SoftComp

Professor in Chemical Engineering: Design and Processing of Functional Products by Physico-Chemical Treatment of Natural Compounds from Side/Waste Streams
2023-01-11 08:00 - 2023-02-07 17:00 (Europe/Berlin)
KU Leuven has a full-time academic vacancy in the design of functional products by physico-chemical modification and processing of natural compounds from side and waste streams at Ghent Technology Campus. The new faculty member will be part of the Soft Matter, Rheology and Technology (SMaRT) group of the Department of Chemical Engineering consisting of 7 professors at present. With this vacancy, the department aims to develop a SMaRT section within Ghent Technology Campus. The aim is to realize modern, industrially focused research and infrastructure at Ghent Technology Campus for rheological and morphological research of biosourced functional products, with a focus on the utilisation and functionalization of natural compounds derived from side and waste streams originating, amongst others, from (local) food- and bio-industries. Collaboration is envisaged with the existing groups at Ghent Technology Campus, e.g. the Laboratory of Enzyme, Fermentation and Brewing Technology (EFBT), Meat Technology and Science of Protein rich foods (MTSP) and Chemical and BIOchemical process TEChnology and control (BIOTEC+). Besides this, collaboration with the Sustainable Materials Lab of KU Leuven (KULAK, KU Leuven Kortrijk Campus) and the Structural Composites and Alloys, Integrity and non-destructive testing group (SCALINT, KU Leuven Bruges Campus) active in the region is desired. We are looking for internationally orientated candidates with an excellent interdisciplinary research record and with educational competencies within the field of chemical engineering and chemistry. The research competencies will enable a focus on the physico-chemical processing of natural compounds from side- and waste streams from food and other industries for the design and processing of new functional products, including their (rheological) property characterisation. Product applications can be situated in a broad field e.g. (bio)polymer or textile industry, construction, chemicals, pharmaceutics, etc. The successful applicant will be appointed to the Department of Chemical Engineering and the Faculty of Engineering Technology of the Science, Engineering and Technology Group of KU Leuven. The Faculty of Engineering Technology has an extensive national and international network, both in the academic and business world. Research at SMaRT is at the intersection of classical chemical engineering and soft matter physics and chemistry. The hosting research group can build upon a solid research infrastructure, an extensive international network, connections with companies and non-profit organisations, a stable inflow of highly talented PhD students, and a supportive work environment.
More details and information on the application procedure can be found through this link. Application deadline is 7 February 2023.

Theoretical modeling of nanoparticles interacting with cells
2023-01-10 08:00 - 2023-01-31 17:00
1 year postdoc position within Spanish government project is based on a recent publications showing the importance of membrane tension for interaction of nanoparticles with cells (1–3). Deformation of cells and compression of lipid bilayers by strongly adsorbing nanoparticles is related to a non-chemical and non-biological mechanism of recently discovered antibacterial action of nanoparticles.
Responsibilities
Work with Molecular Dynamics, Langevin dynamics, numerical surface evolvers, as well as analytical theory based on the Helfrich model to investigate the interaction of idealized cell membrane models with nanoparticles of different geometries.
The effect of structure parameters such as size, topography, spikes, flexibility or rigidity of the material, surface properties, charge will be systematically evaluated.
Qualifications
· CUDA programming
· Molecular Dynamics of Soft Matter
· Monte Carlo simulations
· Theoretical physics
· Neural networks algorithms
References
(1) Fleury, J.-B.; Werner, M.; Guével, X. L.; Baulin, V. A. Protein Corona Modulates Interaction of Spiky Nanoparticles with Lipid Bilayers. J. Colloid Interface Sci. 2021, 603, 550–558. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcis.2021.06.047.
(2) Linklater, D. P.; Baulin, V. A.; Guével, X. L.; Fleury, J.-B.; Hanssen, E.; Nguyen, T. H. P.; Juodkazis, S.; Bryant, G.; Crawford, R. J.; Stoodley, P.; Ivanova, E. P. Antibacterial Action of Nanoparticles by Lethal Stretching of Bacterial Cell Membranes. Adv. Mater. 32 (52), e2005679. https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202005679.
(3) Linklater, D. P.; Baulin, V. A.; Juodkazis, S.; Crawford, R. J.; Stoodley, P.; Ivanova, E. P. Mechano-Bactericidal Actions of Nanostructured Surfaces. Nat. Rev. Microbiol. 2020, 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41579-020-0414-z.

PhD Position at San Sebastian (Dynamic Networks in Soft Matter: From Small Molecules to Complex Polymers)
2022-12-27 08:00 - 2023-01-17 17:00
The Polymers and Soft Matter Group (PSMG, http://www.sc.ehu.es/sqwpolim/PSMG/) of the Materials Physics Center (joint centre of CSIC and the University of the Basque Country) at San Sebastián (Spain) is offering a PhD Grant associated to the national Project “Dynamic Networks in Soft Matter: From Small Molecules to Complex Polymers (DYNANET)”.

Application period: 12 -26 January 2023 (please contact us before 15th January). Starting of the Grant: Second half of 2023 (see details below).

The Grant has a duration of 4 years. If the student obtained his/her PhD degree before the end of the 4th year, the remaining time of the Grant would have a postdoctoral character.

There are several possible PhD projects to be performed in the PSMG, of experimental or computational character, and focused on physics or chemistry. In all cases the project will investigate structural and dynamic aspects of soft-matter networks with reversible bonds, in systems as water, polyalcohols, polymers or biopolymers.

Depending on the PhD project, some of the techniques to be used are scattering (neutron, X-ray, light), dielectric spectroscopy, calorimetry, rheology, molecular dynamics simulations, or polymer synthesis, among others. Therefore, candidates of very different profiles, experimental or computational, can apply to the Grant.

