KTH, The Royal Institute of Technology

Applications are invited for a position as postdoctoral fellow at the Division of Resource Recovery of the Department of Chemical Engineering at the school of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health.

Job description
The work focuses on experimentally investigating and developing i) separation of Ni, Co and rare earth elements (REE) as sulphate salts from aqueous, acidic leach solutions by means of antisolvent crystallization / precipitation; and ii) fractional separation and recovery of high purity fractions of the valuable metals by means of preparative column chromatography. In combination, these two powerful separation methods could have great potential as part of sustainable and efficient recycling methods for NdFeB magnets, spent NiMH batteries and various other waste sources containing critically important rare earth elements in a growing circular economy.

The work encompasses the development of fundamental understanding of the processes as well as an evaluation of their feasibility and industrial applicability. The postdoc will carry out the majority of the experimental work, under the supervision of Michael Svärd and Kerstin Forsberg, senior researchers with expertise in crystallization and hydrometallurgical separation techniques. As a postdoctoral fellow you will become part of a larger dynamic, collaborative unit involving senior researchers, PhD students and other postdocs working in several related projects.

The project is supported by representatives from relevant industry in the form of a reference group, and is linked to an ongoing collaboration project with The Crystallization and Precipitation Unit at the University of Cape Town on new crystallization methods for resource recovery.

Qualifications

The applicant must have obtained a doctorate alternatively an equivalent foreign degree or be close to a doctorate in chemical engineering or adjoining fields. The doctoral degree must have been completed no more than three years before the last application date. The applicant must have a good written and spoken English skills, necessary to publish and present research results at international conferences and in journals.

The applicant should have direct laboratory experience, well-developed analytical and problem-solving skills and a documented academic track record. Documented experience in separation processes, in particular crystallization, and hydrometallurgy are merits. Awareness of diversity and equal treatment issues with a particular focus on gender equality is also a merit.

We are looking for a highly motivated candidate who can contribute with own ideas and who can work both independently and in a group. Great emphasis will be placed on personal competence and suitability.

What we offer
An international workplace at a leading technical university that creates knowledge and expertise for a sustainable future. Here you get colleagues with high ambitions in an open, curious and dynamic environment.

Trade union representatives
You will find contact information to trade union representatives at KTH's webbpage.

Application
The application must contain the following documents:

  • Curriculum vitae containing education and relevant work experience from academia and industry.
  • Graduation transcript from the university and diploma
  • Personal letter containing a description of past experiences in the scientific field and a motivation why you are interested in this position

Log into KTH's recruitment system in order to apply to this position. You are the main responsible to ensure that your application is complete according to the ad.

Your complete application must be received at KTH no later than the last day of application, midnight CET/CEST (Central European Time/Central European Summer Time).

About the employment
This is a full-time position of one year with the possibility of extension for another year. The start date is open for discussion, but we would like to see the project start as soon as possible.
A position as a postdoctoral fellow is a time-limited qualified appointment focusing mainly on research, intended as a first career step after a dissertation.

Others
Gender equality, diversity and zero tolerance against discrimination and harassment are important aspects of KTH's work with quality as well as core values in our organization.

For information about processing of personal data in the recruitment process please read here.
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Disclaimer: In case of discrepancy between the Swedish original and the English translation of the job announcement, the Swedish version takes precedence.

Type of employment Temporary position
Contract type Full time
First day of employment According to agreement
Salary Monthly salary
Number of positions 1
Full-time equivalent 100%
City Stockholm
County Stockholms län
Country Sweden
Reference number C-2020-0352
Contact
  • Michael Svärd, Researcher, +46 8 7908228, micsva@kth.se
  • Edith Tönseth Malm, HR administrator, +46 08 7906073, edithmt@kth.se
Published 14.Feb.2020
Last application date 19.Mar.2020 11:59 PM CET

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