The Polymer Chemistry and Materials Group (Prof. Christoph Weder) has an opening for projects that focus on the development and investigation of stimuli-responsive polymers, i.e., materials whose properties change in response to an external stimulus in a predictable and useful manner. The underlying mechanisms are of great academic interest and such materials are technologically useful, since they offer a broad range of complex and in many cases unique properties and functions, such as the ability to be healed, the possibility to indicate mechanical stress with a color change, or the capability to change their mechanical properties on demand.
Applicants must have a master’s degree (or equivalent) in Chemistry or Polymer Science, experience in organic and/or polymer synthesis, and wish to pursue interdisciplinary research involving small-molecule and polymer synthesis, polymer processing, and the characterization of various materials properties. Close collaboration with the other members of the Institute and the Faculty of Science is expected. AMI offers highly competitive working conditions and an outstanding infrastructure in a new research facility.
The position will be filled as soon as possible and the successful applicants are expected to enrol in a fulltime PhD program. Please send your CV, motivation letter, and recommendation letter(s) to Prof. Christoph Weder via e-mail to ami-applications@unifr.ch with the subject title "Stimuli-responsive polymers".