The Grant is offered within the call ‘Ayudas para contratos predoctorales para la formación de doctores 2022’, which will be open from 12th to 26th January 2023 (unfortunately instructions are only given in Spanish: https://www.aei.gob.es/convocatorias/buscador-convocatorias/ayudas-contratos-predoctorales-formacion-doctores-2022-0).

The selection of the awarded candidate is expected to be officially announced by June 2023, so he/she would start the PhD project in the second half of the year (incorporation is flexible within the first 3 months after the announcement). The awarded candidate must have an MSc degree by the time of the incorporation to the PSMG, in Physics, Chemistry, Materials Engineering or related areas. Background in soft matter topics and/or in some of the aforementioned techniques will be highly esteemed.

Please note that, though the call ends at 26th January, the application procedure is not fully trivial and needs some clarification (in particular for non-Spanish speakers). Therefore, candidates who are interested in applying to the Grant should send their CV (including marks of their BSc degree, and their MSc if it is the case) to Angel Moreno (angeljose.moreno@ehu.es) before 15th January. Recommendation letters are not essential but will be esteemed. We will made a pre-selection of the candidates and contact them for further information on the steps to follow in the application.

Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor) at Lund University
2022-12-22 08:00 - 2023-01-24 17:00
The Division of Physical Chemistry at Lund University is recruiting a

Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor)

with a well-documented background in soft matter studied by scattering methods.

Job description
The candidate should have a strong research profile within soft and/or biological matter that adheres to and is complementary to the other research currently conducted within the division. The applicant’s research should to a large extent involve the use of scattering methods, using both local in house equipment, and large-scale synchrotron and/or neutron facilities. The successful candidate is expected to actively engage in the planned faculty infrastructure platform Center for Scattering Methods, and in the LINXS Institute of Advanced Neutron and X-ray Science. The successful candidate is also expected to pursue a leading role in interacting with the ESS and MAX IV facilities.
The person is expected to develop active research, which includes applying for external funding and developing collaborations with other university units and governmental organizations.
The position entails teaching at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. The amount of undergraduate teaching will be circa 10-20% of full time. In addition, there will be supervision of bachelor and master student projects, as well as supervision of PhD students. The work assignments of the position, as well as the relative proportions of research and teaching, may however change over time.

The research environment
The Division of Physical Chemistry, part of the Department of Chemistry within the Faculty of Science, performs experimental and theoretical research within the area of colloid and interface science, involving both synthetic and biological systems. A number of different experimental techniques are available within the division, where scattering methods are particularly important. The European Spallation Source (ESS) and the synchrotron light source MAX IV, as key European large-scale facilities for neutron and X-ray scattering, significantly contribute to the scientific life of Lund, and their close proximity has the potential to strengthen the role of the division as an internationally leading center of excellence in soft matter research. The division therefore has strong ambitions to be actively involved, through close collaborations and projects, with both facilities. The division has also a strong active engagement in the LINXS Institute of Advanced Neutron and X-ray Science, and also in NanoLund, the Lund University center for nanoscience.

On-line application can be made at (Deadline 22 January 2023):

https://lu.varbi.com/en/what:job/jobID:556566/type:job/where:4/apply:1

PhD position in Montpellier (Soft Matter, microgels)
2022-10-25 08:00 - 2022-11-30 17:00
We are seeking to fill a fully-funded PhD position at Laboratoire Charles Coulomb (CNRS/University of Montpellier, France), starting early spring 2023. In the framework of a French-German collaboration with Thomas Hellweg (Bielefeld), we wish to study membranes made of microgels. Further information can be found here:
https://cloud.coulomb.umontpellier.fr/index.php/s/2tqNQsikoLasDzo
Best regards,
Julian Oberdisse and Domenico Truzzolillo

LabVIEW Software Engineer
2022-10-14 08:00 - 2022-12-31 17:00
LS Instruments AG, a spin-off of the University of Fribourg, is a technology leader in the field of optical characterization of nanoparticles. LS Instruments develops advanced scientific instruments for analytical applications in life sciences, food, personal care, and many more.
Rising investments in the pharmaceutical industry, increasing regulatory requirements for medical products, and the recent successful launch of vaccines based on mRNA technology related to COVID-19 have led to a global increase in demand for high-precision nanoparticle analytical solutions.
In this context, we are enlarging our team and are looking for reinforcement.
We are looking for a dynamic person to join LS Instruments as a LabVIEW Software Engineer to take the lead on the software development effort geared at driving the hardware of our instruments.
For further details please visit the LS Instruments website.

Post doc position Unina-DPI
2022-09-26 08:00 - 17:00
We are currently looking for a motivated Postdoc to work on Long Chain Branching in Polyolefins within the framework of GoLBraPol, a research project funded by the Dutch Polymer Institute (DPI).
This Project focuses on the relationship between molecular architecture, rheological and processing properties of Sparsely Long Chain Branched Polyolefins (SLCB-PO). A multidisciplinary approach to determine the rheological fingerprint of the SLCB architecture will be set up to link the flow properties to molecular architecture. This will provide the knowledge to govern SLCB processing and tune the mechanical properties of the final product. Experiments will be devised to require very small, milligram size amounts of polymer, thus making it possible to use high throughput, laboratory-oriented synthesis strategies. The results are expected to pave the way to the use of SLCB-POs in specific processing technologies. The possibility to predict and design the best SLCB-PO material for a specific application will also contribute to a better, more responsible, and sustainable use of polyolefins.
The duration of the fellowship is for one year and can be extended for one more year, to be spent mainly at the University of Naples Federico II. We are looking for a highly motivated experimental researcher with a solid background in engineering, physics, chemistry, or a related field, preferably with knowledge of rheology and soft matter. Experience with experimental research, especially using rheometry and processing techniques, as well as excellent communication and computer skills will be highly beneficial.
The Postdoc position will be assigned based on a public competition. The starting of the activity is November 1st.
The call is available here:
https://lnkd.in/dzymAfxu
For any info:
Nino Grizzuti (nino.grizzuti@unina.it)
Rossana Pasquino (rossana.pasquino@unina.it)
Salvatore Costanzo (salvatore.costanzo@unina.it)

