Postdoc in Ionic Liquids – Synthesis of Organic, Organometallic and Organic-Inorganic Hybrid Materials (Chemistry/Medicinal Chemistry/Chemical Engineering)

The Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering at Faculty of Technical Sciences at Aarhus University invites applications for a postdoctoral research position at the intelligent Advanced Materials group led by Prof. Dr. Anja-Verena Mudring research project funded by the Novo Nordisk foundation with focus on polymorph specific crystallization of active pharmaceutical ingredients and related molecules from ionic liquids and deep eutectic solvents. as per the 1 January 2025 or as soon as possible thereafter. The position is a 2-year full-time position.


Expected start date and duration of employment

1 January 2025 or as soon thereafter. The position is funded until 31 December 2026 through a NNF RECRUIT grant from the Novo Nordisk Foundation to Prof. Dr. Anja-Verena Mudring, Head of intelligent Advanced Materials @ BCE.


Project Context

A RECRUIT grant from the Novo Nordisk Foundation allows Prof. Dr. Anja-Verena Mudring, Head of the intelligent Advanced Materials group, to set up an internationally competitive research environment at the Department of Bio- and Chemical Engineering, Aarhus University, in the field of ionic liquids. Ionic liquids (ILs) as room temperature molten salts are receiving incredible attention as solvents and smart materials chemistry because of their unique properties and property combinations unattainable from solvents. The properties such as the liquidus ranges, non-volatility, thermal and chemical stability and controllable solvent properties that can be easily modified by changing the ionic components of the liquid. Tremendous progress has been made using ILs in separation science, catalysis, chemical synthesis, electrodeposition, lubrication, processing of cellulose, gas caption, storage and delivery. However, compared to other research efforts, ILs have been widely neglected as a medium for syntheses in inorganic and materials chemistry.

The Novo Nordisk RECRUIT grant facilitates developing ILs as smart materials for green and environmentally friendly applications, such as for organic lighting, catalysis, thermal energy conversion and storage.


Job description

As Postdoc your position is primarily research based. You will contribute, both independently and in collaboration with others, to the Novo Nordisk Foundation supported research project through research of high international quality. You will work closely together with both Danish and international colleagues.

Your main tasks will consist of:

• Synthesis of ionic liquids as smart materials for environmentally benign applications.
• Exploring a wide range of state-of-the-art synthesis methods.
• Characterization of their purity and structure via NMR, elemental analysis and vibrational spectroscopy.
• Characterization of ionic liquids by thermal analysis (DTA/TG and DSC), elemental analysis, NMR, Ir/Ra spectroscopy, polarizing optical microscopy.
• Establishing structure-property relationships and pushing the frontiers of the field.
• Communication and dissemination of your research results through reports, scientific papers and presentations at international conferences.

Your profile

Applicants should hold a PhD in chemistry/medicinal chemistry/chemical engineering/materials science or an equivalent domain. You are expected to have proven scientific excellence.

The candidate should have documented experience in the synthesis and characterization of organic, organometallic compounds and/or ionic liquids.  The candidate should have experience in handling air-sensitive compounds employing inert-gas/Schlenk techniques. Additionally, the candidate should be proficient in standard analytical techniques such as NMR, IR/Ra EA, and have experience with thermal analysis (TG, DTA, DSC). Preference will be given to candidates with a demonstrated strong background in synthetic chemistry.

As a person, you are independent, reliable and possess good communication and interpersonal skills.

We expect you to be fluent in oral and written English.
 

Who we are

The Institute of Biological and Chemical Engineering (BCE) has strong research sections in Environmental Engineering and Materials & Process Engineering. Close collaboration with our neighboring Departments (Biosciences, Food, Agroecology, Chemistry, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Molecular Biology & Genetics and iNano,) is a natural part of our culture. The successful applicant will be working at the intelligent Advanced Materials unit in the field of Materials Science & Engineering with a focus on Crystal Engineering and will produce and disseminate knowledge and research results. The intelligent Advanced Materials group headed by Prof. Dr. Anja-Verena Mudring is currently being built up with financial support of the Aarhus University Research, Villum, Novo Nordisk, Carlsberg, and Danish Independent Research foundations. Translation of results into solving relevant societal challenges and contributing to the Green Transition is a highly prioritized part of our work.
 

What we offer

• An internationally competitive research environment with new, state-of-the laboratories and equipment.
• an exciting interdisciplinary environment with many national, international and industrial collaborators.
• a work environment encouraging lively, open and critical discussion.
• a workplace characterised by professionalism and a healthy life-work integration.

Place of work and area of employment

The place of work is Åbogade 40, 8200 Aarhus N, and the area of employment is Aarhus University with related departments. 

 

Contact information

For further information, please contact: Professor Anja Verena Mudring, [email protected].
 

Deadline

Applications must be received no later than 9 October 2024.

 


Application procedure

Shortlisting is used. This means that after the deadline for applications – and with the assistance from the assessment committee chairman, and the appointment committee if necessary, – the head of department selects the candidates to be evaluated. All applicants will be notified whether or not their applications have been sent to an expert assessment committee for evaluation. The selected applicants will be informed about the composition of the committee, and each applicant is given the opportunity to comment on the part of the assessment that concerns him/her self. Once the recruitment process is completed a final letter of rejection is sent to the deselected applicants.


Letter of reference

If you want a referee to upload a letter of reference on your behalf, please state the referee’s contact information when you submit your application. We strongly recommend that you make an agreement with the person in question before you enter the referee’s contact information, and that you ensure that the referee has enough time to write the letter of reference before the application deadline.
Unfortunately, it is not possible to ensure that letters of reference received after the application deadline will be taken into consideration.


Formalities and salary range

Technical Sciences refers to the Ministerial Order on the Appointment of Academic Staff at Danish Universities under the Danish Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation.

The application must be in English and include a curriculum vitae, degree certificate, a complete list of publications, a statement of future research plans and information about research activities, teaching portfolio and verified information on previous teaching experience (if any). Guidelines for applicants can be found here.

Appointment shall be in accordance with the collective labour agreement between the Danish Ministry of Taxation and the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations. Further information on qualification requirements and job content may be found in the Memorandum on Job Structure for Academic Staff at Danish Universities.

Salary depends on seniority as agreed between the Danish Ministry of Taxation and the Confederation of Professional Associations.

Aarhus University’s ambition is to be an attractive and inspiring workplace for all and to foster a culture in which each individual has opportunities to thrive, achieve and develop. We view equality and diversity as assets, and we welcome all applicants.

Research activities will be evaluated in relation to actual research time. Thus, we encourage applicants to specify periods of leave without research activities, in order to be able to subtract these periods from the span of the scientific career during the evaluation of scientific productivity.

Aarhus University offers a broad variety of services for international researchers and accompanying families, including relocation service and career counselling to expat partners. Read more here. Please find more information about entering and working in Denmark here.

Aarhus University also offers a Junior Researcher Development Programme targeted at career development for postdocs at AU. You can read more about it here.

The application must be submitted via Aarhus University’s recruitment system, which can be accessed under the job advertisement on Aarhus University's website.

 


Aarhus University

Aarhus University is an academically diverse and research-intensive university with a strong commitment to high-quality research and education and the development of society nationally and globally. The university offers an inspiring research and teaching environment to its 38,000 students (FTEs) and 8,300 employees, and has an annual revenues of EUR 935 million. Learn more at www.international.au.dk/