PhD student in selective precipitation for battery materials from recycled metal streams Full-time

PhD Student In Selective Precipitation For Battery Materials From Recycled Metal Streams

Uppsala University, Disciplinary Domain of Science and Technology, Faculty of Chemistry, Department of Chemistry – Ångström Laboratory

The Department of Chemistry – Ångström conducts research and education in the chemistry field. The department has more than 270 employees and has a turnover of 300 million SEK. At the department's six programs, we conduct very successful research of a high international standard. We have a large number of externally funded research projects, often with international cooperation and we see continued good growth in our subject area. The department has education assignments in engineering programs and master's programs.

This recruitment is also connected to the Wallenberg Initiative Materials Science for Sustainability (WISE, https://wise-materials.org). WISE, funded by the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation, is the largest-ever investment in materials science in Sweden and will encompass major efforts at Sweden's foremost universities over the course of 10 years. The vision is a sustainable future through materials science. The recruited early-stage researcher will also be a part of the WISE Graduate School (https://wise-materials.org/research/graduate-school/), an ambitious nationwide program of seminars, courses, research visits, and other activities to promote a strong multi-disciplinary and international network between PhD students, postdocs, researchers and industry.

Duties: The project aims to establish a mechanistic understanding of selective precipitation in multi-metal sulfate solutions relevant to battery recycling. The PhD student will investigate how pH and redox/oxidation strategies can be used to selectively remove impurities (e.g. Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Al³⁺, F⁻, Fe³⁺) while minimizing co-precipitation of valuable transition metals (Ni, Co, Mn). The project combines experimental studies, thermodynamic/speciation modeling, and advanced materials characterization to uncover the fundamental chemical principles governing selective precipitation. The project may also include exploring oxidative strategies, different neutralizing agents, and their effects on particle morphology and filtration performance, providing opportunities to address more complex mechanistic questions.

The duties may also include (e.g.):

• Research within the subject area
• Supervision of degree project
• Data analysis and dissemination of research results through scientific publications and conference presentations
• Teaching at first and second cycle level
• Administration linked to the tasks above

Requirements: To meet the entry requirements for doctoral studies, you must

• been awarded a second-cycle degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Metallurgical Engineering, or equivalent/another relevant field, or
• have completed at least 240 credits in higher education, with at least 60 credits at Master's level including an independent project worth at least 15 credits, or
• acquired essentially equivalent knowledge in some other way in Sweden or abroad.

The candidate must have:

• very good oral and written proficiency in English
• the ability to work both independently and collaboratively is of great importance.

Consideration will also be given to good collaborative skills, drive and independence, and how the applicant's experience and skills complement and strengthen ongoing research within the department, and how they stand to contribute to its future development.

Additional qualifications: Experience or interest in one or more of the following areas is an advantage:

• Practical experience working in a chemistry laboratory, including basic handling of acids and bases
• Working with multi-metal solutions and selective precipitation processes
• Using pH and/or redox strategies to influence chemical reactions
• Chemical system simulation or thermodynamic/speciation modeling (e.g., HSC Chemistry, FactSage, or similar)
• Characterization of materials using techniques such as ICP-OES/ICP-MS, SEM, XRD, or particle size analysis
• Understanding of hydrometallurgical or battery recycling processes
• Integration of modeling or theoretical predictions with experimental work
• Collaborating in multidisciplinary research teams

About the employment: The employment is a temporary position according to the Higher Education Ordinance chapter 5 § 7. Scope of employment 100 %. Starting date as agreed. Placement: Uppsala

Rules governing PhD students are set out in the Higher Education Ordinance chapter 5, §§ 1-7 and in Uppsala University's rules and guidelines.

The application must include a CV, copies of degree certificates and grades. Applications will be assessed according to the following criteria: fulfilment of eligibility requirements, experience in related fields and personal suitability. The working group is small but highly productive with high demands on collaboration skills.

For further information about the position, please contact: Nathalia Vieceli, nathalia.vieceli@kemi.uu.se, or Martin Sahlberg, martin.sahlberg@kemi.uu.se

Please submit your application by May 22 2026, UFV-PA 2026/910.