Predoctoral Research Position at the Materials Physics Center (San Sebastian, Spain)
2022-09-22 08:00 - 17:00
The Polymers and Soft Matter Group at CFM is offering a predoctoral (1+1+1 years) position starting between November 2022 and January 2023 to work under the supervision of Dr. Jon Maiz and Prof. Arantxa Arbe in the study of the Structure and Dynamics of Complex Polymer-based Materials for Energy Storage Applications.
The position will be funded by the IKUR strategy. IKUR is the strategy promoted by the Education Department of the Basque Government to boost Scientific Research in specific strategic areas and to position the Basque country at the forefront of international research in those fields.
The selected candidate will be hired by the Research Association MPC – Materials Physics Center. The salary will be 16.131,72 euros before taxes for the first year.
The Polymer and Soft Matter Group at the Center of Materials Physics addresses fundamental problems related with the structural and dynamical properties of soft matter systems, mainly based on polymers. Current research topics in the group include blends, all-polymer nanocomposites, or single-chain nanoparticles. For more information, visit our web: www.sc.ehu.es/sqwpolim/PSMG/.
Candidates must hold a Master degree (in Physics, Chemistry, Chemical or Material Engineering, …). Expertise in polymers will be highly appreciated for this particular position, as well as background in experimental methods like scattering techniques or relaxation techniques.
Suitable candidates can apply for this position sending by email to jobs.cfm@ehu.eus the following information before 21st of October with the subject label “Predoc CFM-PolymerEnergy”:
1- An updated Curriculum Vitae, including a list of publications. (70%)
2- A presentation letter with declaration of interests (max. 1 page). (10%)
3- Two reference letters and/or contact email of two potential referees. (20%)

International Soft Matter Conference 2022 (ISMC2022)
2022-09-19 - 2022-09-23 | Poznan, Poland, Poland
The International Soft Matter Conference (ISMC 2022) will be held on September 19-23 in Poznań, Poland.
This will be the 6th edition of the triennial meeting of the soft matter-focused research community,
organized internationally under the auspices of the SoftComp Network of Excellence.
The ISMC 2022 is organized by the NanoBioMedical Centre of the Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, and Poznań Congress Center.

Scope of the Conference
Active Soft Matter
Arrested Soft Matter
Colloidal Soft Matter
Interfacial Soft Matter
Living Soft Matter
Making & Measuring Soft Matter
Polymeric Soft Matter
Processing & Stressed Soft Matter
Self-Assembled Soft Matter

Plenary Speakers

Thomas Angelini, University of Florida, USA
Anne-Laure Biance, Université Lyon, France
Luca Cipeletti, Universit​é Montpellier, France
Eric Dufresne, ETH Zürich, Switzerland
Living Droplets Get to Work
Martin van Hecke, AMOLF / Leiden University,
The Netherlands
Kurt Kremer, Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Germany
Silvia Marchesan, University of Trieste, Italy
Pierangelo Metrangolo, Politecnico di Milano, Italy
Francesco Sciortino, ​Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
Dimitris Vlassopoulos, Institute of Electronic Structure and Laser, FOTRH, Greece

Keynote speakers

Steve Armes, The University of Sheffield, UK
Costantino Creton, ESPCI, France
Haim Diamant, Tel Aviv University, Israel
Wiebke Drenckhan, Institut Charles Sadron, France
Eric Grelet, CNRS, France
Giovanni Ianniruberto, The University of Naples Federico II, Italy
Tanniemola B Liverpool, University of Bristol, UK
Cristian Micheletti, International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA), Italy
Cecile Monteux, ESPCI Paris, France
Elie Raphael, ESPCI, France
Stefano Sacanna, New York University, USA
Andela Šarić, ​ Institute of Science and Technology Austria
Peter Schall, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Veronique Trappe, University of Fribourg, Switzerland
Nicolas Vogel, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany
Giovanni Volpe, University of Gothenburg, Sweden

Deadlines and registration information

Early registration – ​ 30 June, 2022
Abstract submission deadline for oral presentations – 30 June, 2022
Abstract submission deadline for posters – 30 July, 2022

Registration fees

Early registration fee
(registration up to 30 June, 2022)
Regular registration fee
(registration after 30 June, 2022 )

Regular Participants
575 €
685 €

Students
465 €
575 €

Accompanying person
90 €
115 ​€

Fee includes:

admission to all sessions,
participation in the Opening Ceremony,
participation in the Gala Dinner,
participation in the city tours,
coffee breaks and lunches,
conference materials,
free use of public transport on the basis of the Conference ID tag.

For more information, please visit our website: http://ismc2022.amu.edu.pl, or write an email to ismc2022@amu.edu.pl

We are looking forward to welcoming you to this Conference.
The Organizing Committee

