Tampere University and Tampere University of Applied Sciences create a unique environment for multidisciplinary, inspirational and high-impact research and education. Our universities community has its competitive edges in technology, health and society. www.tuni.fi/en

The Circular Economy Innovation Group at the Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences has been engaged in waste management and resource recovery. We have recently expanded our interest to encompass research on chemical looping gasification and we expect that this activity will expand considerably over the next few years with recently granted research project under Academy Research Fellow, Academy of Finland. We have access to multiple thermochemical conversion set ups, state-of-the-art analytical and characterization equipments, a wide range of simulations tools and a broad academic network in the field of biomass wastes management and utilization.

Job description

The Postdoctoral Researcher’s position focuses on experimental investigations of tar-free syngas production from chemical looping gasification of sewage sludge derived hydrochars with mitigated emissions of NO_x precursors. One applications is the capacity-enhanced oxygen carrier synthesis for chemical looping gasification of hydrochars. The other topic concerns CO₂ capture and utilization in chemical looping gasification. Depending on your experience and interests, the work can expand the focus on the synthesis of novel and affordable oxygen carriers from industrial wastes and process optimization of CO₂ gasification. You will be integrated in a team of students and senior researchers with competences in energy and environmental engineering.

Requirements

The position is intended for recently graduated researchers, so that they may gain further experience and advance their careers. You should have a PhD degree in chemical engineering, energy engineering, environmental engineering, materials science, or a related subject area. We expect a competence to pursue independent scientific work and adequate teaching skills. You should be fluent in spoken and written English and have a solid experience in catalytic thermochemical conversion (e.g., pyrolysis, gasification and chemical looping gasification) of sewage sludge or biomass wastes.

We appreciate experience of studying and working abroad and contacts to international research community. If you have additional experience in, for example biorefinery, biomass utilization, catalyst synthesis and characterization, etc. that would be considered a bonus.

We are looking for versatile and independent researchers with a solid background in chemical looping gasification. We expect that you have experience in the closely related area of the positions. In case you have theoretical traits for the analysis of experimental work and the ability to supervise M.Sc. and Ph.D. students that would be considered an advantage. The position may also involve some teaching duties in the future.

We offer

The position will be filled for a fixed-term period of 2 years. The planned starting date is 15th January 2022 or as mutually agreed. A trial period of six months applies to all our new employees.

The salary will be based on both the job requirements and the employee's personal performance in accordance with the Finnish University Salary System. The position of a Postdoctoral Researcher is placed on the job demands levels 5-6 (teaching and research staff). A typical starting salary of Postdoctoral Researcher is around 3500 EUR/month.

We offer a wide range of staff benefits, such as occupational health care, flexible working hours, excellent sports facilities on campus and several restaurants and cafés on campus with staff discounts. Please read more about working at Tampere University.

We are inviting you to be a part of a vibrant, active and truly international research community of Bio and Circular Economy at Tampere University. We value interdisciplinarity, as it allows you to expand your research network and exposes you to new perspectives and ideas to solve complex research problems and pursue novel research findings.

How to apply

Please submit your application through our online recruitment system. The closing date for applications is 31st October 2021 (at 23.59 EET / 21.59 UTC). Please write your application and all accompanying documents in English and attach them in PDF format.

Applications should include the following documents:

• Curriculum Vitae according to TENK guidelines
• List of publications according to Academy of Finland guidelines
• References from two people
• Motivation letter (incl. research directions): 
  • 1-3 pages where you introduce yourself and present your qualifications. 
  • Previous research fields and main research results. 
  • Future goals and research focus. Are there any specific projects and research issues you are primarily interested in?

For more information, please contact:

Associate Professor Chao He, chao.he (at) tuni.fi

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Tampereen yliopisto ja Tampereen ammattikorkeakoulu muodostavat yhdessä Suomen toiseksi suurimman monitieteisen, innostavan ja vaikuttavan tutkimus- ja oppimisyhteisön. Korkeakouluyhteisömme osaamiskärjet ovat tekniikka, terveys ja yhteiskunta. Lue lisää: www.tuni.fi

Bio- ja kiertotalouden tutkimusryhmä etsii tutkijatohtoria bio- ja jäteraaka-aineiden termisen konversion tai biojalostuksen tutkimukseen, uudentyyppisen innovatiivisen chemical looping-kaasutusprosessin avulla.

Tutkimusryhmän tavoite on edistää puhtaampaa ja turvallisempaa tulevaisuutta ihmisten ja ympäristön hyväksi. Ryhmä on keskittynyt tutkimaan bio- ja jäteraaka-aineiden, jätevesien sekä savukaasujen kestävää konversiota biokemikaaleiksi ja biopolttoaineiksi, mukaan lukien ravinteiden ja metallien talteenotto. Tutkimusryhmä edistää kaupunkiympäristöjen kiertotaloutta.  Tutkimus sisältää kokeellista laboratoriotutkimusta sekä konversioprosessien matemaattista mallinnusta ja simulointia.

Tehtävänkuvaus

Tutkijatohtorin tehtäviin kuuluu kokeellista laboratoriotutkimusta, tervoista puhtaan synteesikaasun tuottamiseksi ns. chemical looping-kaasutustekniikalla. Syötteet kaasutusprosessiin voivat olla jätevesipuhdistuksen lietteitä, joista tuotetaan koksimaista ainetta. Koksimateriaalilla voidaan eliminoida myös haitallisia NOx-päästöjä. Ko. prosessissa hapenkantajana voidaan käyttää kiinteitä metallioksideja. Prosessissa on mahdollista ottaa talteen ja kierrättää syntyvät CO₂-päästöt. Tutkimuskokemuksestasi ja mielenkiinnostasi riippuen, tutkimustehtäviä voidaan laajentaa uudentyyppisten halpojen hapenkantajien kehittämiseen, jotka perustuvat teollisuuden jätemateriaaleihin. Samoin CO₂-kaasutusprosessin optimointi on yksi mahdollinen tehtävä.

Hakuohjeet

Lue tarkemmat tiedot tehtävästä ja hakuohjeet yllä olevasta englanninkielisestä ilmoituksesta.

Jätäthän hakemuksesi yliopiston sähköisellä hakulomakkeella (linkki löytyy tämän ilmoituksen alta).

Hakuaika tehtävään päättyy 31.10.2021 klo 23.59.