Postdoctoral Researcher

Organisation/Company CNRS Department Institut de Science des Matériaux de Mulhouse Research Field Chemistry Physics Technology Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1) Application Deadline 9 Oct 2026 - 23:59 (UTC) Country France Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Hours Per Week 35 Offer Starting Date 1 Dec 2026 Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

The postdoctoral researcher will be responsible for developing and optimizing plasma-based functionalization processes for ferrimagnetic nanoparticles.
The successful candidate will be responsible for investigating the relationships between plasma parameters, plasma polymer growth mechanisms, and the physicochemical properties of the resulting coatings, and for transferring the optimized conditions from model surfaces to magnetic nanoparticles.

The main activities are as follows:

• investigation of plasma polymerization kinetics on model substrates;
• identification of the different growth regimes;
• chemical, physical, and mechanical characterization of the coatings;
• functionalization of nanoparticles with different sizes and morphologies;
• ptimization of the surface properties of magnetic nanoparticles;
• scale-up of the process to approximately 10 g of nanoparticles;
• Prepare scientific reports and contribute to the valorization and dissemination of research findings through scientific presentations and publications.

The postdoctoral researcher will join the Mulhouse Materials Science Institute (IS2M), within an interdisciplinary scientific environment bringing together, in particular, materials science, plasma science, surface chemistry, and nanomaterials. The institute is a major research center in the field of materials and their applications, with strong academic and industrial partnerships at both regional and national levels. For more information about IS2M, please visit the institute's website: https://www.is2m.uha.fr/ .
The postdoctoral researcher will work within the Plasma Polymerization and Coatings team, under the scientific supervision of Dr. Aissam Airoudj and Prof. Vincent Roucoules.
The successful candidate will work in close collaboration with the researchers involved in the various aspects of the MAGNIFIC project. They will collaborate with specialists in magnetic nanoparticles, water remediation, and CO₂ capture.
This position offers an opportunity to develop expertise at the interface of plasma processes, surface engineering, nanomaterials, and environmental applications.
The Mulhouse Materials Science Institute is located on the Illberg campus of the University of Haute-Alsace, in a dynamic region bordering Germany and Switzerland. The campus is approximately 40 minutes from a TGV high-speed train station and an airport.
Employee benefits: mobility allowance and fixed contributions towards transportation and supplementary health insurance costs, access to university dining facilities, continuing professional development opportunities, and complementary health insurance.

The candidate should hold a PhD in plasma physics and chemistry, materials science, surface science, polymer chemistry, or a closely related scientific field.
Experience in low-pressure plasma processes, plasma polymerization, thin-film deposition, surface functionalization, or materials characterization will be highly valued.
Experience with magnetic nanoparticles and techniques such as XPS, FTIR, AFM, ellipsometry, or TEM will be considered an asset.
The successful candidate should also demonstrate:

• strong experimental skills;
• the ability to independently design and conduct experiments;
• strong data analysis and interpretation skills;
• the ability to work effectively in a multidisciplinary team environment;
• good scientific communication skills;
• strong scientific writing skills in English.