PhD Position in Chemistry – Nanoscale Strategies for Acid Mine Drainage

The Department of Chemistry is opening a PhD position in Chemistry with a specialization in Environmental Chemistry. The thesis project will focus on a nanoscale strategy for mitigating Acid Mine Drainage (AMD)  in collaboration with the mining company Boliden Mineral AB (www.boliden.com). The position is for four years of doctoral studies, including participation in research and postgraduate courses. The last day to apply is March 10, 2025. Start date is by agreement, but no later than september 2025.

Project description and tasks

The Molecular Geochemistry Group at Umeå University (www.moleculargeo.chem.umu.se) and Boliden Mineral AB (www.boliden.com) are initiating a collaboration in experimental geochemistry to minimize AMD. The collaboration also involves the Department of Applied Geochemistry at Luleå University of Technology (www.ltu.se).

AMD is the single largest environmental challenge for the mining industry, both in terms of potential consequences and operating costs. AMD is a natural weathering process in which sulfides in the rock material oxidize, forming sulfurous acid and lowering the pH of water. As the leachate from the rock material becomes more acidic, naturally occurring heavy metals from the rock are more rapidly leached out. Mines for base metals such as copper, zinc, and nickel are often rich in sulfides. Mine wastes produced after the extraction of these metals are can thereafter quickly generate AMD, resulting in important discharges of heavy metals to the environment if mining waste are not properly stored and treated.

The PhD student will develop new effective and sustainable solutions to prevent mining waste oxidation by growth of a protective surface on the waste to prevent the transport of oxygen and water to the underlying sulfides. Above all, the PhD student will resolve the nanoscale mechanisms controlling coating growth, as well as optimize method of growth for efficiently mitigating AMD. The PhD student will, at the same time, closely collaborate with another PhD student from LTU who is studying these phenomena at the macroscale in the context of an applied Geochemistry project.

The student will be co-supervised by Professor Jean-François Boily (http://moleculargeo.chem.umu.se/boily/) at Umeå University and R&D specialists at Boliden. The PhD student will also spend three months as an intern at Boliden and participate in activities and training programs within the Industrial Doctoral School at Umeå University. This is a unique opportunity to conduct research at the interface between academia and industry.

Qualifications

To be admitted for studies at third-cycle level 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 fulfil 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 another subject considered to be directly relevant to 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 or an equivalent subject. The requirements must be met at the time of admission but not necessarily when submitting the application.

Additional required qualifications are:

• Strong aptitudes in mineral (geo)chemistry and/or material sciences.
• At least 15 ECTS credits in geochemistry or other related fields at an advanced level.
• Good oral and written proficiency in English.

Merits are:

• Practical experience in X-ray diffraction, spectroscopy, and/or electron microscopy.
• Advanced data evaluation/numerical analysis and/or computer programming are valuable additional assets.
• Good oral and written proficiency in Swedish. 

Consideration will also be given to collaborative skills, drive and independence, and how the applicant, through experience and skills, is deemed to have the abilities necessary for successfully completing doctoral studies.

About the employment

The position is intended to result in a doctoral degree. The main task of the PhD student is to pursue their doctoral studies, including participation in research and doctoral courses. The duties can include teaching and other departmental work (up to 20%). The employment is limited to the equivalent of four years of full-time (48 months) or up to five years for teaching part-time. Salary is set in accordance with the established salary levels for PhD positions. The employment starts September 2025 or according to agreement.

As employees at Umeå University PhD students are granted social benefits such as parental leave, holiday leave, and occupational health services. Read more about the benefits of being an employee at Umeå University here: https://www.umu.se/en/work-with-us/benefits/. If the project have an exact start date add or leave empty: Example, The candidate’s physical workplace will be in Umeå, and will begin no later than September 2025.

Application

You apply via our e-recruitment system Varbi. Log in and apply via the button at the bottom of the page. The deadline for applications is March 10, 2025.

The application, written in English or Swedish, should include:

• a personal letter with a brief description of why you are applying for the position, and how your qualifications and research interests are relevant to the doctoral project described above (no more than 2 pages),
• a curriculum vitae,
• copies of degree certificates, diplomas or equivalent, including documentation of completed academic courses, grades obtained, and other certificates of relevance to the described project,
• copies of student theses on advance level or other publications (no more than 5)
• contact information for at least two reference persons. 

The application documents should be in MS Word or PDF format.

Further information

Further information is provided by Professor Jean-François Boily: jean-francois.boily@umu.se

Welcome with your application!