The Research Center Pharmaceutical Engineering (RCPE) is an interdisciplinary
research institute in the area of pharmaceutical process- and
product-development in Graz, Austria. Our goal is to establish technology to
transform current product and processes development approaches in the
pharmaceutical and diagnostics industries into a science-based endeavor together
with our partners. We are looking for an engaged, highly qualified
SENIOR-RESEARCHER (POSTDOC)(m/f) “DEM modelling of powder mixing” for
Pharmaceutical Processes (Ref.Nr. GS4) to work in a young and dynamic group
General Information: - EU-Project IPROCOM: Marie Curie Initial Training Network
- Salary min. € 42,000 gross/year (equiv. app. € 27,584 net/year), overpayment
possible (depending on qualification) - Additional monthly mobility allowance of
app. € 700 / € 1.000 net per month (without / with family) - To start latest by
October 1st, 2013 The context and research field: You will join the Research
Center Pharmaceutical Engineering (www.rcpe.at), located in the south of Austria
in Graz, close to the borders to Italy, Slovenia and Hungary. The center was
established in 2008 and has grown up to 100 employees. The research done at RCPE
is in close cooperation with Graz University of Technology and other well-known
universities, research centers and companies in the pharma field. RCPE is
capable of doing material science, formulation development and establishing
(continuous) production processes utilizing appropriate QbD and PAT tools. The
position is funded by the European Community programme “Marie-Curie”, and will
be carried out in the framework of the Initial Training Networks (ITN) project
IPROCOM. IPROCOM (The Development of in silico process models for roll
compaction) is a multidisciplinary and inter-sectorial consortium aiming at the
development of robust in silico process models that can be used to predict the
properties of intermediate ribbons/granules and final products
tablets/pellets/components based on the properties of individual particles, and
to provide structured training for 15 researchers within a collaborative
research network involving 10 full partners and 4 associate partners from 8 EU
countries. The position: DEM modelling of powder feeding during roll compaction
Objective: To explore powder mixing and segregation behaviour using DEM. Real
formulations are mixtures of particles of different properties (density, size &
size distribution, elasticity and plasticity). The researcher will investigate
how uniformly these particles can be mixed by simulating the mixing behavior of
various powders and investigate the mixing and segregation phenomena using an
in-house GPU-accelerated DEM code - XPS. The researchers in this project are
closely interlinked in their work and results and hence exchange information
frequently in direct meetings and special trainings during the program. It is
expected that the researcher will be hosted for short periods at project
partners (e.g. University of Surrey - UK) and work in close collaboration with
others researchers of the network. It is expected that the researcher will
participate in a wide range of networking activities including inter-sectoral
secondments, IPROCOM training schools, workshops, short courses, dedicated
sessions at international meetings, and network conference. The researcher
should have the following knowledge/experience/abilities: - Fundamental
technical or natural scientific background (PhD degree, e.g., in mechanics,
material science, physics or a related area) - Knowledge in continuum mechanics
- Knowledge in programming (i.e. C, Python, Fortran, MATLAB) - Excellent
knowledge in numerical simulation, especially the Discrete Element Method -
Preferably knowledge in GPU-programming (CUDA Technology) - Excellent
communication and organizational skills - Excellent English language skills
Conditions and eligibility: This fellowship is offered in the context of a Marie
Curie Initial Training Network, and transnational mobility is a key element of
eligibility. The eligibility of the researcher is determined by Marie Curie
terms and conditions. Candidates may be either EU citizens or from outside the
EU (subject to relevant immigration formalities), but applications will only be
accepted from candidates who must not have resided or carried out their main
activity (work, studies, etc) in Austria for more than 12 months in the 3 years
immediately prior to the date of selection by the host institution (short stays
such as holidays are not taken into account). Application documents: If you are
eligible and interested, please e-mail the following documents: - a letter of
application, - a detailed CV, - summary of your PhD and previous scientific
work, - excellent level of English required (TOEFL or CAE level for example), -
two recommendation letters (from people/supervisors acquainted with your work or
education). Although the position will remain open until filled, applicants are
encouraged to submit their applications before July 1st, 2013. We look forward
to receiving your application! Research Center Pharmaceutical Engineering GmbH
Mag. Simone Klein Inffeldgasse 13, A-8010 Graz Tel.: +43 316 873-30 904
simone.klein@rcpe.at