Publié le 3 novembre 2026 – Mis à jour le 3 novembre 2026

Introduction

Are you fascinated by the thermodynamic fingerprint of complex electrolytes, would you like to control it through the chemical nature of its constituents, and are you eager to test the hypothesis that a high entropy is the key to high-performance battery electrolytes? Join us as a PhD candidate on the nationally funded ANR Jeune Chercheur (JCJC) project “Chemical origin of ENTRopy in Electrolytes” – CENTRE!

Job description

High-entropy electrolytes (HEEs) are mixtures of four to ten commercial salts and solvents that strongly outperform single-salt electrolytes. The improved performance is attributed to an increased entropy upon mixing salts. However, the mixing entropy in HEEs has not been quantified experimentally and HEE development largely relies on trial and error.

Within the framework of the CENTRE project, a PhD and a postdoc will be recruited to perform fundamental experimental physical chemistry research under the supervision of associate professor Dr. Adriaan van den Bruinhorst, within the Molecular Interactions and Thermodynamics group based at the Institute de Chimie de Clermont-Ferrand (ICCF) of the Université Clermont Auvergne (UCA).

The PhD candidate will quantify the balance between the enthalpy and entropy of mixing for model electrolytes, as well as for Li-ion battery HEEs, using state-of-the-art calorimetry and phase equilibrium cells. They will elucidate the molecular origin of this macroscopy thermodynamic fingerprint through X-ray scattering and molecular dynamics simulations. Finally, they will test the hypothesis whether an increased entropy is a requirement for improved transport properties.

The PhD candidate will closely collaborate with (inter)national partners within the CENTRE project and they will profit from the strong international network of their supervisor. They will publish their findings in leading peer-reviewed journals and share their findings on national and international research conferences. Besides the research activities related to the project (83%), the PhD candidate will have the opportunity to use 17% of their hours to follow a personalised education trajectory, including summer/winter schools and the courses offered by the UCA doctorate school. Finally, they can improve their teaching and supervision skills by assuming teaching tasks or co-supervising undergraduate students.
 

Job requirements

  • A master’s degree (or an equivalent university degree) in chemistry or chemical engineering, with a preferred specialisation in experimental thermodynamics, calorimetry, and/or structural analysis.
  • A researchoriented attitude with excellent experimental skills.
  • Interest ranging from fundamental thermodynamics to handling dedicated experimental setups such as tailored calorimeters and X-ray scattering cells.
  • Strong motivation to work in a team, combining good organization and communication skills.
  • Fluent in spoken and written English (C1 level or equivalent).


Employment conditions

  • As a PhD candidate you will be employed fulltime for three years.
  • You will start in September 2027.
  • Your monthly salary is fixed nationally and amounts 2300 euros before taxes (gross).
  • You will profit from 44 paid holidays per year.
  • Teaching hours are subject to a salary supplement.
  • As you will also enrol as a student, you will have full access to the off and online university infrastructure.
  • Your progress will be monitored annually by a committee constituted of internal and external evaluators installed by the doctorate school.

The chemical research department of the Université Clermont Auvergne is the Institute of Chemistry Clermont-Ferrand (ICCF), is a versatile research institute with six research groups: biocatalysis and metabolism, medicinal organic chemistry, materials for health, inorganic materials, photochemistry, and molecular interactions and thermodynamics. The PhD candidate will be integrated in the latter but will have full access to the ICCF’s state-of-the-art experimental and analytical facilities (calorimetry, XRD, FTIR, Raman, electron microscopy, NMR, ICP, mass spectrometry, etc.). The ICCF has about 115 researchers with a permanent contract and 80 project-based researchers with a fixed-term contract (PhD, postdoc, etc.). Any teaching will be conducted at the separate chemistry faculty, UFR de Chimie.


Information

Are you enthusiastic about the position, but need more information before applying? Do not hesitate to contact the principal investigator of the CENTRE project, dr. Adriaan van den Bruinhorst by e-mail (adriaan.van_den_bruinhorst@uca.fr) or by telephone (+33 4 73 40 71 90).


Application

The application should include:

  • A motivation letter describing your qualifications for the position.
  • A Curriculum Vitae (CV), also featuring peerreviewed publications (if any) and the contact information of at least two academic references. We recommend notifying your references before submitting your application, as we may reach out to them at any stage of the recruitment process.

We look forward to your application and will evaluate them as soon as possible. A limited number of candidates will be interviewed by a hiring committee headed by the dr. Adriaan van den Bruinhorst. The vacancy will remain open until the position is filled.
Please send your application to Adriaan van den Bruinhorst using the contact information indicated above.