Postdoc position within WWSC: Engineering Methods for Creating Lignin Library

Lignin, the second largest component derived from wood resources, can be utilized to produce a range of bioproducts, playing a pivotal role in the biorefinery process and bio-based economy. We seek a motivated postdoc candidate to join an interdisciplinary group in forest products and chemical engineering, primarily focused on the development of engineering methods for creating a lignin library. In this project, one potential direction for the Postdoc will be the direct esterification of lignin to obtain versatile and uniform lignin building blocks; more details can be found in this paper (https://doi.org/10.1039/D1GC01033F). This project will be performed in a highly collaborative set-up within Chalmers and Wallenberg Wood Science Center (WWSC).

Project description
This project focuses on methods development to embody versatility and uniformity for technical lignin. A critical aspect of this work involves engineering the chemical modification and structural characterization (e.g., molecular weight and chemical functional groups) of lignin. The utilization of quantitative structure-property relationship modeling will be an integrated part of this work. The project may also encompass a comprehensive techno-economic assessment to evaluate the cost of obtaining these building blocks. WWSC provides a network for collaboration with other researchers who are experts in different areas.

Wallenberg Wood Science Center (WWSC) is a research center striving for scientific excellence with a focus on new materials from trees. The center creates knowledge and builds competence for an innovative and sustainable future value creation from forest raw materials. WWSC is a multidisciplinary collaboration between KTH, Chalmers, and Linköping University. The base is a donation from Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation, and the forest industry is supporting WWSC via the national platform Treesearch.

Information about the division and the department
At the Forest Products and Chemical Engineering at the Department of Chemistry 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. Extensive collaborations with forest industry and WWSC strengthen the collaborative environment and facilitate access to extensive research infrastructure.

Major responsibilities
As a Postdoc, the main part of your working time will be devoted to your research project, where you will be responsible for planning, performing experiments, and evaluating your experimental work. You will also be expected to communicate your results in different settings, from meetings with supervisors and collaborators to presentations at the research division and international conferences. Moreover, you will be expected to develop your scientific writing skills by authoring articles for publication in scientific journals. You will also contribute to mentoring students at different levels and writing proposals for grant applications. As a member of the Wallenberg Wood Science Center, you will also participate in the WWSC workshop.

Qualifications
The successful candidate needs to have a Ph.D. degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, or equivalent. Laboratory experience in organic chemistry, biomass processing, analytic chemistry, chemical processing, and materials processing, as well as experience in multidisciplinary work, are meritorious. 

The position requires sound verbal and written communication skills in English. Swedish is not a requirement but Chalmers offers Swedish courses.

You are expected to be somewhat accustomed to teaching, and to demonstrate good potential within research and education.

To qualify for the position of postdoc, you must hold a doctoral degree awarded no more than three years prior to the application deadline (according to the current agreement with the Swedish Agency for Government Employers). Exceptions from the 3-year limit can be made for longer periods resulting from parental leave, sick leave or military service*.

* The date shown in your doctoral degree certificate is the date we use, as this is the date you have met all requirements for the doctoral degree.

Contract terms
This postdoc position is a full-time temporary employment for two 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 20240276 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 as: CV, Surname, Ref. number) including:
• CV, include complete list of publications
• Previous teaching and pedagogical experiences
• 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 research fields and main research results
• Describe your future goals and future research focus

Other documents:
• Attested copies of completed education, grades and other certificates.

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: 2024-06-01

 
For questions, please contact:
Liyang Liu, Chemical Engineering, 
liyang.liu@chalmers.se

*** Chalmers declines to consider all offers of further announcement publishing or other types of support for the recruiting process in connection with this position. *** 

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!