Post-Doc or Scientist in the area of solid supported synthesis of polyesters (a) – St. Gallen, Switzerland

Materials science and technology are our passion. With our cutting-edge research, Empa’s around 1,100 employees make essential contributions to the well-being of society for a future worth living. Empa is a research institution of the ETH Domain.

The position will associate to our Additives and Chemistry Group in the laboratory of Advanced fibers. The group is well established internationally in polymer additive chemistry. A more recent focus of the group is the development of sustainable polymers. To strengthen activities in this area, we investigate more sustainable polymer processing routes. The development of novel polyesters especially from bio-based monomers is increasingly important for society. Most polyesters are sensitive to humidity and heat and their processing is thus challenging. To mitigate these limitation, we seek to combine synthesis and processing in new ways. This position offers unique possibilities to synthesize polymers via ring opening polymerization of monomers from solid supports, that ultimately aims at polymer fiber formation in a one-step process.

Post-Doc or Scientist in the area of solid supported synthesis of polyesters (a)

Your tasks

• Development of suitable heterogeneous catalytic systems and their use in ring opening polymerization to manufacture polyester
• New reactor design for direct conversion of monomers to fibrous substrates
• Acquire research projects in this topic
• Supervise students and technicians
• Publish in peer-reviewed high-impact factor journals and present at international conferences

Your profile
You have a Ph.D. in polymer chemistry with an experience in catalyst design and polyester synthesis. Knowledge of heterogeneous polymerization and polymer reactor design will be an advantage. Creation of own ideas and strong self-motivation is highly desired. Candidates with demonstrated research skills and high quality publications will be considered. Fluency in English is required, further knowledge of German (or another language spoken in Switzerland) is a plus. To be considered as a scientist, prior experience of 2-3 years as Post Doc is necessary. You should be interested to develop and strengthen your academic record as well as your industrial network.

Our offer
We offer a two-year post-doc position at Empa to conduct cutting-edge research in sustainable polymer synthesis and the possibility to acquire additional funding. You get access to top-analytical laboatories and existing industry contacts. Applications are open immediately. The tentative starting date is November 2023 or upon mutual agreement.

«a» stands for «all» in our job advertisements. We live a culture of inclusion and respect. We welcome all people who are interested in innovative, sustainable and meaningful activities. That’s what counts – not age, gender, origin, religion, sexual orientation, etc.

We look forward to receiving your complete online application including a letter of motivation, CV, certificates, diplomas and contact details of two reference persons. Please submit these exclusively via our job portal. Applications by e-mail and by post will not be considered.