Postdoctoral Positions in the Energy Material and Sustainability Unit at OIST
The Postdoctoral Scholar will design and develop advanced energy materials to create sustainable fuels and high-value chemicals through catalysis and energy conversion.
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.
Requirements
Qualifications
Required Qualifications
- Applicants should have a Ph.D. in Chemistry, Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, or a closely related discipline.
- Strong motivation for interdisciplinary research and a deep interest in sustainable energy and catalysis are essential.
- Research experience limited to a maximum of four years following the award of the Ph.D.
Benefits
Benefits
- Relocation, housing, and commuting allowances
- Annual paid leave and summer holidays
- Health insurance (Private School Mutual Aid)
- Welfare pension insurance (kousei-nenkin)
- Worker's accident compensation insurance (roudousha-saigai-hoshou-hoken)
- Access to Child Development Center
- Access to Schooling Options
- Language Education Resource Center (Daily Life Support in Okinawa)
- Remote Work System
Additional Info
Application Instructions
Interested candidates should send the following application materials by email to [email protected]:
- CV with publication list (≥5 first-author papers, ≥3 in the last three years)
- A minimum of two letters of recommendation, which candidates should arrange to be uploaded on their behalf upon request.
Organizational Context
The Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST) was established in 2011 to contribute to the development of science and technology worldwide and to serve as a hub of innovation in Okinawa. English is the official language of the University, and the university research community is fully international, with more than 50 countries represented.
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