Postdoctoral Researcher

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• JOB - Netherlands - Leiden University via AcademicTransfer - Posted on: 31 July 2026

Postdoctoral researcher in photocatalysis for water-based paint and coating photocuring

Chemistry » Homogeneous catalysis Chemistry » Physical chemistry

Recognised Researcher (R2)

Type of Contract

Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme

Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure?

The Faculty of Science Leiden and the Leiden Institute of Chemistry are looking for a Postdoctoral Researcher in Photocatalysis for water-based paint and coating photocuring with low carbon footprint.

• You have a PhD in photochemistry with experience in coordination chemistry, supramolecular chemistry and/or catalysis
• You want to join an internationally renowned university and research group working in cutting-edge photochemistry
• You want to take part to a multidisciplinary project involving most Dutch universities and many companies, to contribute to a more sustainable society

Existing paint or coating curing technologies typically rely on heat or high-energy UV light. To lower the carbon footprint of coating and paint curing, it would be preferable to develop photocatalysts and reagents that react with red or NIR light. Low-energy photocuring inherently provides latency, a critical point for paint storage stability. Both solvent-borne (University of Amsterdam) and waterborne (Leiden University, this vacature) coatings will be studied in this project, including upscaling tests. A robotic platform developed within the consortium will support rapid optimisation of curing conditions. Waterborne coatings pose additional challenges due to the necessity to work with surfactants and colloidal mixtures. In this project, you will develop photocatalytic active surfactants that insert into waterborne paint formulations and allow efficient visible-light curin...