The Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM) is accepting applications for a postdoctoral fellowship linked to the Research Center of Molecular Engineering for Advanced Materials (CEMol), a Research, Innovation and Dissemination Center (CEPID) supported by FAPESP and headquartered at CNPEM.
The project aims to develop and apply correlative structural characterization techniques for inorganic glasses, with a particular focus on identifying middle-range order (MRO) at the nanometer scale. The research will combine fluctuation microscopy (FM) and electron pair distribution function (ePDF) analyses obtained through transmission electron microscopy, addressing a fundamental gap in the understanding of the atomic structure of amorphous materials. The postdoctoral fellow will be supervised by Professor Edson Roberto Leite.
The selected fellow will work on the processing and characterization of amorphous inorganic materials, including silicate glasses. Activities will include sample preparation, TEM/STEM experiments using nanometer-scale electron beams, development of protocols for the acquisition and analysis of ePDF and fluctuation microscopy (FM) data in a correlative framework, and interpretation of middle-range order (MRO) structures. The fellow will also collaborate with CEMol teams and researchers from partner institutions.
Candidate requirements:
- PhD in Materials Science or a related field;
- Demonstrated experience in transmission electron microscopy (TEM/STEM) and/or advanced image processing techniques;
- Knowledge of the structural analysis of glasses, amorphous materials, or nanomaterials will be considered an asset;
- Experience in programming, scientific data analysis applications, and software development for scientific data processing will be essential.
Interested candidates should send an email to cemol@cnpem.br by September 10, 2026, with the subject line Postdoctoral Fellowship in Science Tools – [First Name and Last Name], including:
- A Curriculum Vitae, including a link to the applicant’s Lattes CV or another academic profile;
- A motivation letter describing previous experience and interest in the fellowship.
Fellowship
The fellowship provides a monthly stipend of R$ 12,570. In addition, the fellow will receive a Technical Reserve Fund corresponding to 10% of the annual fellowship amount, intended to cover unforeseen expenses directly related to the research plan.
About CNPEM
The Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM) is home to a state-of-the-art, multi-user and multidisciplinary scientific environment and works on different fronts within the Brazilian National System for Science, Technology and Innovation. A social organization overseen by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI), with the involvement of the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health, CNPEM is driven by research that impacts the areas of health, energy, renewable materials, and sustainability. It is responsible for Sirius, the largest assembly of scientific equipment constructed in the country, and is currently constructing Project Orion, a laboratory complex for advanced pathogen research. Highly specialized science and engineering teams, sophisticated infrastructure open to the scientific community, strategic lines of investigation, innovative projects involving the productive sector, and training for researchers and students are the pillars of this institution that is unique in Brazil and able to serve as a bridge between knowledge and innovation. CNPEM's research and development activities are carried out through its four National Laboratories: Synchrotron Light (LNLS), Biosciences (LNBio), Nanotechnology (LNNano), Biorenewables (LNBR), as well as its Technology Unit (DAT) and the Ilum School of Science — an undergraduate program in Science and Technology.
