PhD position within improved separation of wood components for..

22 Feb 2024
Job Information

Organisation/Company

Chalmers University of Technology

Research Field

Engineering » Chemical engineering

Researcher Profile

First Stage Researcher (R1)

Country

Sweden

Application Deadline

30 Mar 2024 - 22:00 (UTC)

Type of Contract

Temporary

Job Status

Full-time

Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme?

Not funded by an EU programme

Reference Number

304--1-12656

Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure?

No

Offer Description

PhD position within improved separation of wood components for resource efficient biorefineries

We are looking for a driven PhD-candidate who will join the multidisciplinary team of Forest products and chemical engineering at Chalmers and work on providing fundamental understanding of chemical routes for improved utilization of wood components during pulping/delignification through stabilization of wood carbohydrates. The work will comprise model experiments on individual carbohydrates – exploring both  already existing and completely new routes -  and their verification on pulping/delignification studies relevant for industrial conditions.

The project is financed by Södra’s Research Foundation and will be performed in a collaborative environment with a strong presence of the Swedish forest industry (Södra in particular) and research and educational networks in the field (Resource Smart Processes, Treesearch, Wallenberg Wood Science Center etc.)

Information about the division and the department
At the Forest Products and Chemical Engineering we have a long tradition of multidisciplinary approach to valorization of forest biomass ranging from chemistry and technology of traditional pulping processes to novel routes of separating, fractionating and functionalizing forest biomass components in the spirit of biorefinery and biomaterials development. Apart from extensive collaborations with forest industry, the presence of the world-leading Wallenberg Wood Science Center (the past 13 years) along with other research and educational networks (Resource Smart Processes, Fibre, etc.) has strengthened the collaborative environment and facilitated access to extensive research infrastructure. In that context, acquiring knowledge necessary for in-depth understanding of behavior of wood structures during pulping is of central importance, especially when it comes to reaction routes important for selectivity and overall yield of delignification. This fundamental knowledge will open up for increased resource efficiency pertaining not only to production of cellulose fibers but valorization of wood components in general in the context of future wood based biorefineries. Related research is being conducted in the group in three current PhD projects providing a strong collaborative environment and a solid methodology and knowledge basis.

Major responsibilities
The main part of your working time will be devoted to your research project where you will be responsible for planning, performing and evaluating your experimental work, including communication (orally and in writing) of your results. You will also be expected to contribute to teaching on the undergraduate level by leading and superivising laboratory sessions, projects and tutorials, corresponding to 10-20% of your time. Additional 20% of your time will be dedicated to courses related both to your research field and general academic skills/knowledge. 

Read more about doctoral studies at Chalmers here .

Qualifications
The successful candidate need to have a Master’s degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science or equivalent. Skills/experience in organic chemistry, biomass processing , analytic chemistry (chromatography and spectroscopy methods) as well as experience of multidisciplinary work are meritorious.  Good communication skills in English and good collaboration skills are required for this project.

Contract terms
Full-time temporary employment. The position is limited to a maximum of five years.

We offer
Chalmers offers a cultivating and inspiring working environment in the coastal city of Gothenburg . 
Read more about working at Chalmers  and our benefits  for employees.

Chalmers aims to actively improve our gender balance. We work broadly with equality projects, for example the GENIE Initiative on gender equality for excellence . Equality and diversity are substantial foundations in all activities at Chalmers.

Application procedure
The application should be marked with reference number 20240117 and written in English. The application should be sent electronically and be attached as PDF-files, as below. Maximum size for each file is 40 MB. Please note that the system does not support Zip files.

CV:(Please name the document: CV, Family name, reference number)
• CV
• Other, for example previous employments or leadership qualifications and positions of trust.
• Two references that we can contact.

Personal letter:(Please name the document as: Personal letter, Family name, ref.number)
1-3 pages where you:
• Introduce yourself
• Describe your previous experience of relevance for the position (e.g. education, thesis work and, if applicable, any other research activities)
• Describe your future goals and future research focus

Other documents:
• Copies of bachelor and/or master’s thesis.
• Attested copies and transcripts of completed education, grades and other certificates, e.g. TOEFL test results.

Use the button at the foot of the page to reach the application form. 

Please note: The applicant is responsible for ensuring that the application is complete. Incomplete applications and applications sent by email will not be considered.

Application deadline: 2024-03-31

For questions, please contact:
Merima Hasani, Div. of Chemical Engineering,
[email protected] ; +46 (0)31 772 2996

Chalmers University of Technology conducts research and education in engineering sciences, architecture, technology-related mathematical sciences, natural and nautical sciences, working in close collaboration with industry and society. The strategy for scientific excellence focuses on our six Areas of Advance; Energy, Health Engineering, Information and Communication Technology, Materials Science, Production and Transport. The aim is to make an active contribution to a sustainable future using the basic sciences as a foundation and innovation and entrepreneurship as the central driving forces. Chalmers has around 11,000 students and 3,000 employees. New knowledge and improved technology have characterised Chalmers since its foundation in 1829, completely in accordance with the will of William Chalmers and his motto: Avancez!
 

 

Requirements

Research Field

Chemistry

Education Level

Master Degree or equivalent

Languages

ENGLISH

Level

Excellent

Research Field

Chemistry » Other

Years of Research Experience

None

Additional Information
Work Location(s)

Number of offers available

1

Company/Institute

Chalmers University of Technology

Country

Sweden

City

Göteborg

Postal Code

41296

Street

Chalmers Tekniska Högskola

Where to apply

Website

https://www.chalmers.se/en/about-chalmers/work-with-us/vacancies/?rmpage=job&rm…

Contact

City

Göteborg

Street

Chalmers Tekniska Högskola

Postal Code

41296

STATUS: EXPIRED