Doctoral Student in Theoretical Chemistry (MSCA COFUND project PRISMAS)

Lund University was founded in 1666 and is repeatedly ranked among the world’s top universities. The University has around 45 000 students and more than 8 000 staff based in Lund, Helsingborg and Malmö. We are united in our efforts to understand, explain and improve our world and the human condition.

Lund University welcomes applicants with diverse backgrounds and experiences. We regard gender equality and diversity as a strength and an asset.

PRISMAS – PhD Research and Innovation in Synchrotron Methods and Applications in Sweden – is a new doctoral network training the next generation of 40 leading synchrotron experts, co-funded by the Horizon Europe MSCA COFUND Programme.

As a PRISMAS PhD student, you will have the chance to conduct cutting-edge research in your field, taking advantage of state of the art tools that will bring to attractive future job opportunities in academia or industry. Moreover, you are part of designing the future of synchrotron technology and instrumentation and using these to tackle some of the most significant global challenges the world faces today while acquiring interdisciplinary and intersectoral knowledge. Being part of the PRISMAS programme gives you the one-of-a-kind experience in form of a secondment at the world´s first 4th generation synchrotron, MAX IV in Lund, Sweden. Complemented with a tailored training programme, including courses to build scientific and technical competence as well as strengthen transferrable skills, PRISMAS provides you with the skills, knowledge and competence needed to successfully achieve your doctoral degree.

Description of the workplace 

The Department of Chemistry belongs to both the Faculty of Science and the Faculty of Engineering (LTH) at LU. The Department of Chemistry has a unique strength for Sweden with education in all areas of chemistry and research by internationally leading research groups which ranges from basic to applied research areas. The department also has the advanced instrumentation needed in modern molecular research. The Department of Chemistry has about 310 employees, of whom about 170 are post graduate students. The number of full-time students enrolled in undergraduate studies is almost 500.

At the division of Computational Chemistry, we study statistical thermodynamics, suspension dynamics, and quantum chemistry. While we have a strong focus on fundamental research and model development, our methods have been applied on a diverse range of systems such as Life Siences, clay, cement, sea water, dental environments, wood fibers, sand, and dairy products!

We also have a well-equipped experimental lab for preparing protein samples and conducting physical chemistry measurements.

Marie Skepö is a professor of Theoretical Chemistry, and an Excellent Teacher Practitioner at the Science Faculty, LU, Sweden. Her background is in surface- and colloid chemistry, and she has a Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry, from LU. Her primary research focuses on intrinsically disordered proteins and bio-molecular interactions: From bulk solution to surface interaction. For the latter, the clay surface plays an important role. The main techniques are atomistic and coarse-grained molecular dynamics (MD) and Monte Carlo (MC) simulations in combination with biophysical solution and surface adsorption techniques, predominantly X-ray and neutron scattering. Skepö is vice director of LINXS, Institute of Advanced X-ray and Neutron Scattering, Head of the Division of Computational Chemistry, and Assistant Head of the Department of Chemistry at LU. Skepö research group consists currently of two PhD students and two postdocs, whereas two PhD-student and two postdocs will start in 2023/2024. On a yearly basis, Skepö supervises two-three master/summer project students as well. Skepö has supervised nine Ph.D. students to completion, six as the main supervisor, and eight postdocs. For more information, please see https://www.teokem.lu.se/people/seniors/skepoe/#/.

References

• The impact of arginine-phosphate interactions on the reentrant condensation of disordered proteins. S. Lenton, S. Hervö-Hansen, A.M. Popov, M.D. Tully, M. Lund, M. Skepö. Biomacromolecules 2021. DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.0c01765
• Phosphorylation of a disordered peptide – structural effects and force field inconsistencies. E. Rieloff and M. Skepö. Journal of Chemical Theory and Computation 2020. DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.9b01190
• Assessing the Intricate Balance of Intermolecular Interactions upon Self-Association of Intrinsically Disordered Proteins. E. Rieloff, M. Tully, M. Skepö. Journal of Molecular Biology, 2019.DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2018.11.027
• Complexation, Phase separation, and Redissolution of Polyelectrolyte-Macroion Solutions. M. Skepö and P. Linse. Macromolecules 2003. DOI: 10.1021/ma020634l

What we offer

LU is a public authority which means that employees get particular benefits, generous annual leave and an advantageous occupational pension scheme. Read more on the University website about being a Lund University employee Benefits for employees | Lund University

The MSCA COFUND project PRISMAS offers you outstanding opportunities as well as a stimulating and inspiring surrounding for performing cutting-edge research. Supporting your mobility, it creates perfect conditions for strengthening your international network.

