PhD in polymer chemistry - Hiring in process/Finished, not possible to apply

The Department of Chemistry - Ångström conducts research and education in the chemistry field. The department has 250 employees and has a turnover of 250 million SEK. At the department's six programs, we conduct very successful research of a high international standard. We have a large number of externally funded research projects, often with international cooperation and we see continued good growth in our subject area. The department has education assignments in engineering and civil engineering programs and master's programs. More information is available on our website.

Subject description/research project: The project involves the development of crosslinking chemistry to prepare extracellular matrix (ECM) mimetic hydrogel materials for regenerative medicine. The chemistries will be designed to modify biopolymers and to develop novel activated ECM metabolites that will be used to conjugate near infrared (NIR) probes. Such NIR dye labelled substrates will enable to in situ visualize the ECM to provide valuable information on tissue formation and remodeling. The candidate will be involved in a European collaboration, conduct original interdisciplinary research involving organic chemistry, cell and molecular biology, bioengineering, and 3D cell culture. The position includes research, training courses and international exchange programs.

Work duties: The main duties of doctoral students are to devote themselves to their research studies which includes participating in research projects and third cycle courses. The work duties can also include teaching and other departmental duties (no more than 20%).

In this project, the candidate will synthesize fluorescently labelled molecules as well as incorporate functional groups on biopolymers to develop hydrogels. These materials will be characterized by rheological experiments and evaluated for tissue remodeling with suitable in vitro and in vivo experiment

Admission requirements: A person meets the general admission requirements for third-cycle courses and study programmes if he or she:

• has been awarded a second-cycle qualification, or
• has satisfied the requirements for courses comprising at least 240 credits of which at least 60 credits were awarded in the second cycle, or
• has acquired substantially equivalent knowledge in some other way in Sweden or abroad.

Requirements:

• Master’s Degree or equivalent in synthetic organic chemistry, polymer chemistry, biomaterial science, or similar fields.
• very good oral and written proficiency in English.
• A strong experimental background in organic or polymer synthesis or chemical modification of biopolymers.
• Experience with purification methods such as flash column and thin layer chromatography is required.
• Experience with standard characterization methods such as NMR, IR and UV spectroscopy is required.

High consideration will also be given to good collaborative skills, drive and independence, and how the applicant, through his or her experience and skills, is deemed to have the abilities necessary for successfully completing the third cycle programme. 

The eligibility criteria for this specific project are as follows:

• The applicant must, at the date of recruitment, be in the first four years (full-time equivalent research experience) of their research careers and have not been awarded a doctoral degree. This is measured from the date when they obtained the undergraduate degree.
• The applicant must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country of the recruiting beneficiary for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately before the recruitment date. Compulsory national service, short stays such as holidays, and time spent as part of a procedure for obtaining refugee status under the Geneva Convention are not taken into account.

Additional requirements:

• Experience in biomaterial science, carbohydrate chemistry and hydrogel preparation will be advantageous.
• Experience with cell culture and in vitro transfection will be advantageous.
• Experience with cell culture and in vitro transfection will be advantageous.
• Candidates with publications in peer-reviewed journals with a strong recommendation from their mentor will be given priority.

Terms of employment: The rules about PhD students are found in the Higher Education Ordinance Chapter 5 §§1-7 and the university's rules and guidelines.

Application procedure: The application should include a statement of research interest, CV, certificates of exams, degrees and grades, a copy of Master thesis, published article or relevant materials, if available. Also, contact information of at least two reference persons should be included.

Salary: According to local agreement (Local collective agreement for doctoral students and students).

Starting date: 01-02-2021 or as otherwise agreed.

Type of employment: Temporary position according to the Higher Education Ordinance chapter 5 § 7.

Scope of employment: 100 %

For further information about the position please contact: Prof. Oommen Varghese, Phone: + 46 (0)18 471 3832, e-mail oommen.varghese@kemi.uu.

Please submit your application by December 16 2020, UFV-PA 2020/4153.

Are you considering moving to Sweden to work at Uppsala University? If so, you will find a lot of information about working and living in Sweden at www.uu.se/joinus. You are also welcome to contact International Faculty and Staff Services at ifss@uadm.uu.se.