Fully-funded PhD Position: Carbohydrate Food Biochemistry at KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden

Application Deadline : 06.May.2022 11:59 PM CEST

About KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden

KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm has grown to become one of Europe’s leading technical and engineering universities, as well as a key centre of intellectual talent and innovation. We are Sweden’s largest technical research and learning institution and home to students, researchers and faculty from around the world. Our research and education covers a wide area including natural sciences and all branches of engineering, as well as architecture, industrial management, urban planning, history and philosophy.

PhD Position Project Description

Third-cycle subject: Chemistry

Food production has a strong environmental fingerprint and food has a major impact on nutrition and public health. The project will address two major challenges for sustainable food systems, namely circularity and health, by transforming side streams from agricultural production into food products with improved functionalities and prebiotic effect.

What we expect

1. The doctoral student will design a new generation of plant-based multifunctional food ingredients through enzymatic coupling of cell wall polysaccharides and free polyphenols from agricultural by-products. These new ingredients will combine the functionality and prebiotic potential of polysaccharide hydrocolloids and the bioactivity of polyphenols.
2. The doctoral student will integrate expertise in biotechnology and nanotechnology to achieve molecular and structural control of the new food ingredients. The project will be carried out in collaboration with the University of Helsinki funded by the Novo Nordisk Foundation.
3. The candidate is expected to participate in all activities of the project, including research, meetings, dissemination of results, and co-supervision of master’s students.

Supervision: Associate Professor Francisco Vilaplana is proposed to supervise the doctoral student. Decisions are made on admission

What are the benefits?

• The possibility to study in a dynamic and international research environment in collaboration with industries and prominent universities from all over the world.
• A workplace with many employee benefits and monthly salary according to KTH’s Doctoral student salary agreement.
• A postgraduate education at an institution that is active and supportive in matters pertaining to working conditions, gender equality and diversity as well as study environment.
• Work and study in Stockholm, close to nature and the water.
• Help to relocate and be settled in Sweden and at KTH.
• The PhD student will be part of the Division of Glycoscience, a multidisciplinary environment with competences on molecular biology, biochemistry and materials sciences.

Admission Eligibility Requirements

To be admitted to postgraduate education (Chapter 7, 39 § Swedish Higher Education Ordinance), the applicant must have basic eligibility in accordance with either of the following:

• passed a second cycle degree (for example a master’s degree),
• completed course requirements of at least 240 higher education credits, of which at least 60 second-cycle higher education credits, or acquired, in some other way within or outside the country, substantially equivalent knowledge
• The potential candidate must have a Master’s degree in chemical sciences and engineering, macromolecular sciences, food chemistry and technology, biotechnology, material sciences, or similar disciplines. Previous experience in the field of plant-based materials, food technology, carbohydrate (bio)chemistry, and/or polymer science is an advantage.

In addition to the above, there is also a mandatory requirement for English equivalent to English B/6

Selection process

In order to succeed as a doctoral student at KTH you need to be goal oriented and persevering in your work. During the selection process, candidates will be assessed upon their ability to:

1. independently pursue his or her work
2. collaborate with others,
3. have a professional approach and
4. analyse and work with complex issues.
5. excellent communication skills in written and oral English as it is required in the daily work at the division and with working partners.
6. After the qualification requirements, great emphasis will be placed on personal competency.

 

Target degree: Doctoral Degree

Information regarding admission and employment

Only those admitted to postgraduate education may be employed as a doctoral student. The total length of employment may not be longer than what corresponds to full-time doctoral education in four years ‘ time.

An employed doctoral student can, to a limited extent (maximum 20%), perform certain tasks within their role, e.g. training and administration. A new position as a doctoral student is for a maximum of one year, and then the employment may be renewed for a maximum of two years at a time.

How to Apply for the Fully-funded PhD Position: Carbohydrate Food Biochemistry at KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden

Apply for the position and admission through KTH’s recruitment system. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that the application is complete in accordance with the instructions in the advertisement.

Applications must be received at the last closing date at midnight, CET/CEST (Central European Time/entral European Summer Time).

 

Applications must include the following elements:

• CV including your relevant professional experience and knowledge.
• Application letter with a brief description of why you want to pursue research studies, about what your academic interests are and how they relate to your previous studies and future goals. (Maximum 2 pages long)
• Copies of diplomas and grades from previous university studies and certificates of fulfilled language requirements (see above). Translations into English or Swedish if the original document is not issued in one of these languages.Copies of originals must be certified.
• Representative publications or technical reports. For longer documents, please provide a summary (abstract) and a web link to the full text.

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Other information

Striving towards gender equality, diversity and equal conditions is both a question of quality for KTH and a given part of our values.

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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.

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