Rudjer Boskovic Institute is the largest multidisciplinary research institution inCroatia. The biggest IRB unit with more than 100 employees is the Division for Marine and Environmental Research (DMER). DMER is focused on biogeochemical processes in the aquatic environment with a special emphasis on the assessment of anthropogenic impact. DMER offers longstanding expertise in the development of analytical and bioanalytical tools for the study of organic contaminants in the environment, including recently adopted EDA approach. Laboratory facilities include state-of-the-art equipment for sample preparation and subsequent chemical analyses, including LC-QTOF Premier MS-MS, triple quadrupole LC/MS and GC-MS systems, while the ecotoxicology laboratory has all necessary facilities and equipment for miniaturized high-throughput in vitro bioassays.

Within the EU project EDA-EMERGE the Division of Marine and Environmental Chemistry seeks a

PhD in the field of ANALYTICAL ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMISTRY

EDA EMERGE provides a platform for training of young scientists in the fields of environmental science and toxicology with a special emphasis on interdisciplinary skills and competences required to meet the major challenges in the assessment and management of hazardous chemical contamination in European river basins. This will be achieved by integrating innovative mode-of-action based biodiagnostic tools with powerful fractionation and cutting edge analytical and computational structure elucidation tools, resulting in a new generation of effect-directed analysis approaches to address the problems associated with ever increasing complexity of hazardous chemical contamination. 

The specific topic of the PhD project in the Division of Marine and Environmental Chemistry is the development of novel isolation and fractionation procedures for comprehensive characterisation of contaminants using effect-directed analyses (EDA). Combined extraction/fractionation protocols, involving different sorption/ion exchange mechanisms, will be investigated with the aim to develop practical and highly efficient procedures, providing high yields for a wide variety of nonionic and ionic organic compounds. The fractionation procedures will be developed using a tiered approach, which will allow development of a simple protocol suitable for the routine EDA screening as well as protocols for higher tier fractionation.  Chemical characterization of the fractionated extracts will be perfomed in a comprehensive manner, using an integrated procedure, combining complementary features of high-resolution gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and ultra-performance liquid chromatography/ quadrupole-time-of- flight mass spectrometry (UPLC/QTOF) for the structural elucidation. Developed simplified and higher tier protocols will be employed in a European demonstration programme, including different filed sites, in cooperation with other partners from EDA EMERGE consortium.

We would like to recruit a talented, highly motivated, young scientist interested in joining an interdisciplinary research team working on the EDA EMERGE project and if you are interested in cutting edge approaches in environmental science and ecotoxicology you are invited to apply. Your background should be preferentially in environmental or analytical chemistry with interest in organic trace analysis. Excellent communication skills in English and skills in team work are essential. We offer a stimulating research environment in an interdisciplinary institute inZagreb,Croatia. Salary will be in accordance with Marie Curie rules of the European Commission. Besides a full employment contract, including social security, the candidate will receive mobility allowances. Note the mobility restrictions outlined by the EC: Researchers can be of any nationality but at the time of recruitment by the host organization, researchers must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc) in the country of their host organization for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately prior to the reference date. Applicants must also be in the first four years (date of MSc certificate or equivalent) of their research careers.

Applications should include a brief statement describing your motivation to apply, curriculum vitae, copies of your academic qualifications and the names (with e-mail addresses) of two potential referees.

Please submit your application byJanuary 31st 2012to

Prof. dr. Marijan Ahel,

Division for Marine and Environmental Research

Rudjer Boskovic Institute

Bijenicka c. 54

10000Zagreb,Croatia

Phone: +385-1-4560940

E-mail: ahel@irb.hr