ERC-Funded Postdoctoral Position in Open Quantum System Dynamics, Department of Quantum Nanoscience, TU Delft.
Job description
One postdoctoral position is available in my group at the Department of Quantum Nanoscience, TU Delft, to investigate the spin dynamics of molecular and atomic spins on surfaces. This project is one of the pillars of my ERC project, SPINOCCHIO, “A new quantum chemical approach to spins on surfaces.”
Molecules and atoms with unpaired electrons exhibit a net magnetic moment and serve as the building blocks of molecular quantum devices for next-generation technologies. As the design principles for developing molecular magnetic behavior become clearer, the next challenge is assembling these units into spin lattices via surface deposition, controlling the phonon-mediated spin relaxation which hinders applications at room temperature, and addressing their magnetic behavior at the single-molecule level.
Spin-phonon interactions are key in molecular magnetism, as they limit spin relaxation times, contributing to memory loss and phase decoherence. Factors like surface type (metallic vs. insulating) and coverage (monolayer vs. isolated) affect spin relaxation by influencing magnetic anisotropy and spin-phonon interactions. Standard computational strategies quantify phonon effects by analyzing how phonons modulate spin-Hamiltonian or crystal-field parameters for molecules in the gas phase. However, calculated relaxation times can differ from experimental values by up to three orders of magnitude. Bridging this gap requires more accurate calculations and realistic models, and currently, there is no first-principles investigation of spin dynamics on surfaces.
This project aims to advance our understanding of the dynamic behavior of spins on surfaces and in surface spin arrays. We will develop a new first-principles approach to quantify spin-phonon couplings of spins on surfaces, enabling us to model their magnetic relaxation and obtain spin relaxation (T1) and coherence (T2) times. With this knowledge at hand, we will provide new design principles for extending the spin lifetimes of spins on surfaces. This approach combines electronic states obtained via a periodic quantum embedding (i.e., equation-of-motion coupled-cluster in periodic DFT, pbcEOM-CC) with a coarse-grained treatment of strong correlation, and uses a state-interaction treatment of spin-spin, spin-orbit, and Zeeman interactions. Neither this approach nor any other first-principles approach has yet been applied to investigate the spin dynamics of magnetic adsorbates. By using pbcEOM-CC states, this approach will surpass standard strategies that either neglect the environment or oversimplify it using point-charge models.
The postdoc positions is for two years each. The starting date is negotiable but should preferably be 01.11.2026.
Job requirements
- PhD in Chemistry, Physics, Materials Science, or a related discipline.
- Strong background in open quantum system dynamics, solid-state physics, quantum many-body physics, quantum information science.
- Experience with scientific programming is highly desirable.
- Strong analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills.
- Ability to work independently as well as in multidisciplinary research teams.
- Interest in supervising Master's and PhD students, and in collaborating on grant writing and applications.
TU Delft (Delft University of Technology)
Working at TU Delft means contributing to solutions that really make a difference.
For over 180 years, we have been training engineers who make an impact worldwide in companies, government bodies, or as entrepreneurs. Our alumni turn knowledge into concrete solutions for the challenges of today and tomorrow. These challenges are changing rapidly. That is why we focus on themes such as energy, climate, digitalisation, artificial intelligence (AI), and smart mobility every day. Our education and research are directly aligned with what society needs now and in the future.
At TU Delft, our people make the difference. With their knowledge and curiosity, our staff provide a high-quality education and conduct pioneering research that extends beyond the campus. You will have the opportunity to take the initiative, work with others, and grow as a professional. Working at TU Delft means join an international community of professionals and students. Together, we create knowledge, innovations, and solutions that help move the world forward.
Faculty Applied Sciences
With more than 1,100 employees, including 150 pioneering principal investigators, as well as a population of about 3,600 passionate students, the Faculty of Applied Sciences is an inspiring scientific ecosystem. Focusing on key enabling technologies, such as quantum- and nanotechnology, photonics, biotechnology, synthetic biology and materials for energy storage and conversion, our faculty aims to provide solutions to important problems of the 21st century. To that end, we educate innovative students in broad Bachelor's and specialist Master's programmes with a strong research component. Our scientists conduct ground-breaking fundamental and applied research in the fields of Life and Health Science & Technology, Nanoscience, Chemical Engineering, Radiation Science & Technology, and Engineering Physics. We are also training the next generation of high school teachers.
Click here to go to the website of the Faculty of Applied Sciences.
Conditions of employment
- Duration of contract is 2 years. Temporary.
- A job of 38-40 hours per week.
- Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities.
- An excellent pension scheme via the ABP.
- The possibility to compile an individual employment package every year.
- Discount with health insurers on supplemental packages.
- Flexible working week.
- Every year, 232 leave hours (at 38 hours). You can also sell or buy additional leave hours via the individual choice budget.
- Plenty of opportunities for education, training and courses.
- Partially paid parental leave
- Attention for working healthy and energetically with the vitality program.
Will you need to relocate to the Netherlands for this job? TU Delft is committed to make your move as smooth as possible! The HR unit, Coming to Delft Service, offers information on their website to help you prepare your relocation. In addition, Coming to Delft Service organises events to help you settle in the Netherlands, and expand your (social) network in Delft. A Dual Career Programme is available, to support your accompanying partner with their job search in the Netherlands. .
Additional information
If you would like more information about this vacancy or the selection procedure, please contact Maristella Alessio, via Afdeling-QN-tnw@tudelft.nl.
Application procedure
If you want to be part of a vibrant, dynamic, and highly interdisciplinary environment, push yourself to grow independently, and contribute to frontier research in quantum nanoscience, please apply no later than 24 August 2026 via the application button and upload the following documents:
- A cover letter in which you describe your personal motivation and specific qualifications for this position (max 1 page)
- CV
- Link to PhD thesis (Please also include a brief description of previous research, maximum 1-2 pages)
- Copies of two journal/conference publications relevant for this position
You can address your application to Maristella Alessio.
