Postdoc position in Theoretical and Computational Chemistry, University of Lorraine, France (Deadline: 20.11.2025)

A postdoc position (18 months) sponsored by the French funding agency ANR is available starting December 2025 in the Theoretical Physics and Chemistry Laboratory at the University of Lorraine in Nancy, France. The salary depends on previous experience and it is fixed according to the University salary administration policy (starting from about 2000 € per month, net salary). The position gives access to the French Social Security system, paid by the employer.

Short description, goals. The research project is conducted in collaboration with experimental groups from the universities of Aix-Marseille (Dr. Julien Duboisset, coordinator of the ANR project) Grenoble, and Lyon. Its goal is to investigate the molecular-scale organization of water under various thermodynamic conditions of pressure and temperature, as well as its role in highly concentrated electrolytes. The powerful experimental technique developed in Marseille, based on second harmonic scattering, is particularly sensitive to orientational correlations between water molecules. The theoretical team(coordinator for the Nancy site: Prof. Francesca Ingrosso) aims to provide a microscopic understanding of the observed orientational ordering in water. Our approach will combine molecular dynamics simulations with molecular integral equation theory, thereby covering both short-range and long-range ordering. In addition, we will systematically assess the ability of standard force fields to accurately describe the fine details of orientational ordering in water and in electrolyte solutions.

Requirements. The successful candidate will have a PhD in Theoretical Chemistry or Physics, a robust computational background as well as a proven experience in Statistical Mechanics, Molecular Dynamics and Quantum Chemistry. Applicants must show ability to efficiently work in a team and good communication skills. To be considered for the project, applicants should send a CV, a publication list and three recommendation letters to the contacts indicated below.

Living in Nancy. Nancy is a pleasant city in the Grand Est region, north-eastern France,

within an hour and a half by train from Paris, Strasbourg, Germany and Luxembourg. The city center hosts a few UNESCO’s World Heritage sites, and it is world-wide known for buildings and masterpieces in the Art Nouveau style. Easy access to hiking, biking, skiing, climbing and other outdoor sports is a great advantage of leaving in Nancy, a city surrounded by forests and by the countryside and only 80 km away from the Vosges mountains (cf. https://www.explore-grandest.com/en/).

Contacts: