INT-26059-INTERNSHIP IN ELECTROCALORIC EFFECT AT CYOGENIC TEMPERATURES

The Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST) is a Research and Technology Organization (RTO) active in the fields of materials, environment and IT. By transforming scientific knowledge into technologies, smart data and tools, LIST empowers citizens in their choices, public authorities in their decisions and businesses in their strategies.

https://www.list.lu/

Your LIST benefits

• An organization with a passion for impact and strong RDI partnerships in Luxembourg and Europe that works on responsible and independent research projects;
• Sustainable by design, empowering our belief that we play an essential role in paving the way to a green society;
• Innovative infrastructures and exceptional labs occupying more than 5,000 square metres, including innovations such as our Viswall, high-scale incubators and top of the range 3D/4D printings that are part of our toolkit for excelling in all we do;
• Multicultural and international work environment with more than 45 nationalities represented in our workforce;
• Diverse and inclusive work environment empowering our people to fulfil their personal and professional ambitions;
• Gender-friendly environment with multiple actions to attract, develop and retain women in science;
• 32 days’ paid annual leave for a full time internship, 11 public holidays per annum, flexible working hours,
• An environment encouraging curiosity, innovation and entrepreneurship in all areas.

Interniship contract (compulsory)– 6 months | Fulltime/40h | From 01.03.2026 on | Belval

Are you passionate about research? So are we! Come and join us 

How will you contribute?

Refrigeration and air conditioning account for ~17% of global energy consumption, a figure expected to triple by 2050, while contributing over 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Conventional vapor-compression cooling relies on high–global-warming-potential refrigerants, creating an urgent need for energy-efficient and environmentally friendly alternatives.

Electrocaloric cooling is a promising solid-state technology that can be up to 20% more efficient than vapor-compression systems. It uses ferroelectric materials that undergo a reversible temperature change under an applied electric field. The materials heats upon application and cools upon removal of an electric field. This temperature change arises from an entropy variation induced by the electric field. The electrocaloric effect is strongest near the Curie temperature, where the material transitions from ferroelectric to paraelectric and the polarization changes most strongly with temperature. To date, EC research has largely focused on room-temperature operation, while low-temperature electrocaloric effects, down to liquid nitrogen temperatures remain largely unexplored.

The intern will investigate the electrocaloric effect in ferroelectric ceramics at low temperatures.

• First, the work will include validating an existing low-temperature electrocaloric measurement setup using an infrared camera.
• Second, the intern will characterize the electrical (ferroelectric) and thermal properties of the materials using, respectively, an electrical setup and a differential scanning calorimeter.
• Finally, the intern will measure the electrocaloric response down to liquid nitrogen temperatures using an infrared camera and/or thermocouples.

Is Your profile described below? Are you our future colleague? Apply now!

Education and skills

• Master in Physics, Materials Science, Engineering or other relevant fields.
• General chemistry background, analytical chemistry skills
• Basic knowledge of thermodynamic and electricity.
• Experience in materials characterization methods.
• Coding is an asset.

Language skills

• Good level written and spoken English and French.