Doctoral candidate position at the University of Primorska – Renewable Materials for Healthy Built Environments

TOPIC: Development of bio-based materials and formulations from industrial by-products rich in aromatic compounds

Description:

The University of Primorska is seeking a well-qualified and highly motivated PhD candidate. The research field focuses on the sustainable valorization of lignin and other by-products of wood industry rich in aromatic compounds for high added-value applications. The researcher will be also employed at the InnoRenew CoE (additional 20%) in the Wood Modification Group (led by Assoc Prof. Anna Sandak) under supervision of Dr. Oihana Gordobil and become a doctoral candidate at the University of Primorska (PhD study program Renewable Materials for Healthy Built Environments). The candidate will also be partially involved in the ERC project “Bioinspired living skin for architecture” (ARCHI-SKIN), GA #101044468, funded by European Research Council. The work locations will be in Izola and Koper, Slovenia.

What are we looking for:

The emphasis of this position is on the design and development of new bio-based formulations through the valorization of undervalued industrial by-products. The applicant should be proactive and motivated to perform interdisciplinary research covering from the synthesis and functionalization of lignin-based materials and formulations to their application and performance evaluation. Experience in lignocellulosic biomass, chemistry, pharmacy, materials science and colloidal systems as well as expertise in chromatography, microscopy, spectroscopy, and use of other laboratory equipment is desired. The applicant should have a good knowledge of English, both orally and in writing.

What skills we expect:

The ideal candidate should possess master’s degree in chemistry, chemical engineering, biotechnology, pharmacy, colloidal science, material science or related fields, preferably with experience in biorefinery processes applied to lignocellulosic biomass and elaboration of bio-based materials and formulations. Further requirements include: excellent communication skills in English, ability to interact with the industry and other researchers, and ability to formulate and communicate new research ideas (research proposal preparation). The candidate is expected to have interest in interdisciplinary work and the capacity to work in an international environment. The applicant must also fulfil the requirements for doctoral students at University of Primorska. For more details, see:

https://www.famnit.upr.si/en/education/doctoral/renew-mat

https://www.famnit.upr.si/en/education/enrolment

What we offer:

This position will be within University of Primorska and the candidate will work in close collaboration with InnoRenew CoE, which is focused on renewable materials use in sustainable built environments.

• 1 year contract with option for renewal (recommended duration for doctoral studies is 3 years)
• Competitive salary with possible performance-based raises
• Opportunity to be involved on a prestigious ERC project

Employment opportunities, admissions policies, activities, services, and the facilities of the University of Primorska and InnoRenew CoE do not exclude any person on the basis of race, colour, age, sex, gender, religion, national origin, or disability.

How to apply:

Interested applicants should send:

• curriculum vitae,
• motivation letter for this doctoral position (maximum one A4 page),
• summary (track record) of previous research experience (master’s thesis for example),
• certified copy of master’s degree certificate and official transcript of records, and their translations, if the originals are not in English.

All materials should be in English and submitted in PDF format no later than 5 September 2022.

For any additional information you can contact us by email: coe@innorenew.eu.

For further information about the research topic, please contact Dr. Oihana Gordobil (oihana.gordobil@innorenew.eu).

The expected start date is 1^st October 2022.

The InnoRenew CoE reserves the right for justified reasons to leave the position open, to extend the application period, and to consider candidates who have not submitted applications during the application period.

Apply now

Smart living surfaces – post-doc position available

The InnoRenew CoE is seeking a well-qualified and highly motivated individual to work on the ERC project “Bioinspired living skin for architecture” (ARCHI-SKIN), GA #101044468, funded by European Research Council.

The overall objective of the ARCHI-SKIN project is to comprehensively evaluate bio-inspired strategies for fungal biofilms’ chemistry-structure properties to create solid a basis for the advancement of future living engineering materials’ surfaces. This will lead to the development and optimization of a novel exterior architectural coating system for the building sector. The researcher will be employed at the InnoRenew CoE in the Wood Modification Group under the supervision of Assoc Prof. Anna Sandak.

Goals and Tasks

Recent progress in biomimetics allows the fabrication of man-made surfaces with similar properties as biological ones. Such an approach also opens new fields for materials development and offers significant commercial potential for the creation of surfaces with remarkable properties that are impossible to achieve with a traditional approach, e.g., smart materials reacting in response to external stimuli, innovative surface modifications, and novel materials’ shape and structural arrangement. The candidate will implement biomimetic principles for the development of Smart Living Surfaces. The research will be related to the development of a living coating system that will be implemented for the protection of various building materials. Previous experience in microbiology, cell culture, microscopy, spectroscopy, chemometrics, statistics, and data mining is favorable.

Preferred qualifications

The ideal candidate should possess a Ph.D. degree in biology, biotechnology, bioproducts, materials science, chemical engineering, chemistry, environmental engineering, physics, nanotechnology, or related fields. Further requirements include:

• excellent communication skills in English,
• strong problem-solving attitude,
• preparation of high-quality scientific articles,
• ability to interact with the industry and other researchers,
• ability to co-supervise masters and Ph.D. students,
• and the ability to formulate and communicate new research ideas (research proposal preparation).

The candidate is expected to have an interest in interdisciplinary work and the capacity to work in an international environment. An innovative, out-of-the-box, and cross-discipline approach will be highly valued.

