PhD position within WWSC: fungal biotechnology for biomass valorization

In the last decades the enormous amount of low-value side streams and recalcitrant residues from the forestry and agri-food sector have reduced the sustainability of the biorefinery systems. Biomass of lignocellulosic origin is considered one of the major environmental pollutants and at the same time is a potential raw material to produce high value goods or energy. The ambition of this PhD project is to use fungal biotechnology to upcycle abundant underutilized lignocellulose biomass (forestry and agri-food sector) by generating innovative bio-based materials and at the same time discover and characterize novel fungal enzymes with potential use for industrial processes. The project also encompasses a comprehensive life cycle assessment for evaluating the environmental impact of the hybrid materials and the process for biomass valorization. This PhD position is part of the Wallenberg Wood Science Center (WWSC) at Chalmers, a highly collaborative research center that will allow further connection with research experts in other areas of interest, such as material science, composite technology or biomass characterization.

Information about the research and division
Wallenberg Wood Science Center (WWSC) is a research center striving for scientific excellence with focus on new materials from trees. The center creates knowledge and builds competences 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.
At the division of Industrial Biotechnology in the group of Assistant Prof. Amparo Jiménez Quero you will be working in a multidisciplinary and multicultural group of researchers with a broad background in biomass utilization, from enzymatic degradation to molecular characterization of biomass polymers. The IndBio division and WWSC will provide access to an extensive research infrastructure related to the project goals.

Major responsibilities
As PhD student the main time will be devoted to your research project, where you will be responsible for planning, running experiments and evaluating the scientific outcome. You are also expected to communicate your results in different settings, group and division meetings at Chalmers but also during bi-annual meetings at the WWSC. You are also expected to develop scientific writing skills by the preparation of articles for publication in high impact journals and participate in international conferences. Moreover, you will also contribute to teaching and supervision of undergraduate students.
As a member of the WWSC, you will also participate in the WWSC academy courses and activities, which take place in different locations in Sweden and the Nordic countries.


Qualifications
The successful candidate must have a master degree corresponding to at least 240 higher education credits in Biotechnology, Material Science, Polymer Technology or similar. Laboratory experience in biomass transformation to materials and fungal fermentation is meritorious but most important is your aim to work in a multidisciplinary PhD project. Good communication in spoken and written English is required.

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 20230714 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.

Please use the button at the foot of the page to reach the application form. 

Application deadline: 2024-01-12



For questions, please contact:


Prof Carl Johan Franzén, Head of division,
franzen@chalmers.se

Assistant Professor Amparo Jimenez-Quero,
amparo@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!