Please note:
- You can apply online. We will not process applications sent by email and/or post.
- As part of knowledge security, TU Delft conducts a risk assessment during the recruitment of personnel. We do this, among other things, to prevent the unwanted transfer of sensitive knowledge and technology. The assessment is based on information provided by the candidates themselves, such as their motivation letter and CV, and takes place at the final stages of the selection process. When the outcome of the assessment is negative, the candidate will be informed. The processing of personal data in the context of the risk assessment is carried out on the legal basis of the GDPR: performing a public task in the public interest. You can find more information about this assessment on our website about knowledge security.
- Please do not contact us for unsolicited services.
TECHNICAL & MARKET ANALYSIS | Appended by Quantum.Jobs
The emergence of Postdoctoral Researchers in Open Quantum System Dynamics represents a critical pivot in the quantum technology sector from isolated qubit characterization to environmental-scale coherence optimization. As global quantum investments shift toward fault-tolerant architectures, the structural necessity for roles bridging first-principles electronic structure methods and open system dynamics becomes paramount to resolving the translation gap between theoretical lifetimes and physical device performance. This role type serves as a primary innovation vector within the academic research layer, ensuring that microscopic spin-phonon relaxation processes are modeled with environmental fidelity rather than point-charge approximations. Market signals from major quantum roadmaps indicate that resolving decoherence at the material interface is the single highest leverage point for scaling solid-state and molecular quantum technologies. By converting periodic quantum embedding frameworks into predictive models for spin relaxation, this function establishes the scalable foundations required for next-generation hardware pipelines.
The quantum nanoscience landscape is undergoing a decisive transition where the primary performance bottleneck has shifted from isolated gate design to the complex material-substrate interfaces that govern environmental decoherence. While classical high-performance computing frameworks routinely simulate gas-phase molecular properties, standard sector methodologies exhibit discrepancies of up to three orders of magnitude when predicting spin relaxation times on active surfaces. Consequently, current industry focus lies on bridging classical and quantum capabilities at scale by constructing first-principles workflows that accurately account for localized electronic interactions, spin-orbit dependencies, and bulk phonon baths simultaneously.
This research domain operates at a critical intersection of the global deep-tech pipeline, serving as the primary translation mechanism between fundamental quantum chemistry and early-stage hardware prototyping. The structural reliance of hardware developers on academic research outputs places a premium on talent capable of developing rigorous, reproducible benchmarking methodologies that prevent capital misallocation on unstable material platforms. As public funding frameworks increasingly mandate clear Technology Readiness Level progression, the validation of molecular architectures provides the benchmark data required to derisk venture-backed physical layer engineering.
Furthermore, the integration of periodic quantum embedding theories with many-body correlation solvers represents a vital capability layer for mitigating technology obsolescence across the value chain. By moving beyond isolated point-charge approximations toward comprehensive surface-adsorbate modeling, the broader quantum ecosystem can systematically target room-temperature functionality for spin-based devices. Resolving these fundamental transport and relaxation constraints is a primary determinant of whether the sector can successfully cross the threshold from noisy intermediate-scale deployment to robust quantum information networks.
The capability architecture for this role type centers on the synchronization of periodic density functional theory with advanced correlated electronic structure methods, specifically equation-of-motion coupled-cluster frameworks. Mastery of these hybrid computational methodologies is essential for capturing the cross-layer dependencies between localized open quantum systems and the extended macroscopic solid-state environments hosting them. This domain requires precise orchestration of state-interaction treatments that handle multi-scale physics, including Zeeman splittings, spin-spin couplings, and localized crystalline fields.
These capabilities are fundamental to the throughput of quantum research ecosystems, as they enable the parallelization of material screening protocols ahead of long-cycle physical fabrication. By implementing rigorous first-principles frameworks for spin-phonon coupling coefficients, this function delivers the predictive foresight required to establish target thresholds for phase coherence and magnetic memory retention. The resulting workflows reduce the iterative friction between abstract mathematical models of open system dynamics and the real-world constraints of surface deposition and single-molecule magnetic spectroscopy. - Accelerates the deterministic translation of open quantum system theories into predictable material architectures for hardware fabrication
- Mitigates systemic execution risks by providing first-principles benchmarks for spin relaxation and coherence lifetimes
- Facilitates the development of advanced periodic quantum embedding workflows to replace low-fidelity point-charge environmental simulations
- Strengthens the reliability of solid-state hardware strategies through precise quantification of surface-induced phase decoherence
- Reduces iteration friction between fundamental quantum chemistry discoveries and empirical single-molecule magnetic measurements
- Optimizes the design principles for molecular quantum devices by isolating phonon-mediated relaxation channels on surfaces
- Enhances the predictability of solid-state qubit performance across diverse metallic and insulating substrate configurations
- Supports the scaling of quantum information storage capabilities by delivering reproducible electronic structure model protocols
- Improves the transparency of material-level Technology Readiness Level progression for industrial hardware developers
- Enables structural multi-scale modeling by coupling localized many-body physics with macroscopic periodic boundary conditions
- Protects high-capital infrastructure investments by screening unstable molecular spin configurations prior to physical synthesis
- Orchestrates the convergence of academic open system dynamics research with practical requirements for fault-tolerant hardware engineeringIndustry Tags: Open Quantum Systems, Spin Dynamics, Quantum Chemistry, Periodic Quantum Embedding, Solid State Physics, Materials Science, Decoherence Mitigation, Quantum Nanoscience, High Performance Computing
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