Postdoc position in nanoscience: Engineering energy transfer rates

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 project
The project is focused on developing a DNA-origami platform for the precise positioning of organic fluorophores and metal nanoparticles. This system will be used to systematically investigate how the presence of metal nanoparticles (e.g. gold or silver) influences the rate of excitation energy transfer (FRET) between donor and acceptor chromophores. The expected enhancement of the rate of energy transfer has wide-ranging potential to increase the utilization of the FRET technique in biology and nanotechnology.

Two departments and three divisions are involved in this multi-disciplinary project: Chemistry (divisions of applied and physical chemistry) and Physics (division of bionanophotonics). Funding comes from the Nanoscience area of advance that emcompases both the chemistry and physics departments. We are experts in spectroscopy and microscopy with a keen interest in developing various nanoscience tools such as DNA-nanotechnology and nanoparticle plasmonics. Apart from the main responsible person, Prof. Bo Albinsson, the project will use the expertise of Prof. Mikael Käll and Prof. Peter Johansson (Physics) as well as Dr. Kasper Moth Poulsen and Dr. Marcus Wilhelmsson (Chemistry). 

Major responsibilities
Your major responsibility as postdoc is to perform your own research in a research group. The position may include supervision of master´s and PhD students. Another important aspect involves collaboration within academia and with society at large. The position is meritorious for future research duties within academia as well as industry/the public sector.

Position summary
Full-time temporary employment. The position is limited to a maximum of two years (1+1).

Qualifications
To qualify for the position as postdoc, you should be a highly motivated individual and have a PhD in fields related to chemistry or physics preferably with experience in DNA nanotechnology and/or functionalized nanoparticles; the degree should generally not be older than three years. 

The position requires sound verbal and written communication skills in Swedish and English. Chalmers offers Swedish courses.

Application procedure
The application should be marked with Ref 20130421 and written in English. The application should be sent electronically via Chalmers webpage.

Application deadline: January 20, 2014

For questions, please contact:
Prof. Bo Albinsson, Physical Chemistry, KB, +46 31 772 30 44, balb@chalmers.se




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