PhD student in Chemistry with specialization in Organic Chemistry - Hiring in process/Finished, not possible to apply

Department of Chemistry – BMC conducts research and education in analytical chemistry, biochemistry and organic chemistry. More than 100 people, including around 45 PhD students, work at the department. New employees and students are recruited from all over the world and English is the main working language. The department is located at the Biomedical Centre in Uppsala, which facilitates collaborations with research groups in biology, pharmacy, medicine and SciLifeLab and gives access to advanced infrastructure for experimental and theoretical studies. The international environment and good opportunities for interdisciplinary collaborations enables PhD students at the department to participate in relevant research projects and prepare for an international research career. Read more about the research at The Department of Chemistry – BMC at our website. 

This position is partly funded by the Uppsala Antibiotic Center (UAC), and the recruited PhD student will be part of UAC’s graduate research school. UAC is a center for research, education, innovation & awareness, founded in 2015 to bring together, stimulate and support important research on antibiotic resistance from all three disciplinary domains at Uppsala University: Medicine and Pharmacy, Science and Technology, and Humanities and Social Sciences. The doctoral student positions and graduate school are central parts of UAC with the goal of educating a new generation of researchers with broad knowledge and willingness to contribute to combating the problem of antibiotic resistance. For more information about UAC: www.uac.uu.se.

Description of project: This project aims to fight bacterial resistance against existing antibiotics through development of metallo-beta-lactamase inhibitors. These substances will be given as part of combination therapies along with antibiotics to protect the latter against enzymatic cleavage. This interdisciplinary project will include the design of new drug candidates, development of synthetic routes for their preparation and evaluation of their binding to beta-lactamases using advanced NMR spectroscopic techniques. The studied compounds will be tested for activity against isolated beta-lactamases as well as against bacteria, in collaboration. The project will provide training in synthetic organic and medicinal chemistry as well as in advanced NMR spectroscopic techniques.

Duties: The main duties of PhD 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 %).

Requirements:

• To be eligible for doctoral education, a basic higher education equivalent to at least 240 ECTS credits, including at least 60 ECTS credits at second-cycle level, or essentially equivalent competences acquired in some other way, is required. More information about the general requirements can be found here.
• To be admitted to the doctoral education programme in organic chemistry, 90 ECTS credits in chemistry or courses relevant to the chemistry field, including 40 ECTS credits in organic chemistry at second-cycle level, or essentially equivalent competences acquired in some other way, are required. More information about the subject specific requirements can be found here.
• Very good English proficiency in speech and writing.

We place great emphasis on your personal qualifications. You need to have a strong motivation for the research project and to be able to contribute with creative ideas. This project requires that you are able to work independently, but that you also have excellent collaborative skills as the project will occasionally require that you are able to collaborate with scientists from other universities.

Additional requirements: Knowledge and practical experience in synthetic organic chemistry, NMR spectroscopy, and lanthanide chemistry will be seen as strong merits for these employments. It is desired that you have a science Master´s degree in organic, medicinal chemistry, pharmacy or similar experience.

Salary: According to local agreement for PhD students.

Starting date: September 1, 2021 or as otherwise agreed.

Type of position: Temporary position according to the Higher Education Ordinance chapter 5 § 7. The doctoral education programme normally consists of four years of full-time studies. The position may be combined with teaching or other departmental duties (maximum 20%), which extends the employment by the corresponding time. More information about the doctoral education programme can be found here.

Scope of employment: 100%.

For further information about the position please contact Mate Erdelyi (e-mail: mate.erdelyi@kemi.uu.se, +46 72 -999 9166).

Application procedure: The application must be written in English and shall include the following documents:

• Personal letter
• CV
• Attested copies of certificates of exams, degrees and grades.
• Contact information to at least two references (e-mail address and phone number).
• Copy of diploma thesis, publications or other relevant documents, if available.

Please submit your application by June 2, 2021, UFV-PA 2021/1820.

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