Position as a Postdoc in Environmental Systems Analysis

The department of Forest Biomaterials and Technology (SBT) forms part of the Faculty of Forest Sciences, has about 50 employees and is located in both Umeå and Uppsala. The department carries out high quality research and under- and postgraduate education on a high international level and collaborates with society and industry to develop a bio-based economy where forest biomaterials are an important resource. The major focus in Umeå lies on value chains in the bio-based industry, where different components of forest biomaterials are collected, characterized, separated, modified / processed, used and re-used cost-effectively for different purposes while forest ecosystem services are managed sustainably. In Uppsala, the focus lies on wood science and technology with research and education on wood materials from nano to macro levels and with accredited testing of wood products and treatments for the market.

Background:
The Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) and Umeå University (UMU) run, in collaboration, several major research projects within the fields of energy, biomaterials, and chemistry, having as partners forestry-related industry and other universities (both Swedish and foreign). In these projects, the demand for quantified and verified information about the environmental performance of production, products, supply chains and services constantly increases. In the Department of Forest Biomaterials and Technology extensive research is carried out, among others, on economically and environmentally sustainable value chains where forest raw materials and forest industrial residues are processed into high-quality biomaterials for further industrial processing to e.g. chemicals and biofuels.

The research program Bio4Energy (http://www.bio4energy.se ), where both SLU and UMU are active in, aims to create highly efficient and environmentally-sound biorefinery processes, based on forest biomass as raw material, for making products such as biofuels and "green" chemicals. A systematic environmental impact analysis of the different process steps in the making of such products is an important aspect in Bio4Energy. This postdoctoral position is a common venture between SLU and UMU and within the framework of Bio4Energy.

Work description:
As a part of the systems analysis platform within the Bio4energy program, the successful candidate will be evaluating sustainability potential of bioeconomy initiatives in Sweden. The focus of the postdoc will be (but not limited to) sustainable valorization of forest biomass as a major feedstock for biofuel production and synthesis of biochemicals and/or biocomposites. Conduct eco-efficiency analysis (life cycle assessment and life cycle costing) of the production of biofuels through enzymatic and thermochemical conservation pathways. Conduct LCAs on application of emerging forest based biochemicals and biocomposites as candidate materials for material light weighting, coatings, wood preservatives etc. Address data and technology related uncertainties associated with forest biomass value chain by integrating other optimization tools (e.g. Aspen, multi regression analysis etc.) into LCA. The appointment as postdoc is mainly devoted to research. The successful candidate will be part of a research group with graduate students as well as other researchers and postdocs. The postdoctoral fellow together with her/his group are encouraged to develop cooperation with external partners as well as with researchers from the Bio4Energy research program.

Read more about the qualifications and the job advertisement on SLU's website;

https://www.slu.se/en/about-slu/work-at-slu/jobs-vacancies/



The Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) is a world-class international university with research, education and environmental assessment within the sciences for sustainable life. Its principal sites are in Alnarp, Umeå and Uppsala, but activities are also conducted at research stations, experimental parks and educational establishments throughout Sweden. We bring together people who have different perspectives, but they all have one and the same goal: to create the best conditions for a sustainable, thriving and better world.

SLU has just over 3,000 employees, 5,000 students and a turnover of SEK 3 billion. The university has invested heavily in a modern, attractive environment on its campuses.

www.slu.se