Doctoral researcher, chemical upgrading of polyphenols for advanced functional materials

Aalto University; Espoo; On-site; EUR 36,000 - 42,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Access to state-of-the-art facilities

Job summary

Aalto University in Espoo invites applications for a Doctoral Researcher in the Bioproduct Chemistry group. This fixed-term position spans two years and supports a Doctoral Programme in Chemical Engineering.

You will work at the crossroads of natural products chemistry, material science, and industry, focusing on polyphenol fractions and self-assembly into functional particles. Starting salary is about 3140 €/month gross.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in chemistry or chemical engineering.
• Good written and spoken English, and ability to work in a multidisciplinary international team.
• Hands-on laboratory experience in relevant areas.

Responsibilities

• Develop efficient fractionation and modification routes for polyphenols, including solvent-free reactive extrusion.
• Establish structure-property-performance relationships linking chemical composition and particle size to application performance.
• Combine wet-chemistry characterization (e.g., 1H/13C/2D NMR, AFM, DLS, GPC, FTIR, zeta potential) with molecular modeling and machine learning.
• Collaborate with international academic and industrial partners.

Skills

English

Laboratory experience

Multidisciplinary teamwork

Polyphenol chemistry

Colloids

Programming

Education

Master's degree in chemistry or chemical engineering

Tools

NMR

AFM

DLS

GPC

FTIR

Zeta potential

Job description

Aalto University is where science and art meet technology and business. We shape a sustainable future by making research breakthroughs in and across our disciplines, sparking the game changers of tomorrow and creating novel solutions to major global challenges. Our community is made up of 16 000 students and 5 200 employees, including more than 440 professors. Our campus is in Espoo, Greater Helsinki, Finland. Diversity is part of who we are, and we actively work to ensure our community’s diversity and inclusiveness. This is why we warmly encourage qualified candidates from all backgrounds to join our community.

About the Bioproduct Chemistry group

The Bioproduct Chemistry group, lead by Professor Monika Österberg, aims to replace fossil-based materials with renewable biomaterials from natural resources, especially forest biomass. We specialize in bio-based materials science and the surface chemistry of lignocellulosic materials, with emphasis on fundamental insights and interaction forces.

• Renewable and recyclable materials from cellulose, lignin, and hemicelluloses
• Valorization of polyphenolic side streams and greener processes (e.g., mechanochemistry, surface modification)
• Interfacial phenomena and development of biobased barriers, foams, and emulsions
• Advanced textile recycling, including flotation-based methods

Position description

Are you excited about sustainability and renewable materials? Bark and lignin are abundant, underutilized feedstocks rich in polyphenols. When engineered to self-assemble into spherical colloidal particles, these compounds can replace fossil-based or harmful chemicals across coatings, packaging, emulsifiers, and other applications. In this PhD project, you will work at crossroads of natural products chemistry, material science, and industry, specifically:

• Develop efficient fractionation and modification routes for polyphenols, including solvent-free reactive extrusion
• Establish structure-property-performance relationships linking chemical composition and particle size to application performance
• Combine wet-chemistry characterization (e.g., 1H/13C/ 2D NMR, AFM, DLS, GPC, FTIR, zeta potential) with molecular modeling and machine learning
• Collaborate with international academic and industrial partners

Who we’re looking for

Advantageous (but not required)

• experience with surface-sensitive techniques
• synthetic and preparative organic chemistry
• lignin analytics
• colloids
• polymer processing
• programming (e.g., Python/R/Matlab)
• molecular simulation or machine learning

Required qualifications

Master’s degree in chemistry or chemical engineering. Good written and spoken English, and ability to work in a multidisciplinary international team. Hands‑on laboratory experience in relevant areas.

What we offer

We offer a fixed-term contract initially for two years.

During the first 6 months, you must apply for and receive the right to study in the doctoral programme in Chemical Engineering. After a successful evaluation by the end of the first 2-year contract, the contract can be extended. Extension of the contract is typically based on the progress evaluation, revised project plan and available funding.

The starting salary for a Doctoral Researcher is about 3140 €/month (gross).

• Access to Aalto’s state-of-the-art facilities in an international research group

Timeline and process

Application deadline: November 5, 2026, but the position may be filled before the deadline.

Preferred start date: As soon possible, or as agreed.

Contacts

For further information about the research project and research environment/group, please contact Dr. Nicolò Pajer ([e-mail]) or Prof. Monika Österberg ([e-mail]).

Want to know more about us and your future colleagues? You can watch these videos:

This is Aalto University! Aalto University – Towards a better world and Shaping a Sustainable Future

About Finland

Finland is a great place for living with or without family – it is a safe, politically stable and well‑organized Nordic society. Finland is consistently ranked high in quality of life and was listed again as the happiest country in the world: World Happiness Report. For more information about living in Finland: Aalto Careers for International Staff. More about Aalto University: Aalto.fi youtube.com/user/aaltouniversity linkedin.com/school/aalto-university/ www.facebook.com/aaltouniversity instagram.com/aaltouniversity

Aalto University is where science and art meet technology and business. We shape a sustainable future by making research breakthroughs in and across our disciplines, sparking the game changers of tomorrow and creating novel solutions to major global challenges. Our community is made up of 16 000 students and 5 200 employees, including 446 professors, working on our dynamic campus in Espoo, Greater Helsinki, Finland. Diversity is part of who we are, and we actively work to ensure our community’s diversity and inclusiveness. This is why we warmly encourage qualified candidates from all backgrounds to join our community.