Tenure-track Junior Professor Chair : New materials and processes with low environmental impact
2022-09-06 08:00 - 2022-11-30 17:00
Research project
The scientific project carried out by the Chair is at the intersection of the disciplinary fields of process and material sciences involving the use of supercritical fluids. It will allow the development of studies which will aim at :
– Intensifying the adequacy between the process and the material by improving the process efficiency. It can be achieved by integrating several functions in a single operation and by reducing the consumption of inputs (monomers, additives, catalysts…). The idea is to optimize the physico-chemical properties and/or reactive systems by supercritical fluids as reagents or carrier fluids to provide new functions or as plasticizers to transform heat-sensitive materials such as biobased polymers.
– Making the use of polymeric materials safer in order to increase their recycling towards currently unthinkable applications by achieving total clean-up/purification: offering ultra-pure virgin or recycled polymers,
– Continuously generating materials with properties that are different from those currently proposed: high-performance materials, nano-cellular polymer foams or polymer blends with controlled morphologies.
The deployment of the scientific project relies on a base of existing projects currently composed of 3 PhD on recycling and 4 projects on the purification and development of cellular materials. As soon as he/she is recruited, the person hired will be integrated into the follow-up of the projects. He/she will also supervise the doctoral and post-doctoral students recruited. They will be assigned to the development of the coupling of fluids under supercritical conditions and polymer processing and, more particularly, they will endeavour to associate conceptual aspects at different scales and states of matter with the experimental part (constitutive laws and scaling laws for complex polymer/supercritical fluids under strong flows, fundamental mechanisms involved in the elaboration of nano-foams assisted by supercritical fluids, understanding of the clean-up processes integrated in a recycling operation).
The overall budget allocated to the project amounts to 650000 € including salaries.
Contacts Head of the lab : Pr Jean-Charles Majesté, majeste@univ-st-etienne.fr
Host laboratory:
The Laboratory « Ingénierie des Matériaux Polymères » (UMR CNRS 5223) is a research unit (70 senior scientists /130 Ph-D and postdocs) which focuses on polymer materials, affiliated to CNRS, University of Lyon, INSA and to University Jean Monnet of Saint-Etienne). The laboratory has included in its roadmap the development of cross-disciplinary skills related to major societal challenges in both energy and environmental aspects, including an approach to the development of materials with a virtuous life cycle. The person recruited at the Saint-Etienne site will be able to rely on the laboratory’s platform “FlusCritex” (unique in Europe) dedicated to the coupling of fluids under supercritical conditions and polymer processing. The development of this coupling approach requires the association of conceptual aspects at different scales and states of matter in addition to the experimental component. This conceptualization approach is an important research axis in the laboratory.

24th JCNS Laboratory Course Neutron Scattering
2022-09-05 08:00 - 2022-09-16 17:00 | Forschungszentrum Jülich / MLZ Garching
The course will consist of one week of lectures and exercises at Forschungszentrum
Jülich and one week of practical training at the neutron scattering facilities of
Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum MLZ, Garching/Munich. It is the aim of the course
to give a realistic insight into the experimental technique and its scientific
power.
Students of physics, chemistry, materials science and biosciences are invited to
apply for participation. There is no tuition fee. Accommodation and meals during
the course will be provided by JCNS. Travel expenses will be reimbursed within
reasonable limits.
For further information, updates in connection with COVID-19, and to apply for
participation please visit our website
www.neutronlab.de
Deadline for application is May 15, 2022.

European Colloid and Interface Society (ECIS2022)
2022-09-04 - 2022-09-09 | Minoa Palace, Chania, Crete, Greece
The European Colloid and Interface Society (ECIS2022) will take place from the 4th to the 9th of September 2022 in Chania (Crete, Greece) https://ecis2022.org/.
The abstract submission as well as the short-course and conference registrations are open. Please note the deadline for abstract (oral and poster) submission is the 4th of April 2022.
Under the current conditions, we aim to have four parallel on-site sessions with partial online coverage (all plenary talks and one session).
If however, further COVID pandemic restrictions are applied, provisions exist to move to a full hybrid version (with all sessions running on-line and on-site).
A satellite session on “Tribological effects on rheology of suspensions: Surface forces, contact effects, and chemical modifications” and a special China-Europe Symposium are also planned within the conference.
A short course on “Advanced Characterization and Modelling techniques for Colloids” is scheduled on 3-4 September at the premises of FORTH at Heraklion.
Complementing the scientific program, a diverse social program shall expose the participants to the history, culture and magnificent nature of mountains and beaches of Crete. We look forward to welcoming you to Crete in September.

2nd Edible Soft Matter conference
2022-07-09 - 2022-07-13 | Wageningen University & Research Omnia Conference Center, Hoge Steeg 2, Wageningen, Netherlands
We are organizing a 2nd Workshop and Conference in July on “Edible Soft Matter” in Wageningen for July 2022. We are covering a large range of relevant topics in the food and soft matter area, and we would like to invite each of you to make a contribution. Please see the website more form information.
Regards,
ESM organizing committee

IOP Advanced School in Liquids and Complex Fluids ‘Solutions in the Summer’
2022-07-04 12:00 - 2022-07-07 13:00
Dear colleagues,
Registration is open for the next IOP Advanced School in Liquids and Complex Fluids ‘Solutions in the Summer’. The School, organised by the IOP Liquids and Complex Fluids Group, will take place on 4-7 July 2022 in Sheffield, UK.
The aim of this School is to provide a comprehensive foundation for researchers in the field of soft matter, liquids and complex fluids. The lectures will introduce key topics of current interest together with the theoretical, experimental and computer simulation approaches used to address them. The School is directed towards postgraduate students from a wide range of backgrounds including physics, chemistry, chemical engineering and biophysics.
The School website can be found at https://iop.eventsair.com/aslcf2022
The registration deadline is 1 July 2022.

Marie Curie Cofund post-doctoral positions @Ca' Foscari University of Venice
2022-06-28 08:00 - 2022-08-06 17:00
We are writing to promote Ca’ Foscari’s “G@V – Research and Training for Global Challenges” Co-fund Fellowship Programme, a 60-month project launched by Ca’ Foscari University of Venice and jointly funded by the European Commission’s Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions COFUND scheme that is designed to offer 15 24-month post-doctoral fellows from around the globe a truly international, interdisciplinary, and inter-sectoral training experience.

The project aims to strengthen high-profile researchers’ capacities through collaboration with Ca’ Foscari’s Institute for Global Challenges in order to provide Europe and the world with a pool of researchers capable of bridging the gap between academic and applied research, and between research and the market.

Eight fellows were selected last year, and the call for applications for the remaining 7 fellowships is now online. The deadline to apply is AUGUST 5.

