PhD position at University of Graz - DC3: Green modification platform via chemical catalysis - within the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions – Doctoral Networks (MSCA-DN) RE-Fibre

30 Jan 2025
Job Information

Organisation/Company

Universität Graz

Department

Institute of Chemistry

Research Field

Chemistry

Researcher Profile

First Stage Researcher (R1)

Positions

PhD Positions

Country

Austria

Application Deadline

28 Feb 2025 - 17:00 (Europe/Vienna)

Type of Contract

Temporary

Job Status

Full-time

Offer Starting Date

1 Jun 2025

Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme?

Horizon Europe - MSCA

Marie Curie Grant Agreement Number

101168684

Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure?

No

Offer Description

RE-Fibre is a Doctoral Network funded by Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA-DN) that aims to revolutionize the bio-fibre composite landscape by designing high-performance, fully renewable, and recyclable wood and plant fibre composites, in full accordance with modern circular economy principles. RE-Fibre will train 11 DoctoralCandidates (DCs) with an entrepreneurial and sustainability-mindset in the disciplines of green chemistry, sustainable catalysis, lignin chemistry, biorefinery concepts & engineering, recyclable bio-based polymers, circular economy and materials, and environmental systems science. 

The DCs will build on ground-breaking findings being generated at the RE-Fibre consortium, to enable the development of fully recyclable functional biobased composites with properties on par with fossil-based counterparts. They will gain competencies, not only in a breakthrough scientific fields but also in interdisciplinary and interpersonal skills. Additionally, they will expand their network and gain experience through participating in secondments (research stays at a site of an academic or industrial partner). Industrial placement for all DC candidates at a minimum of one industrial location is foreseen in the project. Finally, DCs will be actively engaged in creating best practices by developing online research and training tools, enabling them to work and collaborate across academic and industrial sectors. The RE-Fibre training will contribute to DCs employability as future leaders, while supporting the green transition and a sustainable circular economy in Europe.

 

DC3

Project title: Green modification platform via chemical catalysis

Main Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Katalin Barta (UG),

Co-Supervisor: Dr. Jaap van Hal (TNO), 

Industrial Supervisor: Dr. Jean-Pierre Lindner (BASF)

Project description: Typical lignin-derived materials are not recyclable and display limited mechanical properties, posing a serious limitation towards the use in composite applications. While recent advances towards recyclability were achieved with fossil-based building blocks (e.g., bisphenol-A), the application of this concept to lignin-based materials is still in its infancy. DC3 will use green, catalytic methods for the incorporation of cleavable linkages directly into suitably alcohol-functionalized lignin to achieve desired properties. This approach aims to unlock the potential of lignin-based materials by combining innovative catalytic methods, structural design, and application-driven evaluation.

Objectives:

• Lignocellulose fractionation in alternative reaction media to result in alcohol-decorated lignins with increased hydrophilicity. 
• The development of sustainable catalytic amination strategies for the direct and waste-minimized functionalization of decorated lignins to achieve desired properties. 
• Develop catalytic approaches to access strategically designed end groups for vitrimer formation
• Structural characterization and measurement of physical-chemical properties of the property tailored lignins. 

• Evaluation of best selected examples in surfactant formulations of in composite-applications. 

   

Secondments:

• UNIVE (3 months) investigation of colloid formation from selected amine-functionalized lignins (Prof. C. Crestini)
• BASF (4 months) investigation of selected surfactant lignins in formulations (Dr. J. Lindner)
• Anton Paar (3 months) for specialized analytics related to surface charge and other measurements on selected lignins (Dr. H. Brasil)

Where to apply

Website

https://refibre-dn.eu/

Requirements

Research Field

Chemistry

Education Level

Master Degree or equivalent

Skills/Qualifications

Required education level: Master's degree in Chemistry, Industrial Chemistry, Environmental Chemistry, Chemical Engineering

Preferred background: Homogenous catalysis, polymer chemistry, lignin chemistry, organic synthesis

Languages

ENGLISH

Level

Excellent

Additional Information
Benefits

Marie Sklodowska-Curie DCs are paid a competitive gross Living Allowance of 3,400 €/month, adjusted for their host country, a Mobility Allowance of 600 €/month and, for researchers who have a family, a Family Allowance of 660 €/month. All amounts are subject to deductions and taxes. Family is defined as persons linked to the researcher by (i) marriage, or (ii) a relationship with equivalent status to a marriage recognised by the national legislation of the country of the beneficiary or of nationality of the researcher, or (iii) dependent children who are actually being maintained by the researcher.

