdoctoral position must meet the following condition:

• they did not have the principal investigator as their research supervisor or auxiliary supervisor of their PhD dissertation;

• their PhD degree has been awarded by another institution than the one planned to employ them at this post or they have completed a continuous and evidenced post-doctoral fellowship of at least 10 months in another institution than the host institution for the project and in another country than the one in which they have been conferred a PhD degree

3. Significant research achievements in the field of mechanochemical transformations

4. Strong publication record and scientific experience.

5. Experience in laboratory work in the field of inorganic, coordination chemistry, mechanochemistry and nanomaterials

6. Strong experience with the use of a Schlenk line and/or glovebox, and manipulation involving air-sensitive compounds

7. Knowledge of spectroscopic techniques: EPR, IR, NMR, UV-Vis, and/or basics of X-ray crystallography (PXRD and XRD,

8. Ability to communicate fluently in English (written and spoken)..

Key assessment criteria

The Recruitment Commission will take into account the following criteria:

• The candidate’s competence to carry out specific tasks in the project; (max 70 points)

• Previous scientific achievements of candidates (publication record, H-index etc.); (max 25 points)

• Awards and distinctions of the candidate resulting from the conducted research; (5 points)

• Only candidates with a minimum of 70 points would be considered for the position. A position will be offered to the person who obtains the highest number of points. The Recruitment Committee may not recommend any candidate for the position if no candidate would get at least 70 points

Required documents

• employment application;

• professional curriculum vitae including a list of scientific achievements (publications, patents, conference presentations and research projects). This should also include former postdoctoral projects (if applicable);

• motivation letter;

• PhD certificate or other document confirming PhD degree.

Recruitment procedure

• The application deadline is on the 18.08.2025 , 12:00 CEST (UTC +2:00). Applications should be sent to rekrutacja@ichf.edu.pl. IMPORTANT! email subject: “Recruitment no 27/2025 ” (emails without this number will not be considered)

• Top candidates can be invited for an online or in-person interview (planned date: 20.08.2025) . We reserve the right to contact and reply to only selected candidates.

• The position will be offered to the person with the highest evaluation by the Recruitment Committee.

• The results of the recruitment are planned to be announced on the 28.08.2025.

• Employment will take place in accordance with the provisions of the competition documentation of the National Science Center (NSC) for the OPUS 27 call (https://www.ncn.gov.pl/en/ogloszenia/konkursy/opus27) and Employment policy of the Institute of Physical Chemistry PAS https://ichf.edu.pl/files/csr/ipcprocedures.pdf .

• The incomplete applications will not be considered

• The results of the competition are made public.

• Candidates who have been issued a negative opinion by the Competition Committee or candidates not selected for employment have the right to appeal against the results of the evaluation. The appeal shall be lodged with the Director of the Institute within 7 days from the date of receipt of the appropriate information. The decision of the Director of the Institute shall be final.

Appeals should be sent to the following email address: dzgran@ichf.edu.pl.

If the top candidate does not sign the contract due to the resignation, we reserve the right to choose the next candidate from the ranking list.

Additional information

The successful candidate for the postdoctoral position shall, for the full term of their employment within the project, be obligated to maintain compliance with the following conditions: - at the time of receiving remuneration, they will not be receiving any other remuneration paid from the funds granted to research projects under NCN calls under the heading of direct costs - in the period of receiving the remuneration they will be receiving no remuneration from another employer pursuant to an employment contract, including an employer with registered office outside of Poland. - when the remuneration is paid, they will be receiving no pension under the social insurance scheme.

For more details about the position please visit:

Contact person: Arkadiusz Kornowicz akornowicz@ichf.edu.pl Phone: 0048 22 343 20 77

Name of the post and its definition in the meaning of the grant documentation:

Postdoc

A post-doc type post is a full-time post, scheduled by the project’s principal investigator for a person who has been conferred a PhD degree in the year of employment in the project or within 7 years before 1 January of the year of employment in the project. For researchers with multiple PhDs, the date of the first PhD award is deemed the reference date. This period may be extended by a time of long-term (in excess of 90 days) documented sick leaves or rehabilitation leaves granted on account of being unfit to work. In addition, the period may be extended by the number of months of a childcare leave granted pursuant to the Labour Code and in the case of women, by 18 months for every child born or adopted, whichever manner of accounting for career breaks is preferable

Deadlines

Application deadline

18.08.2025 12:00

Planned date of settlement of the competition

28.08.2025

Archival announcement. We would like to thank all candidates for their submitted applications.

Date of announcement: 31.07.2025

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