Join the group!

If you are passionate about organic optoelectronics or quantum technologies, we would love to hear from you!

Fully-funded positions opening soon!

If you are interested in one of the positions below within the LIGHT-QIS or SPIRO-X projects at the Laboratory of Molecular Magnetism, University of Florence, please send an informal expression of interest to alberto.privitera@unifi.it, including the position title in the subject line and your CV. 

We offer:

• A position within the Laboratory of Molecular Magnetism, bridging the Departments of Industrial Engineering and Chemistry at the University of Florence, in a strongly interdisciplinary and international research environment.

• Access to fully equipped laboratories, including evaporation and solution-processing facilities; surface characterization techniques (SPM, XPS, UPS, IPES, etc.); variable-temperature transport setups under applied magnetic field and light illumination; CW and pulsed X-band and W-band EPR laboratories; magnetometers; and optical spectroscopy facilities.

• Supervision and strong mentoring, with opportunities to develop scientific independence and build a solid publication track record.

• Access to national and international collaborations, including the possibility of research visits to partner groups abroad.

• Dedicated funding for research-related travel, including participation in international conferences, workshops, and advanced schools.

We look for:

1) Postdoc Position — Chiral device fabrication and characterization (start date: September/October)

• PhD in Physics, Engineering, Materials Science, Chemistry, or a related field

• Experience in thin-film and device fabrication (preferably thermal evaporation)

• Strong background in charge transport measurements

• Willingness to coordinate and support doctoral and master’s students, and contribute to the development of a growing laboratory

2) Postdoc Position — Metallo-organic synthesis of molecular qubits (start date: September/October)

• PhD in Chemistry or a related field

• Experience in metallo-organic synthesis

• Willingness to coordinate and support doctoral and master’s students, and contribute to the development of a growing laboratory

3) PhD Position — Chiral thin film and device engineering (start date: October)

• Experience with thermal evaporation

• Background in organic optoelectronics and/or spintronic applications

4) PhD Position — Molecular qubit photophysics and coherent control (start date: October)

• Experience with optical or EPR spectroscopies

• Background in physical chemistry and molecular photophysics

Further opportunities in the group

In addition to our advertised positions, we welcome motivated students and postdocs to apply at any time (contact: alberto.privitera@unifi.it). We are committed to supporting strong candidates in securing external funding and guiding them through the preparation of high-quality applications.

• Master’s thesis students

We invite applications from students in Physics, Chemistry, Materials Science, Engineering, or related disciplines (from UNIFI or worldwide). Motivated students interested in carrying out their final project in our lab are encouraged to contact Alberto. Please briefly describe your previous experience and indicate which techniques or topics you would like to explore in our group.

We are happy to host international Master’s students as well!

• PhD students 

We welcome PhD candidates in Physics, Chemistry, Materials Science, Engineering, or related disciplines (typical duration: 3 years). Our lab aims to address scientific and technological questions and to train PhD students to become well-rounded researchers - able to fabricate materials, perform characterization experiments (e.g. spectroscopy, transport, etc.), and communicate their work effectively.

Our favorite playground? Spins and light!

• Postdoctoral researchers 

We are looking for postdoctoral researchers with expertise in EPR and optical spectroscopy, as well as thin-film and device fabrication and characterization. The preferred way to join the group is through joint applications for external funding, such as the Marie Skłodowska-Curie (MSCA) Fellowships. These prestigious fellowships provide scientific independence and valuable transferable skills. Ideal candidates have a strong and complementary background to the group’s activities. The MSCA call typically closes in September, so please contact Alberto well in advance (ideally in spring) if you are interested in applying.

• Visiting Researchers

Florence is an exceptional place for research stays (e.g., Erasmus). A successful visit depends on shared research interests, and adequate planning regarding timing and laboratory resources. Before contacting us, please take a look at our research focus and recent publications on our webpage.