Postdoctoral researcher in Environmental and energy systems, specialised in modelling and material characterisation in the field of pulp and paper technology

Description

Do you want to be a part of a research environment where a variety of perspectives and skills contribute to novel solutions that promote a sustainable society? Department of Engineering and Chemical Sciences comprises a staff of approximately 60 people working in fields such as construction engineering, chemistry, chemical engineering, and environmental and energy systems. The department is part of the Faculty of Health, Science and Technology and offers an open environment focused on cooperation, where research and education are developed through joint efforts.

The department is now welcoming applications for four postdoctoral appointments, which are part of the eight-year project Infinity Fiber. The four postdoctoral researchers will be working closely together with each other as well as with senior researchers and fourteen industry partners, in a multidisciplinary and practice-focused research environment. Close collaboration between academia and industry enables research focused on practical utility.

Infinity Fiber takes on challenges related to the entire forest-based value chain, with a particular emphasis on fibre circularity, innovative separation processes, carbon circularity and sustainability assessment. This postdoc position is focused on theoretical basic research on forest-based cellulose fibres and their various industrial applications. The work combines advanced modelling with experimental data and examines fundamental relationships that are important for the fibre-based materials and processes of the future.

You can find more information about Infinity Fiber here.

Due to the postdoctoral appointment’s nature as a career-development position for junior researchers, we are looking for candidates who have completed their PhD no more than three years before the application deadline.

Duties

As a postdoctoral researcher, you will conduct research on pulp and paper technologies, specialising in the development and application of numeric models for cellulose fibres, fibre networks, and other forest-based materials. A central aim of the research is to increase the understanding of the physical mechanisms that govern the behaviour of the materials and processes. You will study fluid flows, mass and heat transfer, energy transfer, dewatering, drying, and structural development in fibre-based materials.

Furthermore, you will develop and utilise models for examining the interaction between material structure, material properties, and transfer processes in forest-based fibre materials. Duties include multi-scale modelling and can, depending on the research question, be based on theories concerning porous media, multiphysics, poroelasticity, solid mechanics, and fluid-structure interaction, with applications in CFD models as well as reduced-order models.

An important part of the research is to increase our understanding of dewatering and drying processes, where changes in the structure, mechanical properties and permeability of the fibre network affect the transfer properties and processes of the material. You will combine numerical simulations with experimental data in order to develop, calibrate, and validate models of the relationships between material structure, process properties, and performance.

Duties may also include related multiphysics problems regarding transfer phenomena in relation to deformation, consolidation, and the restructuring of fibre networks. The aim is to develop predictive models which contribute scientific knowledge and can be utilised to analyse and optimise processes that involve forest-based fibre materials.

You will work in close collaboration with researchers within the fields of chemistry, chemical engineering, and environmental and energy systems, as well as with industry partners. These collaborative efforts provide opportunities for mutual exchange and ensure that the knowledge and expertise available at the university is of benefit to society.

In order to contribute to a positive work environment and the development of the department’s activities, we expect you to be present and that you participate in the workplace community and day-to-day operations.

Qualification requirements

To be eligible for the postdoctoral appointment, applicants are required to hold a PhD in chemistry, chemical engineering, or materials science, or have equivalent qualifications from abroad, with a specialisation in pulp and paper technology, or other related subject of relevance for the position. The PhD must be completed before a decision to appoint an applicant is made. The candidate must have completed the degree no more than three years before the application deadline.

Qualifications obtained earlier may be considered if there are special grounds, such as sick leave, parental leave, clinical service, service as a union representative, military service or similar, or service/assignment of relevance to the appointment.

You must also be experienced in experimental methods, in particular processing techniques for cellulose-based materials. In addition, you should possess strong analytical skills, as well as the ability and interest to collaborate with industrial partners. Duties may also include computational work. If you are not experienced in this area, you will acquire the skills needed within the scope of the employment.

The work duties require you to conduct research independently and responsibly, as well as to collaborate closely in interdisciplinary groups. Hence, you must be able to plan and carry out research on your own, as well as contribute to joint research efforts.

You also have good teamwork skills. In addition, you are good at following instructions, and you are open to feedback and the perspectives of others. You have sound judgment and collaborate well with colleagues, private companies and other collaboration partners. You take responsibility for your duties, you communicate clearly and constructively, and you contribute to the development of your colleagues. You are structured, focused on common goals and can prioritise and deliver quality work within agreed-upon timeframes.

Due to the international nature of the work environment, a good command of spoken and written English is required.

In addition, all employees at Karlstad University are expected to demonstrate strong collaborative skills and to treat colleagues and students with respect. They are also expected to take responsibility for both the organisation and their own work, and to contribute to a positive work environment.

Assessment criteria

Special weight is given to experience in theoretical methods, with an emphasis on pulp and paper technology. Experience in both experimental methods and computational modelling is also of special importance.

Special weight is also given to published research, both in terms of quantity and relevance for the research field, as well as to completed master’s and doctoral courses on pulp and paper technology, forest-based materials, fibres, and polymer technology.

Considerable weight is given to experience of industry collaboration.

Weight is given to research visits or work at a university other than the one that issued the applicant's doctoral degree, as well as international research visits.

Proficiency in Swedish, both in speech and writing, is also desirable.

For eligibility requirements and bases for assessment in general, please refer to Karlstad University’s Appointments Procedure.

Terms

This is a full-time, fixed-term postdoctoral appointment for 2 years with the possibility of an extension, in accordance with the collective agreement on fixed-term employment for postdoctoral appointments. Start date at the earliest convenience as agreed by both parties.

Application

Submit the application via the University’s web-based recruitment tool, Varbi. Applicants are responsible for submitting a complete application in accordance with the advertisement, for providing translations of any documents written in a language other than Swedish, Norwegian, Danish or English, and for ensuring that the documentation allows for objective and qualitative assessments. A complete application must be submitted by the application deadline. An incomplete application may jeopardise a fair assessment of qualifications.

The application should include:

• CV
• Cover letter describing the applicant’s qualifications in relation to the duties of the position
• An account of your administrative experience
• A list of publications (in multi-authored publications, the role of the applicant must be specified)
• An account of language skills
• Copy of PhD degree certificate or documented equivalent academic expertise, or equivalent professional qualifications deemed relevant to the nature of the position and the duties included therein
• No more than 10 scientific publications and no more than 5 materials intended to convey knowledge, such as textbooks, computer programs for teaching, or popular science articles
• Two references, at least one of which is a current or former supervisor

Attach all the documents and publications you wish to be considered to the electronic application (do not just provide links). Name each uploaded document to clearly indicate its content. Documents that cannot be submitted electronically, such as books or publications, should be sent in triplicate to the following address:

Karlstads universitet
HR-administratör
651 88 Karlstad Sweden

Application deadline: 2026-11-24

State the reference number: REK2026/238

We look forward to your application!

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