Assistant professor in Biocatalysis for Green Chemistry

This position at KTH is part of the Mistra Future Environmental Research Leaders. Mistra is the Swedish foundation for strategic environmental research.

Subject field

Biocatalysis for Green Chemistry.

Subject description

Biocatalysis for Green Chemistry combines design and engineering of enzymes with biocatalytic processes for green-chemistry applications. These biocatalytic processes use enzymes for conversion of starting material (i.e., renewable resources or building blocks for chiral compounds) to value-added (often chiral) compounds. Green chemistry is defined as the field of chemistry and chemical engineering that focusses on production of chemicals through sustainable processes. The subject of this position combines this by using biocatalysis for green-chemical production.

Duties

The assistant professor is expected to set-up and manage an independent research team in Biocatalysis for Green Chemistry that is able to complement and collaborate with existing groups in the School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health (CBH) at KTH Royal Institute of Technology. The assistant professor is expected to benefit from the rapid developments in the field of Biocatalysis and to help KTH realize the sustainability potential and further develop the field of Biocatalysis for Green Chemistry for both KTH, as well as Sweden. This includes initiating new research projects, acquisition of funding, setting up collaborations, training and coaching students and young researchers at master's, doctoral and postdoctoral levels, managing the group’s economy and maintaining a safe, stimulating and healthy work environment.

Tasks in teaching include coordination and continued development of a course at the BSc or MSc level, and also includes supervision of master’s students in degree projects as well as teaching and course development at the PhD level.

In addition, the assistant professor is expected to represent KTH, the CBH school and the Department of Industrial Biotechnology in general-audience, scientific presentations, networks and develop leadership in further advancing Biocatalysis for Green Chemistry both nationally and internationally. The assistant professor will participate in the joint leadership programme designed by Mistra, the Swedish foundation for strategic environmental research.

The assistant professor will be given opportunity to develop their independence as researcher and gain accreditation that may allow them to take other teaching positions with higher eligibility requirements (see Chapter 4, Section 12 a of the Swedish Higher Education Ordinance). Following application, the assistant professor can apply for promotion to associate professor in accordance with Chapter 4, Section 12 c of the Higher Education Ordinance.

Eligibility

An individual who has completed a doctorate or equivalent scientific competence is qualified for appointment as an assistant professor. Candidates who met those qualifications a maximum of seven years before the deadline for applying for the appointment as an assistant professor has expired should be prioritized. Other candidates may also be considered if there are special reasons.  Special reasons’ refers to absence due to illness, parental leave or other similar circumstances.

Assessment criteria

The assessment criteria for appointment as an assistant professor at KTH are stated in KTH's appointments procedure section 1.3, and apply in relation to the employment profile laid down.

Of highest importance is that the applicant has

• potential to qualify for a higher teaching post. This includes the potential for independent development as a researcher and teacher within the subject field in question and also the ability to establish, review and develop the research area in question.
• scientific expertise within the subject field demonstrated through scientific publications, conference attendance, research cooperation and also other undertakings in the scientific community such as assignments as a reviewer or expert.

Of second highest importance is that the applicant has

• an interest in and understanding of pedagogical development within the subject field.

It is also important that the applicant has

• experience from a postdoctoral visit in a research environment other than the university at which the applicant defended their doctoral thesis. In application-oriented areas, experience from research and development work within the industry or other organisations is considered to correspond to a traditional postdoc visit to another university.
• interest in and insights concerning leadership in academia, collaboration with the outside community, and awareness of diversity and equal opportunity issues with a particular focus on gender equality.
• administrative expertise.

Special grounds of assessment for promotion to associate professor

When assessing applications for promotion to associate professor, provisions according to Section 1.2.4 of Appointments procedure at KTH will be applied. Ability to teach in Swedish is a merit that is given great importance in the application for promotion.

Trade union representatives

Contact information to trade union representatives can be found at KTH's web page.

Application

Your application should follow KTH's CV template for employment of teachers. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that the application is complete according to the requirements in the ad and CV template.

Your complete application must be received at KTH no later than the last day of application, midnight CET/CEST (Central European Time/Central European Summer Time).

Log into KTH recruitment system in order to apply to this position.

Other

Time limitation:The appointment is for an indefinite term, but no more than six years, and may be extended if, due to the teacher’s absence due to sick leave, parental leave or other special grounds, more time is required to reach the objectives of the appointment. However, the total appointment period may not exceed eight years. The appointment is part of the Tenure Track system at KTH and the assistant professor may apply for promotion to tenured associate professor.

For more information regarding KTH's assessment, see Appointments procedure at KTH

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

For information about processing of personal data in the recruitment process please read here.

It may be the case that a position at KTH is classified as a security-sensitive role in accordance with the Protective Security Act (2018:585). If this applies to the specific position, a security clearance will be conducted for the applicant in accordance with the same law with the applicant's consent. In such cases, a prerequisite for employment is that the applicant is approved following the security clearance.

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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.