Note: the application process for this position closed in October 2023.
Note: this is a scholarship position funded by the Carl Trygger Foundation. The successful applicant will be the direct recipient of a tax-free stipend. As such, for tax reasons, it is not possible for current or recent employees (i.e. PhD students or post-docs) of KTH Royal Institute of Technology to apply for this position. Sorry!! Please read the following in its entirety before getting in touch…
In brief: We have a post-doctoral position available in our group, with a start date of early 2024, focussed on hydrogel characterisation. Full details below. The position offered is for, at the most, two years. Email Lauren McKee with questions. To apply, send the following items to Lauren by email: a 2-page CV, a 2-page cover letter detailing your previous scientific work experience and your interest in this position, and contact information for at least two referees. Application deadline October 16th.
Scientific goals: We have developed a new method to produce hydrogels from polysaccharides that avoids the chemical synthesis and fossil-based polymers often used in current manufacture. Using small proteins that bind to specific carbohydrates, we can produce viscous formulations and stable hydrogels in mild conditions by cross-linking polysaccharides. This represents a sustainable route to biomaterials formation, promoting materials innovation and a transition to a circular economy.
A hydrogel is a cross-linked matrix of long polymer chains locked into place in a network structure that holds large amounts of water, and is highly absorbent. While the hydrogels used in many applications are still made using synthetic or fossil-derived polymers, manufacturers are increasingly searching for sustainable alternatives, and are turning to biological polymers as a viable alternative. Polysaccharides are an excellent choice, but there is often a need for chemical modification to induce cross-linking and gel formation. Our protein-mediated system avoids this problem.
We have come a long way in understanding the biochemical aspects of our system. To progress beyond this stage, our team of enzymologists and molecular biologists needs to be joined by an expert in materials science and polymer chemistry. This post-doctoral scholar will characterise our hydrogel and optimise our production process, with both material quality and process sustainability in mind, to develop specific product ideas that can be tested at lab scale. We recently installed an advanced HR-20 rheometer, so there will be an emphasis on rheology and viscometry, but a wide range of hydrogel characterisation techniques will be needed.
Where we work: KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm is one of Europe’s leading technical and engineering universities, as well as a key centre of intellectual talent and innovation. We are Sweden’s largest technical research and learning institution, home to students, researchers, and faculty from around the world. Our research and education cover a wide area including natural sciences and all branches of engineering, as well as architecture, industrial management, urban planning, history, and philosophy. The Division of Glycoscience is a multi-disciplinary department focussed on solving environmental and industrial challenges relating to sustainable production and usage of renewable natural resources, as well as advancing fundamental knowledge of complex carbohydrates.
Training and skills development: A position as a postdoctoral scholar is a time-limited qualified appointment focussing mainly on research, intended as a first career step after a doctoral dissertation. You will be invited to take part in the co-supervision of Master’s thesis students, gaining experience in the training of younger researchers. You will be using soft material characterisation skills gained during your doctoral studies, but you will also be encouraged to learn new analytical skills through collaboration or formal training courses. This position will also be a step up in independence, as you will be responsible for proposing appropriate experiments and developing protocols for our group.
Responsibilities as a post-doctoral scholar: You will bring experience in soft materials characterisation, and you will be expected to both suggest and perform the most suitable experiments to characterise the materials. Our goals are to understand the intrinsic properties and potential uses of our materials, and to benchmark them against other materials. You will be encouraged to identify relevant infrastructure at other laboratories in Stockholm/Sweden and to initiate collaborative contact with relevant groups. You will also be jointly responsible for maintenance and upkeep of our rheometry equipment, and to train other users of the machine.
Eligibility for the position: You must have a doctoral degree or equivalent qualification, obtained within the last three years prior to the application deadline. Relevant topics include polymer chemistry and materials science, though you must have experience of working with biological polymers such as proteins and/or polysaccharides. Some awareness and training in biochemistry is a merit. You should be skilled in the characterisation of soft materials such as hydrogels for diverse applications. You should have a strong understanding of sustainable development and its relevance for this field. You must have strong written and oral communication skills in the English language. You should have a good ability to work independently and as part of a team.
How to apply: Send the following items to Lauren by email: a 2-page CV, a 2-page cover letter detailing your previous scientific work experience and your interest in this position, and contact information for at least two referees. In your application, please describe the soft material characterisation skills and methodological knowledge you can bring to this project. Application deadline October 16th.
Stockholm CAZyme Lab 