Applicants are requested to submit their own research proposal in connection with one of Ca’ Foscari’s six multidisciplinary Research for Global Challenges Institutes (RGCI), selecting the one best suited to support their individual research and training needs.

Anyone interested in the fellowships can register to attend an information webinar that will be held Wednesday, June 29 at 3pm (Rome – CEST).

For further information, please write directly to globalvenice@unive.it.

15th Bombannes summer school on scattering applied to soft condensed matter
2022-06-20 18:00 - 2022-06-28 18:00 | Carcan-Maubuisson (Gironde, France), France
The “Bombannes” summer school will take place from June 20th to 28th 2022 in Carcan-Maubuisson (Gironde, France), and pre-registration is now open.
This school offers a one-week high-level training for PhD-students and young researchers every two years – 2020 had to be cancelled due to the pandemic. By nature, scattering methods are well-suited for studying the structure and dynamics of systems organized on the nanoscale, which is typically the case for polymers, surfactants, or colloidal systems, i.e. the building blocks of Soft Matter.
The school starts with an introduction to instrumentation and experimental methods in scattering, covering both dynamics and structural aspects. It teaches scattering theory (from data treatment to the inverse scattering problem) and special topics in the field of soft condensed matter, including microemulsions, biological applications, colloidal aggregation, polymer and polymer processing, and scattering under external constraints. Lectures have been published in a successful book (Neutrons, X-ray and Light: Scattering Methods Applied to Soft Condensed Matter; Lindner, P. ; Zemb, Th.; North Holland), which is included in the participation fee and distributed as lecture material to all students.
Note that pre-registration before 20/02/2022 is mandatory, and participants will be selected by the organizing committee – note the limited number of available places.

Research Professor KU Leuven "Molecular Physical Chemistry of Polymers and Polymer-based Materials"
2022-06-01 08:00 - 2022-09-15 17:00
The Department of Chemistry at KU Leuven has an open research professor position in the general field of “Molecular Physical Chemistry of Polymers and Polymer-based Materials”. The deadline for applications is 15 September 2022.
More information regarding this position and on the application procedure can be found through the following link: https://www.kuleuven.be/personeel/jobsite/jobs/60115427?hl=en&lang=en

Tenure-track Junior Professor Chair : New materials and processes with low environmental impact
2022-05-02 08:00 - 2022-07-31 17:00
Research project
The scientific project carried out by the Chair is at the intersection of the disciplinary fields of process and material sciences involving the use of supercritical fluids. It will allow the development of studies which will aim at :
– Intensifying the adequacy between the process and the material by improving the process efficiency. It can be achieved by integrating several functions in a single operation and by reducing the consumption of inputs (monomers, additives, catalysts…). The idea is to optimize the physico-chemical properties and/or reactive systems by supercritical fluids as reagents or carrier fluids to provide new functions or as plasticizers to transform heat-sensitive materials such as biobased polymers.
– Making the use of polymeric materials safer in order to increase their recycling towards currently unthinkable applications by achieving total clean-up/purification: offering ultra-pure virgin or recycled polymers,
– Continuously generating materials with properties that are different from those currently proposed: high-performance materials, nano-cellular polymer foams or polymer blends with controlled morphologies.
The deployment of the scientific project relies on a base of existing projects currently composed of 3 PhD on recycling and 4 projects on the purification and development of cellular materials. As soon as he/she is recruited, the person hired will be integrated into the follow-up of the projects. He/she will also supervise the doctoral and post-doctoral students recruited. They will be assigned to the development of the coupling of fluids under supercritical conditions and polymer processing and, more particularly, they will endeavour to associate conceptual aspects at different scales and states of matter with the experimental part (constitutive laws and scaling laws for complex polymer/supercritical fluids under strong flows, fundamental mechanisms involved in the elaboration of nano-foams assisted by supercritical fluids, understanding of the clean-up processes integrated in a recycling operation).
The overall budget allocated to the project amounts to 650000 € including salaries.
Contacts Head of the lab : Pr Jean-Charles Majesté, majeste@univ-st-etienne.fr
Host laboratory:
The Laboratory « Ingénierie des Matériaux Polymères » (UMR CNRS 5223) is a research unit (70 senior scientists /130 Ph-D and postdocs) which focuses on polymer materials, affiliated to CNRS, University of Lyon, INSA and to University Jean Monnet of Saint-Etienne). The laboratory has included in its roadmap the development of cross-disciplinary skills related to major societal challenges in both energy and environmental aspects, including an approach to the development of materials with a virtuous life cycle. The person recruited at the Saint-Etienne site will be able to rely on the laboratory’s platform “FlusCritex” (unique in Europe) dedicated to the coupling of fluids under supercritical conditions and polymer processing. The development of this coupling approach requires the association of conceptual aspects at different scales and states of matter in addition to the experimental component. This conceptualization approach is an important research axis in the laboratory.
Teaching project:
The person recruited as a tenure-track junior professor will be involved (64h/year) in the reinforcement of teaching on eco-design and the valorization of polymeric materials or their recycling, which is one of the objectives of the new Master’s program “Chemistry and Materials Science”. The teaching project will thus participate in the more general dynamics within the establishment to develop the sustainable development and social responsibility theme in which the person recruited will be strongly involved, for example in the design of opening and awareness units.

