ASSISTANT

Based on Art. 40 of the Act on Higher Education and Scientific Activity (NN 119/22), Art. 4 para. 2 and Art. 7 para. 1 and 3 of the Ordinance on the Announcement and Implementation of Public Competitions for the Purpose of Employment at the Institute of Physics, and the Decision of the Scientific Council on initiating the selection procedure for vacant collaborator positions, Class: 002-22/26-02/2/21, Ur.broj: 2, Class: 0002-22/26-02/2/20, Ur.broj: 2 and Class: 002-22/26-02/2/22, Ur.broj: 2 with the 7th regular session of the Scientific Council held on July 7, 2026, and the Decision of the Scientific Council on initiating the selection procedure for vacant collaborator positions, Class: 002-22/26-02/2/24, Ur.broj: 2, Class: 002-22/26-02/2/25, Ur.broj: 2, Class: 002-22/26-02/2/26, Ur.broj: 2 and Class: 002-22/26-02/2/22, Ur.broj: 3 (amendment to the Decision Class: 002-22/26-02/2/22, Ur.broj: 2) with the per rollam session held on July 31, 2026, the director of the Institute of Physics announces:

COMPETITION

1. Competitions are announced for the position:

Ad.1. Assistant (f/m, 1 executor)

for a fixed term of five (5) years, on tasks related to experimental condensed matter physics.

The Assistant will work in the field of experimental condensed matter physics on research topics conducted within the project "Ground states in competition – strong correlations, frustration and disorder - FrustKor". The topic of the doctoral thesis will be quantum critical phenomena in selected organic superconductors under extreme conditions of temperature, magnetic field, and pressure. The research will be conducted in the Group for Experimental Research of Advanced Electronic Materials in the Department for Research of Materials under Extreme Conditions at the Institute of Physics. The assistant's mentor will be dr. sc. Matija Čulo (mculo@ifs.hr).

Research methods include experimental work in the laboratory, with an emphasis on working with cryogenic liquids, superconducting magnets, high vacuum, pressure cells, and experimental setups for measuring magnetotransport and magnetic properties of sensitive organic samples.

Candidates are expected to have high motivation for laboratory work on the stated topic and excellent knowledge of the English language in speaking and writing.

Preference will be given to candidates who have demonstrated excellence and independence in scientific work so far (e.g., awards, scholarships, published scientific papers, participation in conferences), as well as those with practical experience in the aforementioned research methods.

Salary is regulated by the Decree on Job Titles, Conditions for Placement, and Coefficients for Salary Calculation in Public Services (NN 22/2024).

Mandatory conditions:

• completed undergraduate and graduate studies in physics, research track, or equivalent, and fulfilled conditions for enrollment in the corresponding doctoral study program in physics.

The application should include:

• proof of fulfillment of mandatory conditions (copy of diploma),
• transcript of grades from previous levels of study (undergraduate and graduate, or integrated study) by which the candidate proves that their overall average ensures enrollment in the doctoral study,
• motivation letter with a brief description of scientific interests and plans,
• curriculum vitae showing the candidate's experience
• and contact information for at least one mentor or scientist from whom a recommendation can be requested.

Due to the complexity of the research topic, high-quality candidates are sought, and interviews will be conducted with selected candidates as an integral part of the selection process.

Applications to the competition must be submitted within 30 days from the date of publication in Narodne novine.

Applications are submitted to the address natjecaj@ifs.hr in one single document in pdf format, in Croatian or English.

A regular application is considered an application that contains all the data and attachments specified in the competition. Untimely and untidy applications will not be considered, nor will applicants of untidy applications be called to supplement their application. Persons who submit untimely and untidy applications or do not meet the formal conditions of the competition are not considered candidates applied for the competition.

If a candidate exercises the right of preference in employment according to a special law, they are obliged to refer to that right in the application for the competition and have preference over other candidates only under equal conditions.

Candidates exercising the right to preference in employment according to Art. 102 of the Act on Croatian Homeland War Veterans and their family members (NN no. 121/17, 98/19, 84/21, 156/23), Art. 48 of the Act on Civil Victims of the Homeland War (NN 84/21) are obliged, along with the application for the competition, to attach, in addition to proof of meeting the requested conditions, all necessary evidence available at the link of the Ministry of Croatian Veterans: https://branitelji.gov.hr/zaposljavanje-843/843

Candidates exercising preference in employment according to Art. 9 of the Act on Professional Rehabilitation and Employment of Persons with Disabilities (NN 157/13, 152/14, 39/18, 32/20) and Art. 48.f of the Act on the Protection of Military and Civil War Disabled Persons (NN 33/92, 57/92, 77/92, 27/93, 58/93, 02/94, 76/94, 108/95, 108/96, 82/01, 103/03, 148/13, 98/19) are obliged in the application for the public competition to refer to this right of preference in employment over other candidates, only under equal conditions.

In accordance with Article 13 of the Gender Equality Act, persons of both sexes may apply for the competition.

Applicants will be notified of the competition results within the legal deadline.