PhD student position on Wood Biopolymers for nanomaterials

The Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering promotes research and education for sustainable development, for improved health and quality of life. Our research ranges from natural science and bioscience, applied chemistry and biotechnology to chemical engineering. Our educational programs are characterized by technological solutions for improving people’s everyday life, and are continuously developed for meeting and promoting societal and industrial development.

We have approximately 400 employees, divided into five research divisions and one administrative unit. We are situated at campus Johanneberg.

Our department is characterized by stimulation of world leading research, in an environment where people develop and create new knowledge.
Information about the research group
The Biopolymer Technology group has a research program that aims to develop technology required for the transformation of selected biopolymers into advanced biomacromolecular materials. The program is focused on altering the molecular structure of polysaccharides by enzymatic and chemical means in order to control their ability to assemble into solid materials with hierarchical architecture (similar to one existing in biological materials). The surface and interfacial properties of these new biomimetic materials are of major interest. The range of potential applications of the new nanomaterials prepared in this program stretches from barrier films and coatings, hydrogels, novel fibers, bioadhesives, biocomposites for automotive applications to scaffolds for tissue engineering.  The project will be part of the Wallenberg Wood Science Center (WWSC). In the WWSC the next generation of novel wood-based materials and associated processes are developed. The main focus is on understanding of mechanisms and principles that can facilitate the development of novel wood-based materials. The center is multidisciplinary and located both at Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm and Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg. About 60 persons (of which about 20 are professors) are working in the center.

Major responsibilities
The PhD-student will study the interactions between wood biopolymers such as hemicelluloses and cellulose nanostructures. The effect of the third wood biopolymer, lignin on these interactions will be included. The PhD student will study the interactions through adsorption measurements and include modeling to enhance the understanding process of the mechanisms. The interactions between wood biopolymers are crucial in cell wall assembly process and are vital tool in design and fabrication of novel materials based from trees.

The major responsibility as PhD student is to perform your own research in our research group. The position may also include supervision of master's and teaching obligations. You will be enrolled in the graduate school BioScience and will follow the curriculim given there.

Position summary
Full-time temporary employment. The position is limited to a maximum of four years and two months.

Qualifications
To qualify as a PhD student, you must have a master's level degree corresponding to at least 240 higher education credits in Materials Chemistry and Nanotechnology or in Biochemical Engineering or in Biotechnology and Polymer Chemistry and Physics Courses. University courses or equivalent in Surface and Colloidal Chemistry, Wood Chemistry and Plant Cell Wall Biotechnology are qualifying merits.

You are expected to demonstrate good potential within research and education. Important qualities are enthusiasm, to be able to drive and conclude projects independently, take own initiative and discuss/develop own ideas, write well-formulated  reports, be creative and have a problem-solving ability, and to be a mature person also realising your own limitations. The project is part of a interdisciplinary collaboration with several other research groups and thus good cooperation and social abilities are highly important.

The position requires fluent verbal and written communication skills in English. If Swedish is not your native language Chalmers offers Swedish courses. 

Application procedure
The application should be marked with Ref 20140067 and written in English. The application should be sent electronically via Chalmers webpage.

Application deadline: March 18, 2014

For questions, please contact:
Professor Paul Gatenholm, Chemical and Biological Engineering, paul.gatenholm@chalmers.se, +46(0)31 772 3407




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