Job description:
The LSRE – Laboratory of Separation and Reaction Engineering – in partnership with the LCM – Laboratory of Catalysis and Materials – holds the statute of “Laboratório Associado” since December 2004. Both the LSRE and the LCM are located in the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto. The attribution of the statute of “Laboratório Associado” was based on the verification of the needs for developing certain areas of the national industrial tissue and the will of enlarging its influence area to the society in general, realizing missions of public interest which, beyond the R&D activities, can be classified as rendering services to the chemical and similar industries, with the objective of a sustained technological and industrial development.
Information about the past, recent and current research projects in which the LSRE and the LCM were involved, together with a short description of the achieved results, can be found in the Website of the Laboratório Associado (http://www.fe.up.pt/lcm).
The objectives of the LCM are the development of materials and chemical processes with applications in Nanotechnology, Fine Chemistry, Energy and Environment, as well as the advanced training in these domains. The activities of the LCM are centred in two main areas, namely Catalysis (enantioselective catalysts for Fine Chemistry, nanostructured catalysts for clean chemical processes, catalytic processes for the conversion of alternative feedstocks, environmental catalysis and photocatalysis) and Carbon Materials (nanotubes and carbon filaments for nanotechnologies, carbon molecular sieves for separation of gases, carbon fibres, activated carbons for adsorption and catalysis).
Two positions are available, and the candidates should indicate their order of preference in the application letter.
Research Investigator I - Reference C2007-FEUP-LSRE/LCM-06A
We are seeking a highly motivated, energetic, results-oriented research investigator to work in the area of heterogeneous catalysis applied to nanotechnologies, energy and environmental protection. The LCM intends to hire one researcher to work on the design, synthesis and characterization of nanostructured heterogeneous carbon catalysts and metal-oxide/carbon composite materials with enhanced catalytic properties. Some of the research topics may include a) study of applications involving efficient catalysts or adsorbents in environmental protection; b) incorporating carbon nanostructured materials in advanced textile products; c) heterogeneous catalysts for synthesis of fine chemicals and intermediates; d) supported catalysts for conversion of renewable feedstock; e) and novel methods of energy production. The candidate should have a PhD in Chemical Engineering or related areas, with a minimum of 3 years of research experience, and a multidisciplinary skill set. Accountable skills in electrocatalysis may be used as a factor of preference.
Research Investigator II - Reference C2007-FEUP-LSRE/LCM-06B
We are seeking a highly motivated, energetic, results-oriented research investigator with skills in spectroscopic methods. Studies of catalytic reactions on well-characterized surfaces has gained a new dimension at LCM with the acquisition of an infrared–visible sum frequency generation (IR-VIS SFG) spectrometer. This gives access to a sophisticated nonlinear optical technique that measures vibrational spectra of molecules at interfaces. The key feature is the inherent surface specificity. Only the interfacial species contribute to the spectra and not the bulk phases. Because the rate and product distribution of catalyzed reactions are correlated to surface composition and its structure at atomic/molecular level this technique is particularly suited to a) study hydrocarbon reactions on metal surfaces; b) investigate monodispersed metal nanoparticles deposited on oxide films as two-dimensional arrays base templates for model catalysts; c) study atmospheric pressure catalytic reactions on oxide supported metal nanoparticles; d) investigate interfacial solvent structure; d) look at interfacial properties of liquid-liquid or liquid-air interfaces. The candidate should have a PhD in Chemistry, Physics, Chemical Engineering, or other appropriate discipline. It should be prepared to work in multiple catalysis oriented projects and to develop methods of spectroscopic analysis based on the SFG spectrometer. Practical experience and solid theoretical understanding of linear and non-linear vibrational spectroscopy is essential.
Besides the participation in ongoing projects, the activity of the successful candidate(s) will include the supervising of PhD students and other young researchers, the preparation of proposals to R&D projects both at national and international levels, the accompanying of master projects and the participation in the management of the Laboratory. He (she) should be able to organize and maintain experimental documentation.
The initial selection is documental and on following items: (1) an application letter directed to the Director of the Laboratory stating the underlying reasons of the application and the order of preference (if applicable) to the available positions; (2) detailed curriculum vitae; (3) one three-year R&D research program (maximum of two A4 pages); (4) reference letters; (5) graduation certificate. If necessary, the evaluation may be done in two phases. The second phase will consist of a personal interview, presentation of a seminar or elaboration of a specific research project, and is reserved to a limited number of candidates selected from the first phase.
The full application should be enclosed in an envelope, correctly addressed with the indication of the corresponding reference, and personally delivered or sent by registered surface mail to the given address until August 30, 2007.
Application deadline: 30-08-2007
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