Senior Postdoctoral Researcher (m/w/d) - Nano-Hetero-Structured Magnetoelectric Materials

Job Description

Tyndall National Institute is an international leader in semiconductors, photonics and deep-tech research and innovation. As a leading collaborative European research institute, Tyndall is a key actor and hosting partner in the delivery of the 'Chips for Europe Initiative' (EU Chips Act).

Tyndall is Ireland's leading research and innovation organisation, and it is the national focal point for excellence in deep-tech research, development and graduate training at the convergence of nanotechnology, microelectronics, photonics, electronics and AI. Tyndall is recognised as an international research leader in semiconductor, chip and digital technologies, particularly as applied to the fields of Information & Communications, Health & Life Sciences, Agritech & Food Security, Energy and Climate Mitigation, emerging fields such as quantum, and novel computing paradigms.

The Institute's key objective is to see frontier research activities having a significant impact on economic development and societal challenges in Ireland, Europe and beyond. Central to Tyndall's mission is delivering economic impact through research excellence in partnership with industry and academia. With an annual turnover of more than ???50m, the Institute has a community of over 600 researchers, engineers, support staff, postgraduate students, interns and industry researchers-in-residence.

With significant committed Irish government support, Tyndall will grow to be 1,000 people by 2030, with approximately 750 researchers, including 250 PhD students. A new 17,000 m2 research building is under development adjacent to the Cork headquarters and there are developing plans to expand Tyndall's existing Dublin research labs and to establish other research sites within Ireland.

Tyndall's expansion is also supported by recent national and EU funding wins for significant (M???10's) additional research equipment across a range of areas such as semiconductor processing, microscopy, quantum technologies, heterogeneous integration, ultra-high speed optical communications and RF through THz characterisation.

Micropower Devices and Nanomagnetics Group @Tyndall

Tyndall's Micropower Devices and Nanomagnetics Group is widely recognised as a World Leader in the area of electromagnetically transduced MEMS vibrational energy harvesting devices, magnetoelectrically transduced Phonon-Magnon coupled devices, Nano-hetero-structured Magnon Microwave Antenna/Transceivers, nanostructured exchange-spring/exchange-coupled soft/hard magnetic thin-films, magnetic passives on silicon etc for powering highly miniaturized ICT/IOT devices. With over two decades of research effort in this field, the group has created a multi-disciplinary skill set for Magnetics research which makes it unique within the global Power Electronics and Micropower Devices enabled by integrated micro-magnetics/nano-magnetics research landscape. Over a period of 20 years, Tyndall's Micropower Devices and Nanomagnetics group has demonstrated some world-leading results in the area of Integrated Magnetic devices. The group has developed innovative solutions in different aspects of Nano-Magnetics research, including design, material & process development, micro-nano-fabrication of devices and the necessary static and dynamic characterizations (materials and devices). The group's research has had a very strong scientific and commercial impact with several top-tier journal publications, number of global patents, R&D partnerships with top-tier industries, technology transfer and licensing with some of the world's leading companies in magnetic components, silicon foundries, wafer-level batch fabrications etc.

Background to the role

The Micropower Devices and Nanomagnetics Group is involved in the projects co-funded by the European Commission (EU Framework program), US Government (NSF) and Irish national funding agencies such as Research Ireland and Enterprise Ireland.

The researcher will develop advanced technologies offering couple of generations of nano-hetero-structured magnetoelectric (ME)/ spintronic devices, addressing the surging demand for such technology in the area of energy harvesting, sensing and transceiving combining micro-nano fabrications and thin-film magnetics.

Purpose of the Role

The purpose of this role is to develop novel nano magnetic materials and structures that include magnetic thin films for highly miniaturized magnetic-M/NEMS applications. The development of advanced thin magnetic films and fabricated devices and their thorough magnetic characterization (static and dynamic) leading to the process development at Tyndall's state-of-the-art clean-room facility is an essential part of the role. In addition, the researcher will collaborate with other research teams within and outside Tyndall for the delivery of the project. This position offers excellent and timely career growth possibility. It offers great opportunities to influence the entire end-to-end design/development cycle of integrated magnetics and to become an internationally recognizable expert owing to Tyndall's widespread collaboration with its pan-European research network and World-leading industry partners in magnetic materials, magnetic component, and associated device batch fabrication in the cleanroom etc.

While delivering for the project, The Senior Post doctoral researcher/Postdoctoral researcher will design and implement a specific research programme in association with the PI, and will receive ample support from Tyndall to develop skills and competencies for this role and for a transition to the next career level. To this end, the successful candidate will be supported in their development towards a Senior Research Scientist/Research Scientist role within the group to lead an activity centred around novel magnetic materials/devices for future Integrated magnetics technology. The Researcher will be supported in applying to relevant funding programmes to support and sustain their research activities, e.g. Research Ireland-IRC Pathway program, ERC Starting Grant, etc to develop their independent researcher career.