Postdoc position at Lund University: Characterising concentrated antibody solutions
2022-04-08 08:00 - 2022-05-04 17:00
We have an open postdoc position in the Division of Physical Chemistry at Lund University on the biophysical properties of antibody solutions and their investigation with a combination of scattering techniques and computer simulations.
Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are engineered proteins that can serve as substitute antibodies in the immune system. Due to their high potential in e.g. cancer treatment they attract enormous attention from the pharmaceutical industry. At the same time the formulation of high concentration injectable mAb biologics is very challenging as it is often severely limited due to high turbidity and/or high viscosity.
In this project we aim at establishing an approach to understand the origin of this behaviour and to predict it from low concentration data and mAb molecular structure. The postdoc we are looking for will apply a variety of static and dynamic scattering techniques (based on light and x-rays) on mAb samples, including static and dynamic light scattering (SLS/DLS), small-angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) and x-ray photon correlation spectroscopy (XPCS), and analyse the data. (S)he will also perform microrheology experiments, establish mAb phase/state diagrams and closely work together with simulators and theoreticians in a concerted effort towards a better understanding of the complex solution behaviour of mAbs.
Requirements are:

PhD in Soft Matter Physics, Biophysics, Physical Chemistry or similar with a strong biophysical/biochemical background,
Very good oral and written proficiency in English,
Experience in protein and colloid science,
Experience in scattering techniques applied to soft and biological matter,
Experience in scattering data analysis,
Experience in collaboration with theoreticians and simulators,
Experience in protein sample preparation and handling.

Deadline for application is 4 May 2022
More information and a link for the on-line application can be found at:
https://lu.varbi.com/en/what:job/jobID:494678/

SOFI2 PhD Studentships ×20: Soft Matter for Formulation & Industrial Innovation @Durham, Leeds, Edinburgh Universities
2022-03-22 08:00 - 2022-04-30 17:00
20 fully funded, four-year PhD studentships are available in the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Soft Matter for Formulation and Industrial Innovation (SOFI2 CDT) commencing in September 2022, for graduates in the physical and biological sciences, mathematics and engineering.
Find out more about the projects and and how to apply here
Soft Matter and Functional Interfaces – Durham University

SOFI2 CDT is the successor to the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Soft Matter and Functional Interfaces (SOFI) which, since 2014 has provided industrially integrated, postgraduate training in research, enterprise and innovation for future leaders in the soft matter academic and industrial sectors. SOFI2 CDT combines expertise from Durham, Leeds and Edinburgh Universities, more than 25 industry partners and national facilities. It brings together more than 60 academics from Departments of Physics, Chemistry, Food Science, Biology, Engineering, Earth Sciences, Computing, (Applied) Mathematics and the Durham University Business School.

SOFI2 students will undertake a common 6-month, industry-facing science training course before selecting their research projects at one of the three partner Universities. Approximately half of the projects are expected to be co-sponsored by external partners and all students will have an external co-supervisor.

All successful applicants will be offered a SOFI2 CDT PhD studentship which covers both tuition fees and a living allowance. Up to a maximum of 30% of studentships will be available to International and EU applicants with no additional fee to pay.

Key elements of SOFI2 CDT

World-leading research in all aspects of soft matter science
Integrated training in SOFI2 physics, chemistry, food science and engineering
Learn within an multidisciplinary team of students with different core skills
Innovation and Commercialisation training via the SOFI2 mini-MBA

Postdoc Position Unina
2022-02-11 08:00 - 2022-04-22 17:00
We are currently looking for a motivated Postdoc to work on Long Chain Branching in Polyolefins within the framework of GoLBraPol, a research project funded by the Dutch Polymer Institute (DPI).
This Project focuses on the relationship between molecular architecture, rheological and processing properties of Sparsely Long Chain Branched Polyolefins (SLCB-PO). A multidisciplinary approach to determine the rheological fingerprint of the SLCB architecture will be set up to link the flow properties to molecular architecture. This will provide the knowledge to govern SLCB processing and tune the mechanical properties of the final product. Experiments will be devised to require very small, milligram-size amounts of polymer, thus making it possible to use high throughput, laboratory-oriented synthesis strategies. The results are expected to pave the way to the use of SLCB-POs in specific processing technologies. The possibility to predict and design the best SLCB-PO material for a specific application will also contribute to a better, more responsible, and sustainable use of polyolefins.
The duration of the fellowship is for one year and can be extended for one more year, to be spent mainly at the University of Naples Federico II. We are looking for a highly motivated experimental researcher with a solid background in engineering, physics, chemistry, or a related field, preferably with knowledge of rheology and soft matter. Experience with experimental research, especially using rheometry and processing techniques, as well as excellent communication and computer skills will be highly beneficial.
The Postdoc position will be assigned based on a public competition. The starting of the activity is flexible, in the time window between June and September 2022.
Interested candidates can send a pre-selection email no later than April 15th, 2022, including a detailed C.V., to:
Nino Grizzuti (nino.grizzuti@unina.it)
Rossana Pasquino (rossana.pasquino@unina.it)
Salvatore Costanzo (salvatore.costanzo@unina.it)

Additional info:

The call for application is now open!

You can find information and documents here:

http://www.unina.it/…/ICMPI_Bando_AR_06_2022_scad.08.04…

Deadline: April 8th

Protein self-assembly and aggregation in electric fields
2021-12-13 08:00 - 2022-03-31 17:00
We are currently looking for a motivated PhD student or postdoc to work on protein self-assembly and aggregation in electric fields. Some details can be found below. We would be very grateful if you could forward this information to anyone who might be interested in the position.
Details:
The aim of the project is to explore the phase behavior of proteins under the influence of external electric fields: In how far can electric fields be used to direct protein self-assembly into condensed liquid droplets, crystals and aggregates? Depending on the field strength and frequency, several mechanisms are conceivable: field-induced stresses can alter the shape and internal structure of protein molecules, the electric double layer can be deformed giving rise to changes in the electrostatic interactions, and electric torques can align proteins. The effects of the solution conditions (protein concentration, pH, ionic strength) and electric field parameters (strength and frequency) on the proteins, their state diagram and phase transition kinetics will be systematically investigated by the combined use of circular dichroism spectroscopy, optical microscopy, light and X-ray scattering.
The PhD candidate or postdoc will work at the Research Center Juelich within a common project with the Heinrich Heine University Duesseldorf. We are looking for a highly motivated experimental researcher with a solid background in physics, chemistry, or a related field, preferably with knowledge in soft matter and/or biophysics. Experience with experimental research, especially using microscopy and scattering techniques, as well as excellent communication skills and computer skills will be highly beneficial.
Interested candidates are welcome to contact us and encouraged to send their applications (including a detailed CV and lists of grades) electronically as a single PDF. Applications received by 25 January 2022 will be given full consideration.
Dr. K. Kang (FZ Juelich, k.kang@fz-juelich.de, https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=cXhAPQ4AAAAJ)
Dr. F. Platten (HHU Duesseldorf, Florian.Platten@hhu.de, https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=W7GL23UAAAAJ)