What we offer

This position will be within the newly established InnoRenew CoE, which is focused on renewable materials use in sustainable built environments. The InnoRenew CoE was established as a flagship project funded by the European Commission and the Republic of Slovenia.

• 1-year contract with an option for renewal
• Competitive salary with possible performance-based raises
• Opportunity to work on a prestigious ERC project

Employment opportunities, admissions policies, activities, services, and the facilities of the InnoRenew CoE do not exclude any person based on race, color, age, sex, gender, religion, national origin, or disability. In processing your application, the GDPR will be respected and your information will not be shared outside of the relevant staff at the InnoRenew CoE. By submitting your application, you agree that the data you provide be reviewed by this organization.

How to apply

Interested applicants should send:

• Curriculum vitae
• Motivation letter for this post-doctoral position (maximum one A4 page)
• Summary (track record) of previous research experience (Ph.D. thesis, published journal papers, conference contributions)
• Certified copy of Ph.D. degree certificate and official transcript of records, and their translations, if the originals are not in English
• Names and contacts of 2 referees

All materials should be in English and submitted in PDF format no later than 1 September 2022.

For any additional information, you can contact us by email: coe@innorenew.eu.

Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. For further information about the research topic, please contact Associate Professor Anna Sandak (anna.sandak@innorenew.eu)

The expected start date is 1st October 2022.

The InnoRenew CoE reserves the right for justified reasons to leave the position open, extend the application period, and consider candidates who have not submitted applications during the application period.

Learn how to apply at http://innorenew.eu/jobs.

Learn more about the InnoRenew CoE at http://innorenew.eu or by e-mailing: coe@innorenew.eu.

Apply now

Study of morphological, functional, and social interactions in fungal communities (such as biofilms)– Ph.D. position available

The InnoRenew CoE is seeking a well-qualified and highly motivated individual to work on the ERC project “Bioinspired living skin for architecture” (ARCHI-SKIN), GA #101044468, funded by European Research Council.

The overall objective of the ARCHI-SKIN project is to comprehensively evaluate bio-inspired strategies for fungal biofilms’ chemistry-structure properties to create a solid basis for the advancement of future living engineering materials’ surfaces. This will lead to the development and optimization of a novel exterior architectural coating system for the building sector. The researcher will be employed at the InnoRenew CoE in the Wood Modification Group under the supervision of Assoc Prof. Anna Sandak and become a doctoral candidate at the University of Primorska (Ph.D. study program Renewable Materials for Healthy Built Environments). The candidate will also closely collaborate with the Department of Biology at the Biotechnical Faculty of the University of Ljubljana under the supervision of Prof. Nina Gunde-Cimerman. The candidate will be located approximately 50 % of the time in Izola, and 50 % of the time in Ljubljana, Slovenia.

Goals and Tasks

The emphasis of this position is on the implementation of bioinspiration for the development of a new concept of materials protection. The candidate will explore the design principles underlying fungal biofilm. Mechanisms of biofilm formation, its structure, function, and performance will be analyzed to design a living coating system. Experience in culturing techniques, molecular-based techniques (total DNA extraction, next-generation amplicon sequencing, metagenomics), microscopy, and spectroscopy is favorable.

Preferred qualifications

The ideal candidate should possess a master’s degree in biology, biotechnology, materials science, chemistry, environmental engineering, or related fields preferably with experience in microbiology and material characterization.

Further requirements include:

• excellent communication skills in English,
• ability to interact with the industry and other researchers,
• and the ability to formulate and communicate new research ideas (research proposal preparation).

The candidate is expected to have an interest in interdisciplinary work and the capacity to work in an international environment. The applicant must also fulfill the requirements for doctoral students at the University of Primorska. For more details, see:

https://www.famnit.upr.si/en/education/doctoral/renew-mat

https://www.famnit.upr.si/en/education/enrolment

What we offer

This position will be within the newly established InnoRenew CoE, which is focused on renewable materials use in sustainable built environments. The InnoRenew CoE was established as a flagship project funded by the European Commission and the Republic of Slovenia.

• 1-year contract with an option for renewal (recommended duration for doctoral studies is 3 years)
• Competitive salary with possible performance-based raises
• Opportunity to work on a prestigious ERC project

Employment opportunities, admissions policies, activities, services, and the facilities of the InnoRenew CoE do not exclude any person based on race, color, age, sex, gender, religion, national origin, or disability. In processing your application, the GDPR will be respected and your information will not be shared outside of the relevant staff at the InnoRenew CoE and the University of Primorska. By submitting your application, you agree that the data you provide be reviewed by these organizations.

How to apply

Interested applicants should send:

• Curriculum vitae
• Motivation letter for this doctoral position (maximum one A4 page)
• Summary (track record) of previous research experience (master’s thesis for example)
• Certified copy of master’s degree certificate and official transcript of records, and their translations, if the originals are not in English

All materials should be in English and submitted in PDF format no later than 5 September 2022.

The candidate should clearly state if graduating in 2022.

For any additional information, you can contact us by email: coe@innorenew.eu.

Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. For further information about the research topic, please contact Associate Professor Anna Sandak (anna.sandak@innorenew.eu)

The expected start date is 1st October 2022.

The InnoRenew CoE reserves the right for justified reasons to leave the position open, extend the application period, and consider candidates who have not submitted applications during the application period.

Learn how to apply at http://innorenew.eu/jobs.

Learn more about the InnoRenew CoE at http://innorenew.eu or by e-mailing: coe@innorenew.eu.

Apply now