Postdoc in Polymer Degradation and Microplastics

Job description

Polymers degrade when subjected to various environmental stresses, leading to performance deterioration, material failure, and the formation of microplastics. This project aims to provide a fundamental understanding of the mechanisms behind the formation and release of microplastics and associated degradative chemical byproducts during polymer degradation in diverse environments. The primary focus is on investigating the kinetics of these processes and understanding how environmental factors influence the degradation behavior of various types of plastics, as well as the subsequent release of microplastics and chemical byproducts.

This position is within the Department of Fiber and Polymer Technology, the largest academic institution in Sweden in the field of natural and synthetic polymers. The work is interdisciplinary, combining polymer materials science and environmental science. It offers an exciting opportunity for researchers in polymer materials and environmental engineering who wish to deepen their expertise and broaden their skills to tackle critical global challenges, i.e., plastic pollution.

What we offer

• A position at a leading technical university that generates knowledge and skills for a sustainable future
• Engaged and ambitious colleagues along with a creative, international and dynamic working environment
• Work in Stockholm, in close proximity to nature
• Help to relocate and be settled in Sweden and at KTH

Read more about what it's like to work at KTH and our benefits.

Qualifications

Requirements

• A doctoral degree or an equivalent foreign degree. This eligibility requirement must be met no later than the time the employment decision is made.
• You work with independence, are self-motivated with a strong ability to take initiative and run projects.
• You have well-developed analytical and problem-solving skills and like to take responsibility. You have strong collaboration skills including the ability to lead and to support research.
• You are aware of diversity and equal opportunity issues, with specific focus on gender equality

Preferred qualifications

• A doctoral degree or an equivalent foreign degree, obtained within the last three years prior to the application deadline
• Experience in polymer degradation and ageing tests  
• Experience in microplastics sampling and characterizations is meritorious
• Experience in mass spectrometry analysis of degradative products/chemicals is meritorious

Great emphasis will be placed on personal skills.

Trade union representatives

Contact information to trade union representatives.

To apply for the position

Log into KTH's recruitment system to apply for this position. You are responsible for ensuring that your application is complete according to the instructions in the ad.

The application must include:

• CV including relevant professional experience, knowledge and publications.
• Copy of diplomas and grades from your previous university studies. Translations into English or Swedish if the original documents have not been issued in any of these languages.
• Brief account of why you want to conduct research, your academic interests and how they relate to your previous studies and future goals. Maximally two pages long.

Your complete application must be received at KTH no later than the last day of application, midnight CET/CEST (Central European Time/Central European Summer Time).

About the employment

The position offered is for, at the most, two years.

A position as a postdoctoral fellow is a time-limited qualified appointment focusing mainly on research, intended as a first career step after a dissertation.

Others

Striving towards gender equality, diversity and equal conditions is both a question of quality for KTH and a given part of our values.

For information about processing of personal data in the recruitment process.

According to The Protective Security Act (2018-585), the candidate must undergo and pass security vetting if the position is placed in a security class. Information regarding whether the position is subject to such a classification will be provided during the recruitment process.

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Disclaimer: In case of discrepancy between the Swedish original and the English translation of the job announcement, the Swedish version takes precedence.

About KTH

KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm has grown to become 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 and home to students, researchers and faculty from around the world. Our research and education covers a wide area including natural sciences and all branches of engineering, as well as architecture, industrial management, urban planning, history and philosophy. Read more here