Research Fellow – Materials Modelling for Devices Group

at  Tyndall National Institute

RESEARCH FELLOW – MATERIALS MODELLING FOR DEVICES GROUP

Contract: Full Time/Fixed Term
Tyndall National Institute is Ireland’s largest Research and Technology Organisation (RTO) and a flagship Institute of University College Cork. Specialising in both electronics and photonics, Tyndall works with global industry and academia to transform research into products in its core market areas of electronics, communications, energy, health, agri-tech and the environment. With a network of over 200 industry partners and customers worldwide, Tyndall is focused on delivering human and economic impact from excellence in research. Tyndall is home to a research community of 650 people of over 50 nationalities.

BACKGROUND TO THE ROLE

Within Tyndall’s Micro Nano Systems Centre, we have created a strategic research programme focusing on materials, emerging devices and architectures for future information processing, interfacing with CMOS and beyond (“CMOS++ Materials & Devices”).
CMOS++ is involved in the Chips JU NanoIC pilot line co-funded by the European Commission and national agencies as part of the targeted initiatives of the EU Chips Act. The implementation of the Chips JU pilot lines is expected to bridge the gap from lab to fab and will be available to a wide range of users, including academia, industry and research institutions.
The NanoIC pilot line is the result of a remarkable European cross-border collaboration. Hosted by imec (Belgium), its partners include CEA-Leti (France), Fraunhofer (Germany), VTT (Finland), CSSNT (Romania) and Tyndall National Institute (Ireland).
NanoIC targets semiconductor technologies that will shape tomorrow’s high-tech solutions. One of the main goals is to develop the process steps and modules that enable these technologies. This will result in stable ‘platform’ baseline flows with a high technology readiness level (TRL 4-6).
These technologies are situated in three research pillars:
1. Advanced logic technologies
2. Advanced memory technologies
3. Advanced interconnect technologies
In NanoIC, Tyndall’s flexibility into materials integration will allow for rapid, short-cycle screening to reduce the cycle time in identifying and integrating highly performing materials to carry forward into IC development. Our role is to provide agile wafer scale nanofabrication and processing beyond silicon for the integration of selected new materials – Transition Metal Dichalcogenides (TMDs) and oxide semiconductor (OSC) – and FET device architectures. The goal is to develop a material platform for embedded DRAM and above IC functionality, thereby providing a key technology block to enable leading-edge ICs.

PURPOSE OF THE ROLE

The purpose of this role is to design & implement a specific research programme in the Materials Modelling for Devices group to lead our work on the simulation-led discovery and characterisation of p-type semiconducting metal oxides for use in sub-2nm CMOS technology nodes. You will report to, be directed by and be under the supervision of the Principal Investigator (PI) assigned to this activity.
The project is part of Tyndall’s work in the NanoIC Pilot Line and the work will be performed in close collaboration with the Thin Film Processing activity led by the Advanced Surfaces and Materials Group. The work will involve collaboration with the Atomic Layer Deposition activity at Tyndall within the project and engagement with researchers within the wider NanoIC project team.
This role is a prestigious role which represents a step change from Post-Doctoral researcher roles. Your work will be performed in accordance with the Institute’s integrity policy and all other relevant policies.
You will have dual goals in terms of the research project and your own career development. The training and development relevant to this position will be completed within the period of your contract in which time you will continue to develop skills and competencies with respect to the role and your future career options.
The Tyndall National Institute will provide the successful candidate with the individual training and development required to build a successful Senior Researcher career.
To this end, the successful candidate will be supported in their development towards a senior researcher role within the group to lead an activity centred around novel materials for future CMOS technology. The Research Fellow will be supported in applying to relevant funding programmes to support and sustain their research activities, e.g. Science Foundation Ireland-IRC Pathway program, ERC StG/CoG, while relevant training and development opportunities at Tyndall and UCC will be used to enhance their training and development and skills needed to transition to a senior role within the group.

Key Duties and 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 execute the implementation of first principles and atomistic simulations using machine learning alongside the presentation and interpretation of data. Specifically, for NanoIC these include:
• Leading research on multiscale atomistic simulation of p-type semiconducting metal oxides.
• Use first principles simulations for discovery of p-type oxides.
• Develop machine learning models to accelerate discovery of novel materials.
• Use a range of atomistic simulations for characterisation and performance of novel p-type metal oxides.
• Collaborating with the Tyndall experimentalists on atomic layer deposition and the wider technical team in NanoIC
• Utilise an independent approach to carry the project work forward including to proactively identify opportunities for external funding sources, prepare grant proposals and the assessment of research findings for potential commercial exploitation in collaboration with the PI.
• Collaborate with project partners, internal and external researchers and carry out any administrative and management work associated with the NanoIC technical deliverables
• Support access to Tyndall’s offer within NanoIC as required by the Pilot Line access model for external users.
• 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.
• Supervise and provide day-to-day advice, support, mentoring, and assistance to research graduates, students and other junior members, and contribute to the supervision of postdoctoral staff in the subject of semiconducting metal oxides and their processing.
• Communicate the benefits of the research to wider society through active participation in several Education and Public Engagement 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.
• Ensure all activities are compliant with the required Health and Safety standards.
• Carry out any additional duties as may reasonably be required within the general scope and level of the post.

Essential Criteria

• PhD in materials sciences, engineering, chemistry, physics or related discipline and typically 6 years postdoctoral experience
• Typically, 6 years on DFT simulation of materials applied for the discovery of novel materials and understanding their properties
• Demonstrated knowledge in atomistic simulation of materials
• A strong publication record in the field of multiscale simulation of functional materials
• Capability of working effectively within a team to achieve results
• A demonstrated capability in idea generation and the delivery – both technically and operationally – of successful research projects
• Established track record of supervision and mentoring of researchers and students

Desirable Criteria

• Evidence of entrepreneurial experience and creative skills/creativity
• Demonstrate an ability to manage self, time, resources and people to enable a high level of personal effectiveness
• Evidence of collaboration with experimental groups is desirable
• Experience in (1) metal oxide simulations and (2) machine learning potentials for complex materials
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• An ability to identify research challenges and opportunities within the semiconductor materials field
• A thorough understanding of the research environment both nationally and internationally and the ability to contribute substantially to grant applications
• Commitment to Open Science, e.g. open access publications, codes and/or research data
• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the policy, practices and procedures that are relevant to the role
• Highly self-motivated, be able to demonstrate initiative and commitment to develop own transferable skills, profile and reputation to advance own career after the end of the contract period

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.

PLEASE MAKE SURE TO ATTACH AN UP TO DATE CV/RESUME AND A BRIEF MOTIVATION LETTER OUTLINING HOW YOU MEET THE ‘ESSENTIAL CRITERIA’ FOR THIS ROLE.

Please note that Garda vetting and/or an international police clearance check may form part of the selection process. The University, at its discretion, may undertake to make an additional appointment(s) from this competition following the conclusion of the process.
Please note that an appointment to posts advertised will be dependent on University approval, together with the terms of the employment control framework for the higher education sector.
At this time, Tyndall National Institute does not require the assistance of recruitment agencies.
Tyndall National Institute at University College, Cork is an Equal Opportunities Employer.
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