SFI-Funded PhD Studentship in Organic Chemistry

7 Apr 2022

A four year PhD position working on an SFI Frontiers for the Future Programme-funded project with Dr. Peter Byrne in University College Cork, starting in Summer/Autumn 2022, is now available.

Funding is provided to cover PhD stipend of €18,500 per year, fees at EU rate, and purchase of equipment and materials.

The project is in the area of Organic Chemistry, and will involve exploitation of novel phosphorus-based reagents to enable utilisation of greenhouse gas carbon dioxide as a chemical feedstock (at atmospheric pressure) in the synthesis of various otherwise inaccessible carboxylic acid derivatives with potential for applications in synthesis of pharmaceutical compounds and their precursors. The focus of this work will be on exploration of the scope of this methodology, and on development of a variant that requires usage of only catalytic amounts of the phosphorus reagent. Investigations into the mechanism of the key transformations involved will also be conducted as part of the project. The successful candidate will work alongside two other PhD students and a Postdoc on various aspects of this project, and will develop advanced organic synthetic skills, including in inert atmosphere and glove box techniques and spectroscopic characterisation of products and reaction intermediates.  The project will involve travel to and presentations of research at international conferences, and is expected to result in publications in the most prestigious chemistry journals.

Candidates should possess a first class or upper second class B.Sc.(Hons) degree in Chemistry or a closely related subject.

Interested parties should send a detailed CV to peter.byrne@ucc.ie, together with the names and addresses of two referees. Informal enquiries can also be made to Dr. Byrne at this address. The closing date for applications is Friday, April 22nd 2022.

Interviews for this position will take place in April/May 2022, and a decision on the successful candidate will be made shortly thereafter. Please contact Dr Byrne if you would like further information on the project or any other aspect of the position. Dr Byrne supervises a research group of 10 PhD students and 1 postdoctoral researcher working on various topics in the areas of Green Chemistry, CO₂ Utilisation, Physical Organic Chemistry and Organophosphorus Chemistry.

• Further information on the Dr. Peter Byrne research group

For more on this story contact:

• Dr. Peter Byrne