A Postdoctoral Researcher or Research Assistant (fixed-term position) in the field of Semiconductor Interface Engineering

Position Details (Postdoc)

The University of Turku is a world-class multidisciplinary research university, hosting a vibrant community of 25,000 students and employees from over 100 different countries. As one of the leading universities in Finland, University of Turku offers study and research opportunities in eight faculties. At the Faculty of Technology, Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering brings together experts in physics, chemistry and engineering in a drive towards innovative materials engineering for future technologies and key societal challenges.

The Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering is now looking for a Postdoctoral Researcher or Research Assistant to join the Materials Informatics Laboratory group of Prof. Milica Todorović. You will be working on the Tandem Industry-Academia collaborative project with Comptek Solutions, a semiconductor wafer manufacturer. In this position, you will have a chance to make an impact on semiconductor manufacturing by applying tools from artificial intelligence (AI) to improve the interfaces inside the semiconductor wafers.

In this project, you will be deploying first-principles simulations to study interfaces between semiconductor layers inside industrial devices. We will use artificial intelligence (AI) to perform interface structure search techniques to identify the atomistic arrangements and electronic contact at the interface. This information will be used to build multi-scale models of the entire semiconductor device. In this project, the contract will be split between the academic and industrial partner. The details of the tasks and responsibilities depends on the academic experience level of the selected candidate, and will be defined by the selected job title.

Your experience and ambitions

We welcome candidates with a degree in physics, materials science, chemistry or engineering, who are passionate about data science and applied AI in natural sciences. Prior experience with materials simulations, coding and AI is a bonus. We seek colleagues who enjoy coding, scripting and analytics, and are keen to push the boundaries of semiconductor technologies. This project requires creative thinking and programming as well as a broad understanding of the electronic structure and properties of materials. We further appreciate willingness to travel, teach and mentor, collaborate and communicate science.

We value collegiality and promote equality, diversity, and inclusivity. We encourage all qualified applicants with different backgrounds to apply for our open positions.

Benefits

In the Materials Informatics Laboratory group, we combine electronic structure simulations and machine learning to pursue innovative applications for future technologies, health and climate. We are a multi-cultural and cross-disciplinary team. You will train in AI applications with experienced developers, meet our global network of collaborators, join us at scientific meetings, help us organize research workshops and get involved in academic and diversity outreach. In combination with the academic development courses at the University of Turku, we will help you grow a competitive career profile.

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Practical details

The starting time for the positions would be 01.01.2026, or upon mutual agreement. The research tasks last for 6 months, until the end of June 2026 (end of project)

The qualification requirements of the positions are stated in the University of Turku Rules of Procedure: https://www.utu.fi/en/university/organisation. A person selected for the post of Postdoctoral Researcher is required to have a doctoral degree and the ability to do independent scientific work. Candidates who will graduate soon (doctoral students) are also encouraged to apply. In these cases, the title is Project Researcher. If the relevant degree is obtained within these 6 months, the contracts will be upgraded to the correct title with the appropriate change in salary. The Research Assistant candidates are required to be enrolled in higher education institution, and they should have their BSc. degree ready before start of the work.If necessary, those with a master's degree will also be considered, in which case the title will be project researcher.

Fluent oral and written communication skills in English are required in the positions.

The salaries are determined in accordance with the university salary system for teaching and research personnel. The salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience based on the University salary system and will be about 3500 €/month for a postdoctoral researcher at the beginning of the employment. If a project researcher is hired for the position, the salary will be approximately 2500-3100 €/month. The research assistant salary will be 2200– 2400 €/month. There is a three (3) month trial period.

Ready to apply?

Applications must be submitted by 26thof November 2025 (16:00), using the electronic application form of the University of Turku at the following address:https://www.utu.fi/en/university/come-work-with-us/open-vacanciesThe link to the application system is at the beginning of this announcement (Apply for the job). Applications should be submitted in English and they should include:

(1) Letter of motivation
(2) CV
(3) Degree certificates and academic transcripts
(4) Contact details of at least two referees (or letters of recommendation, if already available)

The position will be filled as soon as a suitable candidate is identified.

Further information

For additional information, kindly contact Prof.Milica Todorovićmilica.todorovic(at)utu.fi. For questions related to the application process, contact HR specialist Janna Salminen (jansaly(at)utu.fi).

University of Turku reserves the right for justified reasons to leave the position open, to extend the application period, reopen the application process, and to consider candidates who have not submitted applications during the application period.

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering is a unique combination of mechanical engineering, materials engineering and industrial engineering and management with contemporary research and teaching. Our vision is to create trends. We take the needs of the community, business, society and the environment into account when actively guiding our activities in teaching, research and collaboration.

The Faculty of Technology is the newest faculty of the University of Turku, it was established in the beginning of 2021. The Faculty consists of the Department of Computing, Department of Biotechnology and the Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering. We have more than 2,000 graduate and postgraduate students and circa 400 employees, 50 of whom are professors. Our faculty is an international, multicultural and diverse work community.

The University of Turku is an inspiring and international academic community of 25,000 students and staff in Southwest Finland. We build a sustainable future with multidisciplinary research, education, and collaboration. With us, your work will have a significant impact and relevance in the changing world.

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