Work duties and responsibilities

The aim of this project is to study intrinisically disordered proteins and to understand the underlying physics; for the single chain, the association behaviour, and liquid-liquid phase separation. For this purpose, a combined experimental and theoretical approach will be used, where the former corresponds to small angle scattering, and the latter to atomistic MD simulations and coarse-grained MC simulations. The project also includes programming new analysis routines and developing coarse-grained and atomistic models. Depending on the background and interest of the canddiate, the ratio experiments versus theoretical work can be adjusted.

The training implies a secondment of 3-12 months at MAX IV laboratory in Lund, Sweden. Additional secondments and/or short stays may be arranged in agreement with the supervisor of the research project. Moreover, you will attend beamtimes, international conferences, participate in periodical project meetings and training schools as well as in specialised courses at different universities to complement your knowledge.  A certain amount of travelling is foreseen in relation to these activities.

Qualifications

General mandatory requirements to be accepted for PhD education at Lund University as well as the following:

• Courses in physical chemistry, statistical thermodynamics, protein chemistry, biochemistry, biophysical chemistry, mathematics, and programming are an advantage.
• Knowledge about atomistic and coarse-grained modelling and MD/MC is an advantage.
• Previous practical experience of X-ray/neutron/light scattering is an advantage.

Eligibility

Students with basic eligibility for third-cycle studies are those who- have completed a second-cycle degree- have completed courses of at least 240 credits, of which at least 60 credits are from second-cycle courses, or- have acquired largely equivalent knowledge in some other way, in Sweden or abroad.

The employment of doctoral students is regulated in the Swedish Code of Statues 1998: 80. Only those who are or have been admitted to PhD-studies may be appointed to doctoral studentships. When an appointment to a doctoral studentship is made, the ability of the student to benefit from PhD-studies shall primarily be taken into account. In addition to devoting themselves to their studies, those appointed to doctoral studentships may be required to work with educational tasks, research and administration, in accordance with specific regulations in the ordinance.

To comply with the mobility rule of the MSCA COFUND programme, you are eligible if you have not resided in Sweden for more than 12 months during the period 2020-10-30 to 2023-10-31 for work or studies as main occupation.

By the employment date (before 2024-03-01) you must have completed courses of at least 240 credits, of which at least 60 credits are from second-cycle courses, have been awarded a Master´s degree or have acquired largely equivalent knowledge in some other way, in Sweden or abroad.

In addition to the criteria abovementioned, you must have fulfilled a second cycle education in a relevant field, such as physics, chemistry, biophysical chemistry etc.

You are eligible for the PRISMAS programme, if you are a doctoral candidate, i.e., are not already in possession of a doctoral degree.

Type of employment
Limit of tenure, four years according to HF 5 kap 7§.

The position is a fixed term position for four years at 100 per cent of full time and foreseen to start on 2024-03-01.

The holders of these positions have a primary obligation to successfully fulfil their postgraduate (third cycle) education ending with a doctoral degree (PhD). A position as doctoral student can contain some limited teaching or other departmental work at the Department of Chemistry. The maximum amount of such work is 20%.

How to apply

Applications are to be submitted via the via the online recruitment system Varbi (www.varbi.com) and must include the following documents:

• CV in Europass format
• A two-page cover letter, justifying your interest in the position and how it matches your qualifications as well as the prioritization in case of applying to several PRISMAS positions.
• At least one reference letter
• An evidence of English 3 proficiency (minimum B2 level)
• Copy of academic records, including marks for all coursework with a transcript of diploma in English.
• and any other document to which you would like to draw attention (details of referees, letters of recommendation, etc.)

These documents should be uploaded (pdf) in the job application portal. Exam certificates and other documents on paper should be scanned or photographed before being uploaded. In regard to incomplete applications (especially if lacking the abovementioned documents), the PRISMAS Management reserves the right to exclude them in the selection process, without any additional notification to the applicant.

The application will be evaluated based on scientific excellence, the adequacy of your career plan and your thesis project as well as your research experience.

Details on the novel, unique and common selection process for all the PRISMAS positions can be found here: How to apply – MAX IV (lu.se)

Contact

For more detailed information on the position or the research project, please contact:

Prof. Marie Skepö, Division of Computational Chemistry, Lund University marie.skepo@teokem.lu.se, +46 46 222 33 66

If you have questions on the selection process, please contact:

prismas@maxiv.lu.se

For questions on the employment conditions and the university, please contact:

Erik Andersson Jardby, Human Resources Administrator, Erik.andersson_jardby@kilu.lu.se

The Faculty of Science conducts research and education within Biology, Astronomy, Physics, Geosciences, Chemistry, Mathematics and Environmental Science. The Faculty is organized into eight departments, gathered in the northern campus area. The Faculty has approximately 1500 students, 330 PhD students and 700 employees.

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