Internship: Stabilizing Gold Nanoparticles with Core-Shell Architectures

AMOLF; Netherlands; On-site; EUR 5,600 - 8,900; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

AMOLF Energy Research Academy

Job summary

AMOLF, located at Amsterdam Science Park, offers a research internship in the Hybrid Nanosystems group focusing on plasmonic gold nanoparticles and photothermal catalysis. You will study core-shell coatings to enhance thermal stability, using single-particle spectroscopy to monitor morphological changes under laser heating.

The program targets Master’s students in physics, chemistry, or materials science with EU citizenship and a curriculum-mandated internship period of at least 5 months.

Qualifications

• Currently enrolled in a Master’s program in physics, chemistry, materials science, or related field.
• EU nationality and/or student at a Netherlands university.
• Traineeship must be part of curriculum.
• Availability for at least 5 months (longer preferred).

Responsibilities

• Study plasmonic properties of gold nanoparticles and coating effects using single-particle spectroscopy.
• Perform potential synthesis, electron microscopy correlation, or optical/thermal simulations as needed.

Skills

Single-particle spectroscopy

Nanoparticle synthesis

Electron microscopy

Optical & thermal simulations

Education

Master’s program in physics, chemistry, materials science, or related field

Job description

Organisation/Company AMOLF Research Field Chemistry » Heterogeneous catalysis Physics » Condensed matter properties Physics » Optics Researcher Profile Recognised Researcher (R2) Application Deadline 9 Dec 2026 - 09:50 (UTC) Country Netherlands Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Not Applicable Hours Per Week 40.0 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? No

Offer Description

Work Activities Gold nanoparticles (GNPs) exhibit plasmonic properties that enable strong light-matter interactions, making them promising candidates for photothermal catalysis. However, their optical response is highly sensitive to particle shape and therein lies a key stability challenge: GNPs begin to reshape at temperatures around 200 °C, which progressively alters their plasmonic characteristics and degrades their performance over time. In this project, you will investigate how coating GNPs with a protective shell (e.g. titania, TiO2) can improve their thermal stability. These core‑shell nanoparticles will be studied using single-particle spectroscopy: because nanoparticle shape governs the plasmon resonance, spectral shifts measured before and after laser heating directly reveal morphological changes. Photothermal heating is achieved using a wavelength-tunable picosecond laser that excites each particle at its plasmon resonance. Depending on your interests, the project may also include nanoparticle synthesis, electron microscopy correlation, or optical and thermal simulations.Qualifications You are currently enrolled in a Master’s program in physics, chemistry, materials science, or a related field. You have a nationality of an EU-member state and/or you are a student at a university in the Netherlands. The internship has to be a mandatory part of your curriculum. We expect you to be available for at least 5 months, although longer is preferable.Work environment AMOLF is a part of NWO-I and initiate and performs leading fundamental research on the physics of complex forms of matter, and to create new functional materials, in partnership with academia and industry. The institute is located at Amsterdam Science Park and currently employs about 140 researchers and 80 support employees. www.amolf.nl
In the Hybrid Nanosystems group , we investigate the interaction between different components in complex hybrid nanostructures and develop new architectures for such systems.
A powerful way of designing novel materials lies in combining unique properties of separate components in a hybrid system. Nanomaterials are especially interesting for this approach as they display unique properties compared to their bulk counterparts. An intelligent combination of several material classes in one nanostructure offers a promising approach towards improving existing properties and compensating for disadvantages of the separate components, as well as augmenting the system with novel functionalities.Working conditions At the start of the traineeship your trainee plan will be set out, in consultation with your AMOLF supervisor.AMOLF Energy Research Academy AMOLF offers a special program for research internships in sustainable energy science. It is composed of a research project in one of AMOLF’s research groups, combined with a series of dedicated tutorials on fundamental aspects of the science behind sustainability technology. Admission to this Academy is only possible in combination with a research internship project at AMOLF.More information? For further information about the position, please contact dr. Wiebke Albrecht or dr. Tom Veeken .

Online screening may be part of the selection.

Diversity code AMOLF is highly committed to an inclusive and diverse work environment: we want to develop talent and creativity by bringing together people from different backgrounds and cultures. We recruit and select on the basis of competencies and talents. We strongly encourage anyone with the right qualifications to apply for the vacancy, regardless of age, gender, origin, sexual orientation or physical ability. AMOLF has won the NNV Diversity Award 2022, which is awarded every two years by the Netherlands Physical Society for demonstrating the most successful implementation of equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI).