Research Engineer (M/F) in Materials Chemistry

Job Description

Missions

In many foods, solid fats play a key role as texturing agents: they provide the lipid phase with its rheological properties, such as firmness and creaminess. However, these solid fats, which are mainly of animal origin, increase the risk of coronary heart disease, primarily because they contain trans-unsaturated fatty acids. Under pressure from public health regulations, the food industry is seeking to replace these solid fats with healthier alternatives. One of the most widely used substitutes is palm oil; however, due to its detrimental environmental impact, its use will be banned in the EU.
One strategy for replacing solid fats is to gel vegetable oils using organogelators. These are low-molecular-weight compounds that self-assemble into a fibrillar network, thereby imparting solid-like behavior to the oil. The resulting gels, known as oleogels, are thermoreversible physical gels. Studies have shown that these oleogels may have beneficial effects on metabolism compared with non-gelled oils, although the physicochemical mechanisms underlying these effects remain unclear. In this context, the host research team is developing naturally occurring and endogenous compounds, namely N-acyl amino acids and N-acyl ethanolamides, and investigating their ability to gel vegetable oils.
Recently, the host research team demonstrated that a family of N-acyl amino acids (N-AAAs) can gel oils and organic solvents. The compounds, either individually or in binary mixtures, self-assemble into nanotubes. Their geometry can be tuned by varying the composition. The proposed work aims to further investigate the structural properties of these systems and to study the particular thermodynamic and thermomechanical properties of these mixtures.

Activity

The first part of the work will consist of resynthesizing several N-AAAs, each in both enantiomeric forms. The syntheses will be carried out using methods that have already been optimized within our group.
In the second part, the engineer will determine the sol–gel transition temperatures by rheology and microDSC. These experiments will aim to establish the phase diagrams of N-AAA/oil and N-AAA/solvent gels.
In collaboration with researchers within the Institute, the candidate will also participate in structural studies using TEM and SAXS.

Your Profil

Skills

The candidate should hold a Master's degree in organic chemistry, polymer chemistry, or materials chemistry. They should have experience in organic synthesis, DSC, and rheology. The candidate will work with various collaborators and platform managers and should therefore have good communication and interpersonal skills, as well as a good command of English.

Your Work Environment

The Charles Sadron Institute (ICS) is a CNRS research unit with 53 researchers and faculty members, 38 engineers, technicians and administrative staff, as well as approximately 100 PhD students, postdoctoral researchers and Master's students. It is a leading research institute in the field of polymer science, located in Strasbourg and housed in a modern building. The institute has state-of-the-art technical platforms providing all the equipment and expertise required to carry out the project.
The project will be conducted within the SYFOS team (https://www.ics-cnrs.unistra.fr/equipe-syfos.html), under the supervision of P. Mésini, CNRS Research Director. The candidate will also be supported by a research engineer.
The institute is located in a pleasant, green environment and is easily accessible by public transport. The candidate will have access to a nearby staff restaurant offering subsidized meals, as well as partial reimbursement of public transport costs. They will also benefit from various employee benefits, access to the Social and Economic Committee (CSE), and the possibility of working remotely in accordance with the applicable policy. The position includes 32 days of paid annual leave and 12 additional days off under the working-time reduction scheme (RTT).

Constraints and risks

The work will be carried out in a chemistry laboratory. The candidate will receive mandatory training to raise awareness of the risks associated with working in a laboratory.

Compensation and benefits

Compensation

3175 € gross/month

Annual leave and RTT

44 jours

Remote Working practice and compensation

Pratique et indemnisation du TT

Transport

Prise en charge à 75% du coût et forfait mobilité durable jusqu’à 300€

About the offer

About the CNRS

The CNRS is a major player in fundamental research on a global scale. The CNRS is the only French organization active in all scientific fields. Its unique position as a multi-specialist allows it to bring together different disciplines to address the most important challenges of the contemporary world, in connection with the actors of change.

CNRS

The research professions