Eligibility criteria

There are strict eligibility requirements for the DC positions in MSCA-Doctoral Networks (DNs). Please ensure to be qualified before applying, as ineligible candidates cannot be considered.

• Admission to the program is open to applicants who hold a 2nd Level Master Degree (120 ECTS + 180 ECTS in a bachelor degree) or a Single Cycle Degree (minimum 300 ECTS), or a comparable university degree (Second Cycle qualification), as required by the partner universities for admission to doctoral studies. 
• At the time of recruitment applicants must not have been awarded a doctorate.
• At the time of recruitment applicants must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country of their host organization for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately before their recruitment date. Compulsory national service and/or short stays such as holidays and time spent as part of a procedure for obtaining refugee status under the Geneva Convention are not taken into account.
• Applicant must be able to communicate fluently in English (at least B2-level speaking and writing).

The Supervisory Board will pay special attention to respect gender balance.

Selection process

RE-Fibre will adopt the principles of the European Charter for Researchers and Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers promoting open, merit-based and transparent recruitment and attractive working and employment conditions.

The two-step procedure for applicants' selection is based on assessment of the documents attached to the application form and on an interview (videoconference) to those applicants who have passed the first-step selection. Shortlisted applicants will be informed of the interview process within three weeks from the deadline for applications.

Additional comments

Applicants can apply for up to 3 PhD projects, indicating the order of preference. All applications will have to be written in English and will be checked for eligibility. Ineligible or incomplete applications will not be considered. Applications must be submitted through the RE-Fibre website (https://refibre-dn.eu/ ) from 01.02.2025 at 17:00 Central European Time to 28.02.2025 at 17:00 Central European Time. Applications coming through different channels than the project website (e.g. sent by email) will not be considered. 

Applicants are required to fill in the Application form on the website and submit the following documents by uploading them as PDF files:

• Detailed Curriculum Vitae (Europass format – with added List of publications, participation in funded research projects, other qualifications, if any, must be included)
• Certified copy of Academic Degree/s in original language along with a certified translation into English, and/or Diploma Supplement (if applicable)
• Certified copies of official Academic Transcripts relating to all academic courses taken to earn every degree (bachelor/master or equivalent), translated into English, and corresponding grade point average
• Copy of passport (or, for EU citizens, equivalent ID document)

Additionally, to complete your application, please send the filled Mobility Rule template to applications@refibre-dn.eu . Finally, two recommendation letters (prepared using a template) must be sent directly by the referees to applications@refibre-dn.eu , with the name of the applicant in the subject line until the application deadline. Recommendation letter template and Mobility Rule template can be downloaded on the confirmation page after submitting the application form and are included in the conformation mail.

Failure to submit any of the above documents or lack of any of the required reference letters implies exclusion from the RE-Fibre recruitment procedure. For more information, please contact us through the Contact form on the RE-Fibre website. Data of the applicants will be shared within the Consortium for recruitment purposes only. All data provided by the applicants are processed solely for the purpose of the RE-Fibre call for applicants.

The application deadline may be extended if not enough applications are received. Information about a possible extension will be published on the project website and other communication channels.

Website for additional job details

https://refibre-dn.eu/

Work Location(s)

Number of offers available

1

Company/Institute

University of Graz

Country

Austria

City

Graz

Postal Code

8010

Street

Heinrichstraße 28

Geofield

Contact

State/Province

Styria

City

Graz

Website

https://chemie.uni-graz.at/en/institute/

Street

Heinrichstraße 28

Postal Code

8010

E-Mail

applications@refibre-dn.eu

STATUS: EXPIRED

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