15 Post-doc positions within the GNeuS project!
2021-11-18 08:00 - 2022-01-15 17:00
Research with neutrons, with its interdisciplinary approach, is indispensable for modern science. Taking into consideration tremendous changes in the European neutron landscape and assuming responsibility for sustainability, the neutron community is nowadays facing an important task to ensure long-term perspectives, that essentially depend on its ability to create a new generation of innovative highly-skilled researchers. To tackle this challenge, Forschungszentrum Jülich (FZJ), Technical University Munich (TUM) and Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon (Hereon), partners at the Heinz-Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (MLZ), are running the Marie-Skłodowska Curie Acton (MSCA) COFUND project “Global Neutron Scientists” (GNeuS) to train young neutron scientists through the establishment of a well-structured postdoctoral research program with a strong interdisciplinary and intersectoral approach and global outreach. Within GNeuS, postdoc grants are offered to solving the grand challenges facing mankind in areas such as environment, energy, key technologies, soft matter and life science as well as improving the existing instrumentation and the ancillary equipments and developing new sources or optimizing the existing ones. During the five year project lifetime and three calls, the three MLZ Partners offer a total of 45 fellowships each with a duration of 24 months.
The GNeuS call N. 1 started on 01.11.2021 and the application submission deadline is on 15.01.2022, and will assign 15 grants.
The call N. 2 and n. 3 will start one and two years later, respectively, and will assign 15 grants each as well.
Please find the links below for detailed information
– The GNeuS portal https://gneus.eu
– Guidelines for applicants https://gneus.eu/guidelines-for-applicants
Application shall be submitted through the GNeuS Online Application System available at https://my.gneus.eu
Contact: GNeuS Management Office email: gneus@mlz-garching.de
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement No 101034266.

Two postdoc positions in Paris on microfluidics
2021-11-07 08:00 - 2022-04-07 17:00
Dear Softcomp users
We are advertising two postdoc positions in Paris. The first one deals with hydrogels and microfluidics and is located at ESPCI and the second one deals with proteins, interfaces and microfluidics and will be shared between ESPCI and Ecole Normale Supérieure. These positions will start early 2022.
Best regards
Cécile Monteux
CNRS and ESPCI Paris

PostDoc Postion on finite element modelling @FZJ
2021-10-12 08:00 - 2021-11-30 17:00
Dear Colleagues,

We at Jülich recently got funding for an exciting project on Folding of Elastomeres. The groups of Gerhard Gompper and Stefan Förster are starting a new collaboration to create controlled wrinkling patterns. I presented the basics of that project during the last annual meeting. While the position is currently for one year only, extension prospects are looking promising for much more.

For further details go to Forschungszentrum Jülich – Stellenangebote – Postdoc in Folding of Surfaces of Elastic Gels with Finite-Element Models (fz-juelich.de)
or https://www.fz-juelich.de/SharedDocs/Stellenangebote/_common/dna/2021-390-EN-IBI-5.html

Applications preferentially by email to the PI: j.elgeti@fz-juelich.de
Best Regards
Jens Elgeti

Post-doc position in Montpellier (polymer physics/Hutchinson)
2021-04-15 08:00 - 2021-06-30 17:00
Dear all,

In collaboration with the Hutchinson-company, we have an open post-doc position in our group in Montpellier in scattering methods applied to polymer nanocomposites, starting after summer. Details can be found here:

https://cloud.coulomb.umontpellier.fr/index.php/s/S8sFKdFEgte2nmE

Please forward to anyone who might be interested.

Thanks and best regards,
Caroline & Julian

Postdoctoral position: Microfluidic flow of vesicle prototissues as a model for embryonic tissues (U.Montpellier, France)
2021-04-15 08:00 - 2021-06-01 17:00
The Soft Matter team of the Laboratoire Charles Coulomb (Montpellier) offers a post-doctoral research contract, funded by the Labex-Numev, for a period of one year (with possibility of renewal) starting on September 1st, 2021. The postdoc will be supervised by Laura Casanellas.
Project description
The goal of the project is to characterize the microfluidic flow of biomimetic tissues as a model system for Xenopus embryos. Specifically, we aim at unveiling the role of cell-cell adhesion on the flow of the tissue. In our team we have recently synthesized a prototissue based on the self-assembly of giant unilamellar vesicles (GUV), which displays tuneable GUV adhesion, size and morphology. This model prototissue represents an ideal tool to uncouple adhesion from other physical and biological cell properties (which is extremely challenging in living systems) and to probe its role on the tissue rheology.
Postdoc objectives
The successful candidate will focus on the implementation of microfluidic flow experiments of vesicle prototissues, using different flow geometries. The candidate will first develop the necessary imaging tools necessary to provide a quantitative description of the flow at the tissue and cell levels. Next, the impact of individual GUV properties (adhesion and elasticity) on tissue rheology will be probed in microfluidic confinement. The results will enable to validate the theoretical constitutive equation describing the flow behavior of the biomimetic tissue.
Postdoc Candidate
We are looking for a highly motivated candidate to join our team, willing to carry on experimental research in a multi-disciplinary framework. Candidates should hold a PhD in Biophysics, Physics, Fluid Mechanics or Chemistry. Expertise on microfluidics, microscopy, and image analysis will be highly appreciated. Good communication skills and a basic knowledge on programming are required.
Application: Applicants should send as soon as possible their CV, together with a cover letter and one/two references to L. Casanellas (laura.casanellas-vilageliu@umontpellier.fr)
Please, feel free to contact me for any further information.

