PhD-position – Chemistry with a focus on environmental chemistry within the Industrial Doctoral School  - 
Perfluorinated substances in household waste and degradation/transformation during waste incineration

Are you interested in environmental chemistry, and where environmentally hazardous substances in our daily lives end up after we discard them? Are you creative and independent, ready to take on scientific and technical challenges? In that case you may be the person we are looking for! We are recruiting a PhD student for a project with the main aim of elucidating what happens with PFAS in waste incineration processes. Application deadline is 2023-07-31.

Description

Per- and polyfluorinated substances, commonly referred to as PFAS, is a group of highly stable compounds which can be widely distributed in the environment. PFAS are present in a wide range of products and when these products reach their end-of-life, the PFAS substances will end up in our household waste, and subsequently in the waste incineration process. However, the fate of PFAS in the incineration process is unknown, and will therefore be explored in this project. You will study the fate and degradation of PFAS in the waste incineration process, and what potential byproducts are formed. The main objective is to assess to what extent the incineration process may serve as a source of dispersal, reduction and destruction of PFAS, while elucidating the fate of these compounds. This will mainly be performed by combustion trials at different operation conditions and thorough characterization of resulting residuals. The research tasks will be conducted in close collaboration with our industry partner Umeå Energi, and will include combustion experiments in lab set-ups, using a simulated waste fuel. Parts of the practical work may be carried out on-site at the Umeå Energi combined heat and power plant.

Umeå University Industrial Doctoral School for research and innovation

As a doctoral student within the Industrial Doctoral School (IDS) you will be part of an interdisciplinary group of PhD students, in addition to your research group at the department you are affiliated with. All IDS projects are based on collaborations between Umeå University and external organizations. The aim is to increase the doctoral students' employability, independence and innovativeness. As part of the IDS concept, each doctoral student is given a tailor-made course package and a three-month internship at the external organization, outside of the time dedicated to the research education.

Qualifications

You are required to have completed a second-cycle level degree, or completed course requirements of at least 240 ECTS credits, of which at least 60 ECTS credits are at second-cycle level, or have an equivalent education from abroad, or equivalent qualifications. To fulfill the specific entry requirements to be admitted for studies at third-cycle level in chemistry, you are required to have completed first-cycle courses of at least 90 ECTS credits within the field of chemistry, or in a subject considered to be directly relevant for the specialization in question. Of those 90 ECTS credits, at least 15 ECTS credits shall have been acquired at second-cycle level within the specialization in question, or an equivalent subject.

This project will be carried out within a research group focusing on thermal processes that utilize biomass, waste fractions and other biomaterials. You should have a keen interest in the area and be prepared to take on the scientific and technical challenges it involves. Very good command of the English language, both written and spoken, is required. Training and/or experience in environmental chemistry, analytical chemistry, combustion chemistry, organic chemistry, and waste materials is strongly merited. You should be creative, with good interpersonal and collaborative skills, power of initiative, and a high degree of independence.

Terms of employment

The appointment aims at a PhD degree and the main task of the PhD student is to pursue their doctoral studies, which includes participation in research projects as well as postgraduate courses. In the assignments, teaching and other departmental work (up to a maximum of 20%) can be included. The employment is limited to four years full-time or up to five years when part-time teaching. The salary placement takes place according to the established salary level for doctoral employment.

Application

A complete application should contain the following documents:

- A cover letter including a description of your research interests, your reasons to apply for the position, and your contact information

- A curriculum vitae, including a list of BSc and/or MSc theses and, if applicable, research publications

- Copies of degree certificates, including documentation of completed academic courses and obtained grades

- Contact information of at least two reference persons

The application can be written in Swedish or English. Applications must be submitted via our recruiting system. The last day to apply is 2023-07-31. For more information, please contact Assoc. Prof. Stina Jansson, phone: 090-7867622, email: stina.jansson@umu.se

About us

The Department of Chemistry is one of the largest departments within the Faculty of Science and Technology with approximately 200 employees, of which approximately 50 doctoral students, and a strong and expanding research. The Department has three major research areas: Biological Chemistry, Environmental and Biogeochemistry, and Technical Chemistry. We are also a strong partner in the KBC, Chemical-Biological Center. Information about the postgraduate education can be found on the Faculty of Science and Technology website:

www.umu.se/en/faculty-of-science-and-technology/education/doctoral-studies/chemistry/

For more information about working at Umeå University, https://www.umu.se/en/work-with-us/