The candidate is expected to be ambitious, creative, self-motivated, and ready to enhance the efficient and stimulating atmosphere within the multi-disciplinary Magnetics group and elsewhere in Tyndall.

Key Responsibilities

• Work with the supervisor and other team members in idea and strategy generation to deliver the outputs of the project and to contribute to raising the profile of this activity
• Coordinate and implement research towards developing a ME/Spintronic device fabrication process-flow through collaboration with other researchers and clean-room technicians. The key research objectives goals include:
  • To optimize deposition process parameters for thin magnetic films and nano-hetero-structured magnetoelectric stack leading to complete devices, while using Tyndall's state-of-the-art clean-room facility.
  • To characterize (magnetic, structural and electrical) magnetic thin-films and devices.
  • To characterize magnetization dynamics of the thin magnetic films and devices.
• Supervise and provide day-to-day advice, support, mentoring, and assistance to undergraduate students and other junior members.
• Adopt an independent approach to carry the project work forward while proactively identifying opportunities for external funding, preparing research grant proposals, assessing potential commercial exploitation, and generating new Intellectual Properties (IPs) in collaboration with the research supervisor.
• Engage in the dissemination of the results to the relevant research stakeholders in the appropriate form such as reports result to team leaders, partners, and funding agencies and publications in the top-tier journals and at leading conferences in the field
• Communicate the benefits of the research to wider society through active regular participation in several Education and Public Engagement (EPE) activities, as required.
• Engage in appropriate training and development opportunities to develop own transferable skills, career and reputation.
• Ensure all activities are compliant with the Tyndall Quality Management system and the required Health and Safety standards in Tyndall.

Essential Criteria

• PhD in Materials Science, Engineering, Physics, or related discipline with typically 2+ years of postdoctoral experience in the relevant field/s.
• In-depth knowledge of magnetism and magnetic materials, and deep expertise in structural, magnetic, and electric characterization of thin films.
• Experience in micro-nano fabrication techniques such as film deposition, lithography and etching in clean-room environment.
• Strong track record of publications in journals, conferences or patents and IP material.
• Evidence of idea generation capability and delivery - both technically and operationally - of successful research projects.
• Evidence of the ability to work independently on your own initiative and as a part of a team.
• Highly self-motivated and ability to take initiative.
• Excellent communication, writing, organization, and interpersonal skills.

Desirable Criteria

• Evidence of multi-disciplinary collaboration with external academic or industrial partners
• Experience in the multiphysics (COMSOL) and micro-magnetic (MuMax3) modelling
• Experience in clean room microfabrication processes of hetero-structured devices
• Experience in static and dynamic characterization of magnetic materials and devices.

What we offer

Apart from offering a position in a very successful and positive research environment, with a collaborative ethos full of diverse competencies to boost your career, we offer the following:

Impactful Work: Opportunities to contribute to ground-breaking research and innovation that shape Ireland's economy and the society at large.

Continuous Learning: Strong support for formal training, further study and professional development.

Interdisciplinary Environment: Where academia, industry, and innovation intersect - supported by cutting-edge infrastructure and expert knowledge.

Blended Working: Flexibility to work remotely and on-site, where the role allows.

Comprehensive Benefits: Access to UCC pension, long-term illness benefit, life assurance, and more.

Generous Leave: Competitive annual leave entitlements.

Equity & Inclusion: Athena Swan Bronze award holder, with ongoing initiatives led by a dedicated People and Culture team to ensure equity for all.

Core Values: A culture grounded in Ambition, Collaboration, Diversity, Excellence, and Integrity.

Entrepreneurial Spirit: A proactive, innovation-driven environment that welcomes entrepreneurial and creative thinkers, including those with start-up experience.

Supportive Onboarding: Structured induction and mentoring to help new hires integrate and thrive.

Vibrant Culture: A collaborative, people-first workplace with a strong sense of community. Tyndall National institute has a proactive entrepreneurial culture and we welcome applications from candidates who possess entrepreneurial and creative skills/experience, including the creation of technology start-ups.

Terms of Employment

Contract: Full-Time/Fixed Term

Appointment may be made on the UCC Senior Postdoctoral Researcher/Postdoctoral Researcher S scale ???54,307-59,064 p.a or ???46,306-???52,863 p.a. depending on the candidates' background and experiences. Salary placement on appointment will be in accordance with the public sector pay policy.

The duration of the contract is a for a fixed term of approximately 24 months with the possibility to extend by 18 months upon the availability of funding, satisfactory performance, mutual agreement and a detailed career development plan.

Informal enquiries may be made, in-confidence, to Prof. Saibal Roy

Tyndall National Institute does not require the assistance of recruitment agencies.

Tyndall National Institute at University College, Cork is an Equal Opportunities Employer.