Open PhD position on Human Health in Wood-based Built Environments

Application deadline: 5^th of September 2024

Expected start date: 1^st of October 2024

The InnoRenew CoE is seeking a dynamic and motivated PhD candidate to work on the methods to quantify human benefits of using wood in built environments. The researcher will be employed as a research assistant and is expected to enroll in the Ph.D. study program: Renewable Materials for Healthy Built Environments at the University of Primorska.

Goals and Tasks

This PhD research will aim to develop objective methods to quantify human benefits in wood-based built environments and identify design principles to promote health and cultural acceptance of wood-based built environments.

The candidate will be responsible for:

• Conducting a literature review to understand existing methodologies and challenges;
• Developing and conducting an international survey of cultural acceptance and perception of wood across Europe including building visual stimuli;
• Developing in-depth questionnaires to better understand users’ needs and perceptions of their built environment;
• Designing and conducting laboratory and in-situ comparative experiments to quantify the psychological, physical, and cognitive responses of participants when exposed to different design solutions;
• Characterizing indoor spaces (e.g., Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ), Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC), acoustics, etc.) and the responses of participants (e.g., cardiopulmonary indicators, cognitive function, stress responses, emotional responses, eye-tracking, functional NIR spectroscopy, etc.);
• Analyzing data on occupant health, well-being, and performance, including physical, mental, and emotional health metrics as well as cognitive function;
• Collaborating on developing computational models to simulate indoor environments and predict the health impacts of different wood materials and building designs;
• Disseminating research findings through publications in peer-reviewed journals and presentations at conferences.

Essential requirements/skills

• Master’s degree in one of these areas: timber engineering, civil engineering, psychology, medical sciences, environmental sciences, architecture, or closely related fields.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English,
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a multidisciplinary international research environment,
• Ability to formulate and communicate new research ideas (e.g., research proposal preparation).
• 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:

• 3 years contract with a trial period of 3 months;
• Monthly salary,
• No Ph.D. tuition fee,
• Opportunity to participate in ongoing prestigious European projects at the institute.

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 these organizations.

How to apply

The applicants should send:

• Curriculum vitae (including short descriptions of all prior educations, qualifications, and research or work experiences)
• Motivation letter for this doctoral position (maximum one A4 page)
• Transcripts from previous degrees
• List of publications (if applicable)

to this email address: coe@innorenew.eu In the title (subject) of your email please write: Human Health in Wood-based Built Environments. All materials should be in English and submitted in PDF format no later than 5th of September 2024.

Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. For further information about the research topic, please contact Prof. Andreja Kutnar, PhD (email address: andreja.kutnar@innorenew.eu) and Assoc. Prof. Michael D. Burnard, PhD (email address: mike.burnard@innorenew.eu).

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

Apply now

Lab technician position available

The InnoRenew CoE is seeking a well-qualified and highly motivated individual to work in the Engineered Living Materials (ELM) laboratory.

In the ELM laboratory, we work at the interface of microbiology, materials science and chemistry. In the future, the plan is to expand toward the use of mammalian cell cultures. Currently, most of us work on ARCHI-SKIN, an ERC CoG project of Assoc. Prof. Anna Sandak. The project aims 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.  

We are searching for a motivated, self-initiative and independent candidate who can help us make our lab even better and more productive.  

Key Responsibilities: 

• Daily maintenance of laboratory equipment and devices. 

• Preparation of microbiological media, buffers and other materials. 

• Coordination of purchasing, storing and inventory of laboratory materials and chemicals. 

• Participation in the execution of laboratory practice and research projects for students. 

• Execution of experimental procedures (given the protocol) – knowing how to work sterile is of great importance. 

• Regular interactions and communications with laboratory head dr Karen Butina Ogorelec. 

Necessary qualifications: 

• Organizational skills, as in the ability to maintain cleanliness and order in the lab. 

• Proficiency in English, both written and verbal. 

• Basic knowledge of Microsoft Word and Excel. 

• Background in natural sciences (microbiology, biology, biochemistry, biotechnology etc.). For candidates that have done their education in Slovenia, Vth level is necessary.   

• Good communication skills, and the ability to work in a team. 

• Participation in the execution of laboratory practice and research projects for students. 

Desired qualifications: 

• Prior work experience in a similar environment. 

• Experience with Good Laboratory Practice. 

• Understanding of REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation, and Restriction of Chemicals) and CLP (Classification, Labelling, and Packaging) regulations. 

• Experience with mammalian cell lines. 

• Experience with molecular biology (DNA extraction, PCR etc). 

• Proficiency in Slovenian is an extra asset. 

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. 

• 2-year contract with an option for renewal. The first three months of the employment will be considered a probationary period. During this time, the performance and suitability for the role will be assessed to determine if the employment relationship should continue. 

• 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 InnoRenew CoE.

How to apply 

Interested applicants should send: 

• Curriculum vitae  

• 1-page motivation letter 

• Certificate of the education degree 

 All materials should be in English and submitted in PDF format no later than 15 September 2024. Please add “ELM lab technician” to the subject of the application.  

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 October/November 2024. 

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.