Funded PhD studentship at Durham University (UK)
2021-02-26 08:00 - 2021-04-20 17:00
A fully funded PhD studentship is available in the group of Mark Miller in the Chemistry Department of Durham University (UK) to start in October 2021. The deadline for applications is 19 March.
The project is entitled “Predictive simulations of molecules in membranes” and will focus on developing quantitative coarse-grained models that work over a broad chemical space. One of the key aims is to predict partitioning of and interaction between molecules in lipid bilayers, taking into account the dependence of these properties on the composition of the bilayer itself.
The studentship is for four years and is funded by an Industrial CASE award from Unilever and EPSRC (the UK’s Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council).
Candidates should have (or be about to obtain) a strong degree in chemistry, chemical physics, or closely related discipline. Experience of molecular dynamics simulation and of programming is highly desirable.
Durham University has particular strengths in computational chemistry and in soft matter. We have an interdepartmental Centre for Soft Matter and host the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Soft Matter for Formulation and Industrial Innovation (SOFI2) with the Universities of Leeds and Edinburgh. Durham itself is a picturesque medieval city in the northeast of England, centred on a World Heritage Site.
For full details of the studentship and how to apply, please see https://www.findaphd.com/phds/project/predictive-simulations-of-molecules-in-membranes/?p130265

Fully funded PhD on Machine Learning for Analysis of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Spectra at Ca’ Foscari University of Venice in collaboration with Zurich University of Applied Sciences ZHAW
2021-02-14 08:00 - 2021-03-15 17:00
Title: Machine Learning for Analysis of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Spectra

The PhD in Science and Technology of Bio and Nanomaterials, will be awarded by Ca’ Foscari University of Venice.
https://www.unive.it/pag/33115/

We offer a four year position: The PhD student will spend three years in Venice and one year at Zurich University of Applied Sciences (in Winterthur, close to Zurich). For the year in Switzerland a significant higher compensation is offered due to the higher cost of living in the Zurich area.

Your responsibilities:

Develop machine learning tools for the analysis of NMR spectra
Become an expert in the field of machine learning for NMR technology, with a track record of published own research results and successful technology transfer
Apply for the PhD Program at Università Ca’ Foscari Venice.

The successful candidate has finished a Master’s degree in physics, physical chemistry, or computer science at a research university or a university of applied sciences within the last two years. He or she must have reliable experience in neural networks (e.g., done coursework and own experimentation, ideally proven by successful projects or publications). We expect a good command as well as a passion for programming, ideally in python. Good communication skills in English are also crucial for the work in multidisciplinary teams. The ideal candidate has sound knowledge of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance and is interested in understanding the underlying quantum mechanics. The PhD candidate will be part of an interdisciplinary team of researchers at Ca’ Foscari University of Venice and ZHAW. Particular emphasis is given to developing prototypes, experimenting hands-on with data, and scientific evaluation and publication of results.
Please address further enquiring to Prof. Achille Giacometti (achille.giacometti@unive.it).

Zurich University of Applied Sciences ZHAW is one of Switzerland’s largest multidisciplinary universities of applied sciences, with over 13,000 students and 3,000 faculty and staff.

As one of the leading Engineering Faculties in Switzerland, the ZHAW School of Engineering (SoE) emphasises topics which will be relevant in the future. Our 13 institutes and centres guarantee superior-quality education, research and development with a focus on the areas of energy, mobility, information and health.

Since 2013 the Institute of Applied Mathematics and Physics (IAMP) has teamed up with five other institutes from three departments to establish one of the first interdisciplinary Data Science Centres in Europe – the ZHAW Datalab (www.zhaw.ch/datalab). It runs a focus area on deep learning methodology, spanning several research groups, with several multi-year research projects on the applicability of reinforcement learning to areas from home automation to applications in medical technology.

Within the Research Group Applied Complex Systems Sciences of the Institute of Applied Mathematics and Physics (www.zhaw.ch/iamp ), we are looking for a highly motivated and excellent candidate as:

Two professorships in chemistry at Durham University, UK
2021-01-20 08:00 - 2021-03-16 17:00
Dear colleagues,
Durham University (UK) is seeking to appoint two talented individuals to the role of Professor of Chemistry with research and teaching interests in the broad fields of:
Post 1. Organic or bio-organic functional materials chemistry (including synthetic chemical biology or biological chemistry, catalysis, polymers)
Post 2. Experimental soft matter (including surfaces and interfaces) or polymer chemistry (including biopolymers and extended functional organic molecules).
We are particularly eager to hear from applicants with strengths in synthetic chemistry.
Further details about the posts and how to apply can be found here:
https://durham.taleo.net/careersection/du_ext/jobdetail.ftl?job=20000932&tz=GMT%2B00%3A00&tzname=Europe%2FLondon
Should you wish to be considered for both positions, there is no need to apply twice, but please indicate as much in your application cover letter.
Durham Chemistry is one of the very best UK chemistry departments with an outstanding reputation for excellence in teaching, research and employability of our students. The Department was ranked 1st for research impact and 5th overall in REF2014 (the most recent national research assessment in the UK) in terms of grade point average. It routinely features high in national league tables and is 2nd in the Guardian University League Table 2021 and 4th in the Complete University Guide 2021. An overview of the Department of Chemistry can be found at: https://www.dur.ac.uk/chemistry/
If you have any questions about these positions, please contact Prof. Lian Hutchings (l.r.hutchings@durham.ac.uk)
With kindest regards,
Lian Hutchings
Mark Miller
