Postdoctoral Researcher in Industrial Biotechnology

Wood can be an excellent source for new and innovative materials. Do you want to work with enzymes, discover new ones, and explore how they can contribute to sustainable production of materials from wood? The project will focus on discovering and exploring enzymes for wood tailoring coupled with the functionalization of wood polymers. A cornerstone of the research will be to understand the wood and the effect that enzymatic action has on it.

Project Description

In this WWSC project, our goal is to discover enzymes that can be used for tailoring and functionalization of wood polymers and wood-derived molecules. By applying characterization methodology of both the structure and the chemistry of the wood-derived streams, we can identify how the enzyme acts on the wood and understand their application potential. The overall aim is to identify glycosyl transferases (GTs) that can act on wood polymers and wood-derived molecules. The starting point will be to discover enzymes from the collection of filamentous fungi that the lab has access to from studies of biodiversity in Southeast Asia. Identified enzymes will be carefully characterized and applied for functionalization.

The project involves molecular biology to clone and heterologously express genes of interest, protein production and purification, and detailed biochemical characterization of identified enzymes, including determination of substrate specificities using wood-derived streams. Detailed structural and chemical characterization of the wood-derived streams will be an integrated part of the project. The project will also involve various systems biology approaches to identify new interesting enzymes to study. WWSC provides a network for collaboration with other researchers who are experts in different areas.

Information about the Division and the Department

The project will take place at Chalmers Department of Life Sciences and the Division of Industrial Biotechnology under Professor Lisbeth Olsson (link (https://www.chalmers.se/en/departments/life/research/industrial-biotechnology/olsson-group/)). IndBio is an interdisciplinary group with approximately 45 international researchers focusing on microbiology, enzymology, and molecular biology. Our goal is to use renewable resources for sustainable production of fuels, chemicals, and materials, contributing to a sustainable society and circular economy. LIFE consists of 5 divisions, and here you find potential collaborators as well as a range of scientific instruments, expertise, and lab infrastructure.

Major Responsibilities

The majority of your working time will be devoted to your own research studies within one or more of the projects listed above. As a postdoc, you are expected to develop your own ideas, drive the project, and communicate scientific results orally as well as in writing. In addition, the position will include supervision of students and instrument responsibility. You should take an active part in the collaborative work with our (inter)national partners and contribute to project coordination efforts.

Qualifications

Candidates must hold a PhD degree in biological engineering, biotechnology, biochemistry, microbiology, or related fields. Fluency in verbal and written English is mandatory.

Demonstrated expertise in working with carbohydrate-active enzymes, analytical techniques for biomass characterization, and collecting and analyzing large -omics datasets is meritorious.

Demonstrated experience in project coordination, interdisciplinary collaborations, and supervision will also be meritorious for the candidate selection.

To qualify for the position of postdoc, you must hold a doctoral degree awarded no more than three years prior to the application deadline (according to the current agreement with the Swedish Agency for Government Employers). Exceptions from the 3-year limit can be made for longer periods resulting from parental leave, sick leave, or military service.

* The date shown in your doctoral degree certificate is the date we use, as this is the date you have met all requirements for the doctoral degree.

Contract Terms

This postdoc position is a full-time temporary employment for two years.

We Offer

Chalmers offers a cultivating and inspiring working environment in the coastal city of Gothenburg. Read more about working at Chalmers and our benefits for employees.

Chalmers aims to actively improve our gender balance. We work broadly with equality projects, for example, the GENIE Initiative on gender equality for excellence. Equality and diversity are substantial foundations in all activities at Chalmers.

For more information about the application procedure, please visit Chalmers website.

Application deadline: 2025-02-03, interviews of relevant candidates may take place continuously.

For Questions, Please Contact:

Professor Lisbeth Olsson, Industrial Biotechnology,
[email protected]