Postdoc in Indican-based Light-Driven Denim Dyeing – DTU Electro

Do you wish to become part of our interdisciplinary team exploring the novel and ground-breaking discovery that textiles can be dyed with indican using only light. In this 1.5-year postdoc position your work will make a positive environmental and societal impact on textile production.
Do you want to make a positive environmental and societal impact on textile dyeing? And are you interested in optical sensing and photochemistry? Then this position could be for you, and you could become part of our interdisciplinary team exploring our novel and ground-breaking discovery that textiles can be dyed with indican using only light.

The work combines research in photochemistry, optical engineering, and process optimization in a collaboration between DTU Chemistry and DTU Electro and is funded by a Distinguished Innovator Grant from the Novo Nordisk Foundation.

The aim is to optimize the light driven dyeing process to be technically feasible and economically viable at industrial scale; and develop a scalable dyeing system with continuous in situ measuring of both indican concentration and indigo waste as well as yarn color.

Responsibilities and qualifications
Your focus will be on the design of optical sensors for process monitoring of indican and indigo in the photochemical dyeing solution. And on new systems for color measurement of dyed yarn. You will work closely with a Ph.D. student at DTU Chemistry.

Your primary tasks will be to:

• Collaborate with a team of senior researchers and two Ph.D. students
• Identify markers and methods for indigo and indican sensing
• Design in-line optical sensors for pilot process system
• Perform spectroscopic color measurements on dyed yarn
• Design and test system for in-line color measurements of yarn
• Characterization and monitoring of LED lighting systems for dying process

We expect that you have:

• A PhD degree in optics, photochemistry, physical chemistry or similar
• Strong skills and experience in laboratory work
• Strong communication skills in English, both written and spoken
• The ability to work independently with a solid drive to plan and carry out complicated tasks
• Interest in contributing positively to an interdisciplinary research group with a collaborative and diverse culture

We offer
DTU is a leading technical university globally recognized for the excellence of its research, education, innovation and scientific advice. We offer a rewarding and challenging job in an international environment. We strive for academic excellence in an environment characterized by collegial respect and academic freedom tempered by responsibility.

Salary and terms of employment
The appointment will be based on the collective agreement with the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations.

The period of employment is 1.5 years, and it is a full-time position. The starting date is 1 March 2025 or as soon as possible thereafter.

You can read more about career paths at DTU here.

Further information
Further information may be obtained from Carsten Dam-Hansen and Lars R. Lindvold, DTU Electro and Katrine Qvortrup, DTU Chemistry

You can read more about DTU Electro at www.electro.dtu.dk/ and DTU Chemistry at www.kemi.dtu.dk/english/.

If you are applying from abroad, you may find useful information on working in Denmark and at DTU at DTU – Moving to Denmark.

Application procedure
Your complete online application must be submitted no later than 5 January 2025 (23:59 Danish time). Applications must be submitted as one PDF file containing all materials to be given consideration. To apply, please open the link "Apply now", fill out the online application form, and attach all your materials in English in one PDF file. The file must include:

• Application (cover letter)
• CV
• Academic Diplomas (MSc/PhD – in English)
• List of publications

Applications received after the deadline will not be considered.

All interested candidates irrespective of age, gender, disability, race, religion or ethnic background are encouraged to apply. As DTU works with research in critical technology, which is subject to special rules for security and export control, open-source background checks may be conducted on qualified candidates for the position.

At DTU Electro we aim to offer education, research and innovation of the highest standard, and our focus on application-oriented research enables us to work across many engineering disciplines and research areas, such as IT and the medical and health sciences. We have a close collaboration with researchers from all over the world, just as we collaborate with industry and public authorities about the dissemination of solutions based on electrical and photonics engineering as their key enabling technologies.

Technology for people
DTU develops technology for people. With our international elite research and study programmes, we are helping to create a better world and to solve the global challenges formulated in the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Hans Christian Ørsted founded DTU in 1829 with a clear mission to develop and create value using science and engineering to benefit society. That mission lives on today. DTU has 13,500 students and 6,000 employees. We work in an international atmosphere and have an inclusive, evolving, and informal working environment. DTU has campuses in all parts of Denmark and in Greenland, and we collaborate with the best universities around the world.

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