Selection Procedures
Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry of the CAS announces an open competition in accordance with the Act No. 283/1992 Coll. on the Czech Academy of Sciences, and the Statutes of the Czech Academy of Sciences for a position Postdoctoral position - The Polymer Morphology Department.
Postdoctoral position - The Polymer Morphology Department
Job description and responsibilities:
The Polymer Morphology Department focuses on both the analysis of polymer materials (LM, SEM, TEM, Cryo-EM, microindentation, and correlations between structure and micro- and macro-mechanical properties) and its own research (biodegradable polymers based on thermoplasticized starch, new types of resins for 3D-EM microscopy, and software development for 4D-STEM and electron diffraction).
The successful candidate will conduct independent, concept-driven research in the field of electron microscopy, particularly in the development of software for 4D-STEM microscopy:
- Development of the 4D-STEM/PNBD method, which enables the easy identification of nanocrystals using SEM microscopy. The principle of the method is to reduce easily measurable but complex and difficult-to-process 4D-STEM datasets into standard, much simpler, and easily processable 2D powder diffractograms. The method is based on the STEMDIFF software package (https://pypi.org/project/stemdiff).
- Development of methods for user-friendly, semi-automatic processing of powder and single-crystal diffractograms obtained from 4D-STEM datasets. The foundation and common platform for these methods is the EDIFF software package (https://pypi.org/project/ediff).
The position also includes interpreting experimental data, publishing research results in high-impact journals, and actively participating in national and international research projects.
Active participation in other department projects is also expected, primarily:
- Measurement of the mechanical properties of polymers, particularly their resistance to long-term loading (creep) at both the micro- and macroscopic scales. Micromechanical properties will be measured using microindentation, while macromechanical properties will be measured using standard tensile tests as well as our in-house tensile creep testing equipment; the candidate’s tasks will include, among other things, developing software for the automatic acquisition of data from the measuring units.
- Data processing and systematic search for correlations between the micro- and macroscopic mechanical properties of various polymer systems (polymer blends, microcomposites, nanocomposites).
The position also comprises interpreting experimental data, publishing results in high-impact journals, and actively participating in research projects, including submitting proposals for projects to secure funding for the research described above.
More information about the department and its current projects can be found on the department’s website.
Requirements:
- A Ph.D. or equivalent degree in materials science, chemistry, or a related field.
- Practical experience in scanning and transmission electron microscopy.
- Ability to collect microscopic data, analyze the results, and subsequently publish them in high-impact international journals, i.e., authoring publications in the field of electron microscopy with a significant contribution as a co-author.
- Very good command of spoken and written English.
- Ability to work independently and effectively as part of a team.
We offer:
- Interesting work at a prestigious research institution and within a friendly team
- Participation in national and international research projects
- A meal allowance and on-site dining facilities
- 5 weeks of vacation and 3 days of sick leave
- Professional training and career development
- Employee benefits (contributions to pension or a benefit card for leisure activities)
- Flexible working hours
- Subsidized language courses organized by the Czech Academy of Sciences
- Access to training and sports/recreational facilities and other employee benefits.
Additional information:
- Application deadline: August 20th 2026
- Expected start date: September 2026
- Place of work: Prague, Czech Republic
For further information about the position, please contact:
Assoc. Prof. RNDr. Miroslav Šlouf, Ph.D., e-mail: slouf@imc.cas.cz
How to Apply:
Interested candidates are invited to submit:
- CV
- List of publications
- Motivation letter
to the Human Resources Department of the Institute: e-mail: personalni@umch.cz
Contact person: Petra Valešová, Human Resources Department
+420 296 809 385
Application deadline: 08/20/2026