Doctoral student in Chemistry or Biology

Ref no: ORU 2.1.1-04529/2025

Örebro University and the School of Science and Technology are looking for a doctoral student for the doctoral programme in chemistry or biology, concluding with a doctoral degree.
Start date: Autumn 2025.

Project description

The doctoral position is based at the Man-Technology-Environment (MTM) Research Centre, recognized leader in environmental and health-related research. MTM conducts multidisciplinary studies in chemistry and biology to address key societal challenges.

The overall aim of the doctoral project is to understand environmental safety and human health hazards of recycled plastics and plastic waste flows by studying related chemicals. The objectives are to characterize the chemical composition in various materials and identify those compounds that have adverse health impacts.

The application is open to candidates from both chemistry and biology, and the subject will be chosen based on the most suitable candidate. Both specialisations will conduct experimental work that integrates toxicological effects with chemical identification, multivariate data handling, and chemical hazard assessment. The doctoral student can focus on different aspects of chromatographic fractionation and mass spectrometric identification or high-content imaging (Cell Painting) methods for characterizing recycled plastics and plastic-associated chemicals.

The doctoral student project will be supervised by a group of supervisors from chemistry and biology, and emphasis is on integration between the subjects.

The programme and the doctoral studentship

The doctoral student will take part of a research project funded by the Knowledge and Competence Foundation (Jubileumsdoktorander | KK-stiftelsen). The project has a strong emphasis on collaboration and includes networking activities with industry and 43 other doctoral students and supervisors in different areas of knowledge from different universities in Sweden.

The doctoral programme consists of courses and an independent research project that you will present in a doctoral thesis. The programme concludes with a doctoral degree and comprises 240 credits, which corresponds to four years of full-time study.

Our ambition is for your doctoral studies to be stimulating and purposeful throughout the programme until you have obtained your doctoral degree. A thorough introduction will therefore get you off to a good start and provide a solid foundation on which you can build your studies. As a doctoral student at Örebro University, you will be offered a specially tailored seminar series, covering matters ranging from doctoral programme rules and careers to support during the study period and networking.

The place on the programme is linked to a full-time doctoral studentship for the duration of the study programme, which corresponds to four years of full-time study. More information on doctoral studentships, part-time studies and part-time doctoral studentships can be found in the Regulations Handbook. The initial salary for a doctoral studentship is SEK 31,300 a month.

Entry requirements and selection

For admission to doctoral studies, applicants are required to meet both general entry requirements and specific entry requirements. In addition, applicants must be considered in other respects to have the ability required to benefit from the programme. For a full account of the entry requirements, refer to the admissions regulations as well as to annex 2 of the general syllabus for chemistry and biology.

Applicants meet the specific entry requirements for doctoral studies in chemistry or biology if they have received a passing grade on courses of at least 120 credits in biology or chemistry, including an independent project at the advanced course level or on the second cycle, as well as at least a further 30 credits on the second cycle.

A person who has acquired substantially corresponding knowledge, in Sweden or abroad, also meets the specific entry requirements. A person with credits or qualifications from undergraduate programmes under the previous higher education system corresponding to the entry requirements in the previous paragraph will also be eligible. In such cases, the higher advanced course level/80 credit level under the older provisions shall be considered as corresponding to the second cycle under the current system.

Information

For more information about the programme and the doctoral studentship, contact Anna Kärrman (project leader, anna.karrman@oru.se) or Ingrid Ericson Jogsten (Head of Unit, ingrid.ericson@oru.se).

At Örebro University, we expect each member of staff to be open to development and change; take responsibility for their work and performance; demonstrate a keen interest in collaboration and contribute to development; as well as to show respect for others by adopting a constructive and professional approach.

Örebro University actively pursues equal opportunities and gender equality as well as a work environment characterized by openness, trust and respect. We value the qualities that diversity adds to our operations.

Application to the programme and for the doctoral studentship

The application is made online. Click the button “Apply” to begin the application procedure.

For the application to be complete, the following electronic documents must be included:

• CV
• Proof that you meet the general and specific entry requirements (copies of the original certificates and official transcripts for bachelor's and master's degrees)
• Independent project (degree project)
• Other relevant documents, course and degree certificates verifying eligibility

As a main rule, application documents and attachments are to be written in Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, or English. Certificates and documents in other languages verifying your qualifications and experience must be translated by an authorised translator to Swedish or English. A list of authorised translators can be obtained from Kammarkollegiet (the Legal, Financial and Administrative Services Agency), www.kammarkollegiet.se/engelska/start.

When you apply for admission, you automatically also apply for a doctoral studentship.
More information for applicants will be found on our career site: https://www.oru.se/english/career/available-positions/applicants-and-external-experts/

The application deadline is August 8th, 2025. We look forward to receiving your application!

As we have already made our choices in terms of external collaboration partners and marketing efforts for this recruitment process, we decline any contact with recruitment agencies and advertisers.

As directed by the National Archives of Sweden (Riksarkivet), we are required to deposit one file copy of the application documents, excluding publications, for a period of two years after the appointment decision has gained legal force.