Post-doctoral researcher in chemistry

The Man Technology Environment Research Centre (MTM) at Örebro University focuses on applied research on chemical compounds of different origin in the environment and their relations to sustainable development.

We are now in the process of establishing the Environmental Forensic (EnForce) Laboratory. It is a new research effort funded by the Knowledge Foundation research profile program in collaboration with ten partners from trade and industry and the Swedish Toxicology Sciences Research Center (Swetox). The main goal of the EnForce Laboratory is to track and identify environmental pollutants with a better understanding of their effects. The objectives are to develop and apply advanced analytical methods including metabolomics, bioassay technologies and speciation for effect-directed analysis and hazard assessment of the full spectrum of toxicologically relevant anthropogenic chemicals, mixtures, transformation products and metals in the bio- and technospheres.

The School of Science and Technology is seeking a postdoctoral researcher in functional bioinformatics and chemometrics for a fixed-term appointment.

Duties and responsibilities
The post-doctoral researcher will be a key person in several projects aiming to find solutions for prioritization, assessment and management of contaminants. The focus is two-fold:

- taking part in several EnForce projects for data analysis. Hereto, clustering and supervised learning methods from both functional bioinformatics and chemometrics need to be applied. Data of different methodological approaches (chemical analysis, bioreporter assays, including high-throughput metabolomics, proteomics and transcriptomics) need to be integrated to filter multivariate signatures, both to predict risc scores, but also to advance our understanding for the biological/environmental impact of combinations of pollutants.

- further development of supervised learning methods as well as integrative bioinformatics approaches towards risk assessment of complex chemical profiles of environmental samples. Developing analysis methods for newly developed bioreporter assays and combinations of several assays to improve effect-directed analysis.

Responsibilities also include cooperation with the data management service of the profile, supervision of students, teaching, and to communicate research results with researchers and industrial partners.

Eligibility
Eligible for the position as postdoctoral researcher are applicants holding a doctoral degree in bioinformatics, biomathematics, biostatistics or in related subject areas. The doctoral degree should have been awarded no more than three years prior to the application deadline. Candidates who have obtained their doctoral degree prior to that may however also be considered if special grounds exist (leave of absence due to illness, parental leave, an elected position in a trade union, or other similar circumstances).

Assessment criteria
Documented knowledge and experience in biostatistics and statistical learning, involving methods development for advanced analysis of biological high-throughput data is a requirement. Experiences with chemometrics methods as well as with concepts of risk management of polluted environmental sites are merits. The successful candidate should be creative, have the ability to both co-operate and work independently with research questions. Proficiency in written and spoken English is a requirement. General assessment criteria include good interpersonal skills and an ability to cooperate as well as the ability and suitability otherwise required to perform the duties well.

Equality
Our ambition is to create a workplace that is characterised by gender equality and diversity.

Information
The position is a full-time position for a fixed term of two years starting August 2017. The salary depends on the successful candidate’s qualifications and experience.

For more information about the position, please contact prof. Dirk Repsilber, +46 19 30 1256, Dirk.Repsilber@oru.se  (Functional Bioinformatics) and prof. Tuulia Hyötyläinen, +46 19 30 3487, tuulia.hyötyläinen@oru.se (Chemistry, Metabolomics). For information about EnForce and MTM, please visit www.oru.se/mtm or contact prof. Magnus Engwall +46 19 30 36 06 (magnus.engwall@oru.se).

Application
The application is made online. Click the button “Apply” to begin the application procedure.

For the application to be complete, the following electronic documents must be included:


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Covering letter


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CV


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An account of [research/artistic] qualifications


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Copies of relevant course/degree certificates and references


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Scientific publications for consideration (maximum of 10)



Only documents written in Swedish, English, Norwegian and Danish can be reviewed.

The application deadline is May 5, 2017. We look forward to receiving your application!

We decline any contact with advertisers or recruitment agencies in the recruitment process.

As directed by the National Archives of Sweden (Riksarkivet), Örebro University is required to deposit one file copy of the application documents, excluding publications, for a period of two years after the appointment decision has gained legal force.