Research Engineer - Hiring in process/Finished, not possible to apply

Would you like to be part of an expanding research team committed to finding sustainable solutions for the forest industry and society?

Background
The Department of Engineering and Chemical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Science and Technology has a staff of around 50 and offers courses for students in four engineering programmes, both BSc and MSc level, as well as teacher education and the Bachelor degree programme in Chemistry. The Department comprises four subjects: building and construction engineering, chemistry, chemical engineering and environmental and energy systems. In chemical engineering the focus of research and education is on the application of forest industrial chemical engineering processes and on the chemical mechanisms for the interplay and properties of the materials concerned. Research is conducted in close collaboration with international, national and regional academic and industrial partners.

Pro2BE (Processes and products for circular bio economy, www.kau.se/pro2be) is a departmental research group, with around 20 researchers. Pro2BE has a focus on sustainable solutions in process engineering and product applications for the forest industry and society. Pro2BE has strong partnerships regionally and nationally, and the researchers head and participate in several international projects.

Chemical engineering and the research environment Pro2BE are in an expansive phase and need to recruit a research engineer. 

Duties
Duties involve participating in research together with different partners in ongoing projects. Duties also include providing technical support to laboratory activities and playing an important role in the daily operation, maintenance and development of the laboratory research environments, as well planning and conducting experiments and investigations in collaboration with the researchers. Administrative tasks may be required.

Initially, the research engineer will work with a research group on a project related to process and material engineering research involving barrier coating of fiber-based packaging materials. This project is conducted in conjunction with several international industrial partners and the university, and aims to produce sustainable packaging solutions by combining renewable materials with advanced and innovative coating techniques to replace fossil-based materials. The studies are carried out with advanced experimental equipment and various modelling methods, primarily barrier coatings from polymer-based dispersions, active (antimicrobial) coatings, complex fluid interplay, the properties of flying fluids and mass transfer. The work is carried out in our own laboratories and at partner facilities, having both production and pilot equipment.

Duties include cooperating with other university departments and external partners, which involves communicating with partners and creating new contacts as well as participating in our communication with others in various contexts. 

Qualification requirements
Eligible candidates for the position have a doctor’s degree in chemical engineering or a related area. Good command of English in speech and writing is a requirement. Current experience of experimental work in chemical engineering or related area is a requirement.

Assessment criteria
Special weight is given to:

• Knowledge and experience of experimental work with chemical engineering instrumentation for rheology, surface coating of solutions and suspensions, characterising properties of surface and surface substrate, polymer properties, mass and thermal transfer measuring;
• Experience of instrumental development;
• Experience of planning and conducting research and development work;
• Experience of applying for research funding.
• Experience from publishing research in peer reviewed scientific journals.

Considerable weight is given to:

• Administrative skills.
• Good communication skills in speech and writing.

We value personal qualities such as cooperation skills, ability to contribute to a good work climate, creativity and readiness to find solutions, take initiatives and complete tasks. 

Terms of employment
The position is a full-time non-fixed term employment with starting date as soon as possible or by agreement. A probation period may be required.

Application
Application must include well documented qualifications. Applicants are responsible for submitting a complete application in accordance with the advertisement and for ensuring that the documentation allows for objective and qualitative assessments. A complete application must be submitted no later than the application deadline.

Application must include:

• Letter of application with a brief description of qualifications in relation to the duties of the position,
• CV
• Copies of certificates, diplomas, and verification of previous experiences and letters of recommendation from previous employers, list of courses and grades,
• Contact information to at least two references

Submit your application to the Karlstad University web-based recruitment tool no later than: 2019-03-24

We look forward to your application!

Karlstad University has chosen advertising channels for this recruitment and firmly declines any contact with advertising or recruitment agencies.