The Position

The Energy Materials and Sustainability (EMS) Unit at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST) is seeking to recruit up to a Postdoctoral Scholar.

The EMS Unit focuses on the design and development of advanced energy materials, ranging from single atoms to nanoparticles, through precise control of their local surface environments. The unit aims to integrate these materials into innovative technologies for solar and electrochemically driven energy conversion processes, transforming waste, water, and air into sustainable fuels and high-value chemicals.

By combining expertise in inorganic chemistry, nanomaterials, and Bio-hybrid photoelectrochemical systems, the Unit addresses fundamental challenges in catalysis, energy conversion and organic transformations. Current areas of interest include heterogeneous catalysis for upcycling plastic and biomass waste, as well as the valorization of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide.

Postdoctoral researchers in the EMS Unit will have the opportunity to develop their own research directions while collaborating closely with other team members and interdisciplinary research groups at OIST. The Unit’s mission is to advance green fuel and chemical production toward a net-zero future, contributing to the establishment of a circular, sustainable chemical industry.

Further information about the Energy Materials and Sustainability Unit can be found at: Energy Materials and Sustainability Unit | OIST Groups

About OIST

The Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University was established in 2011 to contribute to the development of science and technology worldwide and to serve as a hub of innovation in Okinawa. OIST is a dynamic new graduate university of science and technology in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan which offers a 5-year PhD program and brings together outstanding researchers from across the country and across disciplines to conduct cutting-edge scientific research.

The university is located on 85 hectares of protected forestland overlooking a beautiful shoreline and coral reefs. The campus is striking architecturally, and the facilities are outstanding. To facilitate multidisciplinary research, there are no academic departments. Outstanding resources and equipment are provided and managed to encourage easy access and collaboration.

English is the official language of the University, and the university research community is fully international, with more than 50 countries represented. OIST is rapidly gaining recognition in the worldwide academic community as a model for excellence in education and research, and our unwavering commitment to scientific and technological innovation is dedicated to generating progress that will fuel Okinawa's economic growth.

Responsibilities

Postdoctoral Scholars in the Energy Materials and Sustainability (EMS) Unit are expected to engage in creative, curiosity-driven, independent research in the fields of advanced energy materials and sustainable plastic upcycling. They are encouraged to develop their own research directions while actively collaborating with other Unit members and interdisciplinary teams across OIST.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Conducting high-quality research on the synthesis, characterization, and integration of nanomaterials and inorganic catalysts for photoelectrochemical energy conversion.
• Publishing research findings in peer-reviewed journals and presenting results at international conferences.
• Mentoring graduate students and assisting in the supervision of laboratory activities.
• Participating in collaborative initiatives that align with the Unit’s mission toward sustainable energy and circular chemical technologies, including patents and intellectual property (IP).