Postdoc - Tr-Qens And Tr-Sans In Soft Matter
European Spallation Source Eric / Fysikjobb / Lund
2025-09-12
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About the role:
The European Spallation Source (ESS) Spectroscopy Division is currently looking for a post-doctoral fellow (3 years) in Time-Resolved Neutron Scattering on Silk-Based Materials, working at the intersection of biomaterials science, soft matter physics, and neutron scattering methodology.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Evolution of structure and dynamics during assembly pathways of silk-based materials
Silk-based materials are renowned for their unique mechanical, biocompatible, and stimuli-responsive properties. Yet, a detailed mechanistic understanding of the natural spinning and assembly processes remains elusive, preventing us from fully reproduce these properties in biomaterials. This project aims at uncovering the structural and dynamical evolution of silk assembly pathways-including the nature of transient intermediate structures-using time-resolved small-angle neutron scattering (TR-SANS) and time-resolved quasielastic neutron scattering (TR-QENS). The investigation will focus on both native silk (e.g. from silkworms) and technical-grade silk, and it will extend to silk-based composites used in cultural heritage conservation, in partnership with the University of Florence and Research Center for Colloid and Surface Science (CSGI Florence).
The project is situated at the intersection of materials science, biophysics, and instrumental method development, and will directly contribute to establishing advanced time-resolved capabilities at ESS instruments including CSPEC, and MIRACLES. This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to world-class scientific methodology development and engage in impactful research with interdisciplinary applications, from biomaterials design to cultural heritage preservation, collaborating with highly experienced researchers in a dynamic and stimulating environment.
Description of the workplace
You will be based in the Spectroscopy Division at the European Spallation Source in Lund. The supervising team is composed of researchers in the Spectroscopy Division at the ESS (Daria Noferini and Benedetta Rosi) and in the Chemistry Department of Lund University (Felix Roosen-Runge and Cedric Dicko). The project will mainly use proposal-based access to neutron scattering instruments, both at the ESS and other relevant Large Scale Facilities. Complementary characterisation will be done with lab-based instrumentation, including SAXS, advanced DLS/SLS instruments, confocal and optical microscopy, relevant variants of optical spectroscopy, calorimetry, NMR and rheology. You will also collaborate with other relevant divisions at the ESS and external partners, and you will have the possibility to take part to relevant activities at COMMONS Centre of Excellence and LINXS Institute of Advanced Neutron and X-ray Science in Lund.
Duties and Responsibilities
• Prepare and characterize silk-based samples using complementary techniques at Lund University
• Participate in proposal writing, design, data collection and analysis of (TR-)SANS and (TR-)QENS experiments at the ESS (e.g at LOKI, CSPEC, MIRALCES) and other international large-scale facilities (e.g., ILL, ISIS) on silk-based samples.
• Prepare progress reports, present findings at conferences, and publish research in peer-reviewed journals.
• Contribute to the development and testing of TR-QENS methodologies at ESS.
Qualifications
Essential qualifications:
• Ph.D. in Physics, Chemistry, Materials Science, or a related field.
• Strong demonstrated experience in data analysis and fitting.
• Experience with scattering and/or spectroscopy techniques.
• Expertise in relevant programming languages (e.g. Python, Julia, Matlab...).
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively within an interdisciplinary team.
• Proficiency in scientific writing and presenting in English.
• Willingness and ability to travel internationally for beamtime and collaborative research.
Desirable qualifications:
• Experience with neutron scattering (SANS/QENS) experiments and data analysis.
• Strong research background in soft matter.
• Proficiency with Python.
• Familiarity with lab-based advanced characterization techniques (e.g., SAXS, DLS/SLS, microscopy, spectroscopy, calorimetry).
• Chemistry/biophysics laboratory skills.
• Experience with time-resolved experiments.
• Previous work on silk-based systems, protein-based or biopolymer hydrogels, or biomaterials design.
• Experience with implementing or adapting methodologies for neutron instrumentation.
This is a full-time, fixed-term position of 3 years based at the ESS Campus in Lund, Sweden.
If you see yourself in what we're looking for, please provide your CV and motivation letter in English by clicking on "apply" and following the instructions. Please be aware that we can only accept direct applications made via the ESS website.
Certain roles at ESS require health and safety checks and/or security clearance procedures, which will be performed as part of the recruitment process.
We review applications continuously, so don't miss out! The last day for receiving application is October 20, 2025 - so submit your application as soon as you can. Please quote the job reference number ESD-69918 in your application.
For more information regarding the ESS recruitment process, please contact Kathryn Quaak - Recruitment partner - at
Kathryn.quaak@ess.eu. For further information regarding the position, please contact Pascale Deen, Head of Spectroscopy at
pascale.deen@ess.eu.
For trade union information, please contact Unionen representative Mikael Johansson on
Mikael.Johansson@ess.eu or SACO/Swedish Association of Graduate Engineers representative Marc Kickulies at
marc.kickulies@ess.eu We look forward to receiving your application soon!
Ersättning Månadslön
Så ansöker du Sista dag att ansöka är 2025-10-11
Klicka på denna länk för att göra din ansökan Omfattning Detta är ett heltidsjobb.
Arbetsgivare European Spallation Source Eric,
https://www.europeanspallationsource.se Arbetsplats European Spallation Source Eric
Kontakt Kathryn Quaak
kathryn.quaak@ess.eu Jobbnummer 9506879