Professor in Chemical Engineering Full-time

Professor in Chemical Engineering

Lund University, Faculty of Engineering, Process and Life Science Engineering

Lund University was founded in 1666 and is repeatedly ranked among the world's top universities. The University has around 46,000 students and 8,500 staff based in Lund, Helsingborg and Malmö. We are united in our efforts to understand, explain and improve our world and the human condition.

The Department of Process and Life Science Engineering (PLE) at Lund University is located at Kemicentrum, one of the Nordics' largest centers for education and research in the field of chemistry. PLE has around 150 employees, of which around 65 are PhD students. The department offers a broad competence in areas such as chemical engineering, food technology, biotechnology and technical microbiology. The research and education at PLE spans the entire subject of chemistry and includes both undergraduate and graduate education.

Faculty of Engineering is recruiting a Professor in Chemical Engineering

COMPEL (“COMPetence for the ELectrification of the transport system”) is a strategic initiative funded by the Swedish government, with the aim of strengthening research and educational environments in battery technology and electrification. Within COMPEL, the three universities Chalmers University of Technology, Lund University, and Uppsala University, in close collaboration with key stakeholders in Swedish industry, deepen their cooperation to strengthen Sweden's position in batteries, electrification of the transport sector, and related areas. The initiative aims to reinforce research and education related to battery technologies, with the objective of ensuring that relevant research supporting the electrification of the transport sector is maintained and further developed in Sweden. Research within COMPEL spans the entire battery value chain, including materials research, new cell concepts and cell manufacturing, battery systems and system integration, recycling, and safety.

At Lund University, through the Faculty of Engineering (LTH), COMPEL is a strategic initiative aimed at strengthening research environments in battery technology and electrification in a way that complements relevant research at other universities and builds on local strengths. COMPEL at Lund University initially includes researchers from ten departments, and three research areas have been identified for strategic development: materials research, integration of batteries with power electronics, and safe energy storage. On the educational side, the number of student places in several Master of Science in Engineering programmes is being increased, and the course offering related to battery technology and electrification is being strengthened.

The research is conducted in close collaboration with the automotive industry, and the academic environment is expected to contribute to and lead projects with strong industrial relevance, particularly in the areas of battery safety, system integration, and scalable processes for battery manufacturing. Teaching in electrochemistry, battery technology, and chemical engineering processes constitutes an important part of the position, as does contributing to the development of education at the undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral levels.

The subject area is strategically important for the transition towards electrified and sustainable mobility and has a clear connection to COMPEL's objectives regarding safety, sustainability, and the integration of materials, cell technology, and power electronics.

Within the Division of Chemical Engineering, there is expertise in separation processes, reaction engineering, modelling, and water treatment. The academic staff comprises approximately 15 faculty members, complemented by several postdoctoral researchers and approximately 25 doctoral students. Research activities are supported by two research engineers and two administrative staff members.

Chemical Engineering conducts both applied and fundamental research in several areas that, in one way or another, contribute to achieving the goals of the UN Agenda 2030. A significant part of these goals is related to energy and materials production. Much of the division's applied research at Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) 4–6 is related to process scale-up. This research is carried out within the framework of the Lund University Pre-Pilot Plant, which consolidates large-scale laboratory infrastructure across the divisions of Chemical Engineering, Food and Pharmaceutical Technology, and Biotechnology.

Education at the undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral levels forms the cornerstone of the activities in Chemical Engineering. The position includes teaching at undergraduate and graduate levels, where students are expected to develop their ability to formulate and solve process engineering problems using computational and quantitative methods. As a substantial proportion of the division's teaching at the undergraduate level is conducted in Swedish, the successful candidate will be expected to actively work towards acquiring sufficient proficiency in Swedish to be able to teach in Swedish within a few years.

Finally, humanity is in a state of constant change, and over time different research questions become critical to address. At present, key challenges within chemical engineering include food, pharmaceuticals, energy, and clean water, but these priorities may change rapidly. The recruitment of a Professor represents a long-term strategic investment by the division, and over the course of an academic career, circumstances may arise that require reassessment and redirection of research focus. Candidates are therefore expected to demonstrate readiness, willingness, and ability to adapt and evolve their research direction over time in order to meet societal needs.

Subject

Chemical Engineering – Electrochemical processes

Subject description

The subject area comprises Chemical Engineering with a particular focus on electrochemical processes in batteries. The emphasis is on understanding, modelling, and experimental analysis of ageing processes in battery cells, including the chemical, physical, and mechanical mechanisms that govern performance degradation over time. The research may also encompass more fundamental studies of future battery chemistries suitable for large-scale energy storage, where electrode and electrolyte materials and their interactions constitute central research questions.

An important component of the subject is the development and application of operando, online, and in situ analytical methods for the characterisation of electrodes, electrolytes, and in particular the electrode–electrolyte interface. Through advanced measurement techniques and instrumentation, detailed insight is gained into how interphase structures form, evolve, and influence battery lifetime, safety, and performance. These approaches are closely linked to available large-scale research infrastructure, such as MAX IV and other advanced analytical facilities.

The subject area also includes the development of laboratory automation and data-driven methodologies, including machine learning and AI-based experimental design, for accelerated formulation and evaluation of battery materials. This enables faster iteration cycles, improved reproducibility, and a more efficient linkage between material composition, process parameters, and cell performance.

Work duties

Work duties include:

• Research within the subject area.
• Teaching in the first, second and third cycles of studies.
• Supervision of degree projects and doctoral students.
• Actively seeking external research funding.
• Collaboration with industry and wider society.
• Administration related to the work duties listed above.

Qualification requirements

Appointment as a Professor requires that the applicant has:

• Demonstrated research expertise.
• Demonstrated teaching expertise.
• Completed at least five weeks of training in higher education teaching and learning, or acquired equivalent knowledge by other means, unless there are valid reasons.

Assessment criteria

When assessing the applicants, special importance will be given to research and teaching expertise within the subject, with greater importance on research expertise.

The assessment criteria specify the aspects to be taken into account, and the level to be achieved, in order for the assessment criteria to be deemed fulfilled. The following assessment criteria must be fulfilled for appointment to Professor:

• A very good national and international standing as a researcher. The requirement for international experience shall be assessed with consideration to the character and traditions of the subject.
• A very high level of teaching skills, including a very good ability to conduct, develop and lead teaching and other educational activities on different levels and using a variety of teaching methods.
• A good ability to supervise doctoral students to achieve a PhD.
• A good ability to collaborate with wider society and communicate his or her activities.
• A good general ability to lead and develop activities.

Additional requirements

• Very good oral and written proficiency in English.
• Significant documented research experience (e.g. from postdoc or doctoral studies) from another university/institute or relevant experience from industry/public sector.
• Substantial experience of collaboration with industry and/or the public sector.
• Significant and well-documented research leadership experience from another university or research institute.
• Collaborative skills, initiative and the ability to solve work tasks independently.

Other qualifications

The extent to which the applicant, through their experience and skills, may complement and strengthen ongoing research, undergraduate education, departmental innovation, and how they can contribute to the future development of the department will also be taken into consideration.

We offer

Lund University is a public authority which means that employees get particular benefits, generous annual leave and an advantageous occupational pension scheme. Read more on the University website about being a