PhD in Neutron Scattering to solve Environmental Problems - Hiring in process/Finished, not possible to apply

The Department of Chemistry - Ångström conducts research and education in the chemistry field. The department has more than 260 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 programs and master's programs. More information is available on our website.

Research project: The successful applicant will work on a research project funded by the SwedNESS graduate school (www.swedness.se). The research topic concerns per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) that are emerging organic contaminants. These are used in water-resistant clothing, non-stick cookware and many other products as diverse as food wrappers, umbrellas, carpets and firefighting foams. In short, they are all around us. As a result, they have found their way into soil and, especially in some regions, into drinking water. They raise major environmental concerns due to their extremely persistent, bio-accumulative, and potentially toxic characteristics. PFASs are also very mobile and can, for example, leach to groundwater and contaminate drinking water reservoirs. Work will aim to gain a mechanistic understanding of the adsorption and the leaching of PFASs on the molecular scale using neutron scattering techniques.  The resulting knowledge of mechanistic properties of PFASs is crucial to develop appropriate strategies for prevention of PFAS pollution and for the remediation and protection of the environment and human health. Neutron scattering techniques will be used to study the association of PFASs in solutions and binding at environmentally relevant surfaces including alumina and surfactant modified alumina. The project is within an interdisciplinary research field that combines physical chemistry, neutron scattering and environmental chemistry to expand our knowledge on sorption processes of emerging organic micropollutants. The work is supervised by Professor Adrian Rennie (UU), Assoc. Prof. Lutz Ahrens at SLU and Dr Maja Hellsing at RISE.

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

Eligibility 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.

Required qualifications:

• Degree or equivalent as above in Chemistry, Physics or a related discipline.
• Very good oral and written proficiency in English.
• Good computer skills.

Consideration will also be given to good collaborative skills, drive and independence, and how the applicant’s experience and skills complement and strengthen ongoing research within the department, and how they stand to contribute to its future development.

Desirable qualifications: Advanced knowledge and/or practical experience in surface chemistry, organic chemistry or relevant analytical methods. Previous project work that demonstrates deductive, analytical, and problem-solving skills is an advantage.

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: As soon as possible 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: Professor Adrian Rennie, adrian.rennie@physics.uu.se. 

Please submit your application no later than 2021-05-05, UFV-PA 2021/681.

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.