Postdoctoral in Environmental Chemistry (2 years)

Postdoctoral in environmental chemistry (2 year)

The chemical department is looking for a postdoctoral doctor to work with the recovery of carbon and organic material from filtrate formed in hydrothermal carbonization (HTC). The employment refers to full-time for two years with access 1 Mars 2027 or as agreed.

Project description and tasks

Hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) converts wet and difficult-to-handle residual currents, for example fiber sludge from the pulp industry, to a bolous material without prior drying. However, a large part of the coal ends up in the process water, the HTC filtrate, which today is mainly considered as a waste stream. In the filtrate, however, a fourth product is formed: 'Self-generated carbon' (SGC), microspheres of carbon with low ash content whose surface and morphological properties make them promising for energy storage and environmental applications. How is SGC formed, and what in the filtrate chemistry controls the formation? That's what the project should investigate.

The work is part of the re-file, a four-year formed project that aims to make the HTC filtrate to a resource instead of a problem. In parallel, the filtrate as a substrate for microbial production of biodegradable plastic (PHA) is used together with our partners at Karlstad University, and the project examines whether the two recycling paths compete with each other or can be combined.

As postdoctoral, you will focus on how SGC is formed and on the chemistry of the filtrate. You also contribute to the interface between the two recycling paths by characterizing filtrates and products with chromatographic, spectroscopic and microscopic techniques.

You become part of a research group in environmental chemistry at the Department of Chemistry. It is a collaborative and international research environment with direct access to Trace Analysis Platform and Vibrational Spectroscopy Core Facility. The main supervisor is Professor Stina Jansson and Deputy Supervisors are Associate Professor Maria Sandberg at Karlstad University. Parts of the work may be implemented at Karlstad University.

Qualifications

In order to be employed with the support of agreements on time-limited employment as a postdoctoral, the doctoral degree or foreign degree is deemed to correspond to a doctoral degree. This authorization requirement must be met at the latest at the time when the employment decision is made.

To be employed with the support of the postdoctoral contract should primarily be in question that has exceeded the degree under the preceding paragraph for a maximum of three years ago. If there are special reasons, it may be considered as a doctoral degree earlier. With special reasons, leave for illness is meant due to illness, parental leave, trust assignments in trade union organizations, service in the total defense, or other similar circumstances and clinical service or the subject area relevant service / assignment.

Eligibility requirements

Doctoral degree should be deposited in chemistry, environmental chemistry, material chemistry, chemical engineering or other related subject area. You should have documented experience in planning and carrying out experimental laboratory work in chemistry and experience of chemical or material science characterization with instrumental analysis techniques.

Experience of at least one of the following techniques is required: chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (eg, LC-MS / MS or GC-MS), element analysis (e.g. ICP-MS) or surface and material characterization (eg bet, FTIR, XPS or SEM)

Your experiences should be clearly described in the application, including which techniques you used, for what purpose and to what extent.

Very good knowledge of English in speech and writing is required. You should also have documented ability to publish scientific results, usually substantiated through publications as a first-author of referent-reviewed international journals.

Merit Qualifications

It is merit if you have experience of hydrothermal carbonization or other thermochemical conversion processes, of experimental work at elevated temperature and pressure or work in pilot scale. Experience of surface chemistry and material characterization, as well as organic chemistry in aqueous phase, is also merit. The same applies to experience from an interdisciplinary or international research environment.

You plan and structure your own work and drive it forward on their own initiative. You meet unexpected results with a problem-solving approach, cooperate constructively with colleagues from different disciplines and communicates your results clearly in speech and writing.

Application

A complete application should contain:

• Personal letter (no more than two pages) where you describe your qualifications, previous research experiences and how these fit it outlasted the project. Your motivation to seek the service should be clear.
• Resume / CV with publication list.
• Policy copy of doctoral degree certificate or certificate showing when doctoral degree is expected to be completed.
•  Strengthened copies of other diplomas, list of completed academic courses and
• Other documents that the applicant wants to invoke.

The application must be written in English or Swedish. The application is made through our electronic recruitment system. Documents sent electronically should be in Word or .pdf formats. Log into the system and apply via button at the end of this page. Last application day is 30 November 2026. Further information is left by Professor Stina Jansson, Phone 090-786 76 22, Email stina.jansson@umu.se

References are requested for a possible interview.