Post-doctoral researcher in Raman optical activity W/M

Employeur

The university of Bordeaux is a great dynamic and responsible university that cares about the well-being of its staff. Joining us means working in a privileged environment within a particularly diverse and open professional community, benefiting from welcome and inclusion schemes, training and internal mobility. It means participating in an academic, scientific and human adventure. It means committing to meeting the challenges of the 21st century.

Join the Institute of Molecular Sciences (ISM) – of the University of Bordeaux!

The expertise of the Institute is divided into major skills identified around: theorists in quantum chemistry and molecular and reaction dynamics, organic synthesis chemists, physico-chemical experimenters (spectroscopy, photochemistry, molecular recognition and analysis), divided into 10 research groups and 3 technical platforms.

As part of the research project Understanding by Raman Optical Activity of Solvent Structuration - CAORSS, funded by the National Research Agency, we are recruiting a Post-Doctoral Researcher in Raman Optical Activity F/H.

This project, based on a close relationship between theory and experiment, aims to verify and understand these effects in different solvents with molecules of different types: organic or inorganic, structure chirality or atropoisomeria.

Votre mission

This project is based on Optical Raman Activity (OAR) spectroscopy studies of chiral molecules or molecular structures.

In addition to the direct determination of absolute configuration, this technique makes it possible to highlight the effects of electron resonance, weak interactions with solvents, molecular complexation, and chirality induction. Lately, a new chiral spectroscopy has been identified mixed: the eCP/Raman [1].

In this context, this project is focused on the study of linear tri-metallic complexes [2] exhibiting intense Optical Raman Activity signals at resonance as well as inducing chirality on the solvent. The study of chirality induction, solvent effects and the complexation of small molecules by cryptophane cage molecules [3] will also be addressed. Experimental measurements will be accompanied by theoretical developments and numerical simulations in order to interpret the fundamental origin of observations. The activity of this position is mainly dedicated to optical activity studies in the Molecular Spectroscopy Group (GSM) with N. Daugey, T. Buffeteau et Y. Danten.

1.       Li, G.; Alshalalfeh, M.; Kapitán, J.; Bouř, P.; Xu, Y. Electronic Circular Dichroism‐Circularly Polarized Raman (eCP‐Raman): A New Form of Chiral Raman Spectroscopy. Chemistry A European J 2022, 28 (20). https://doi.org/10.1002/chem.202104302.

2.       Cortijo M, Valentín-Pérez Á, Rosa P, Daugey N, Buffeteau T, Hillard EA. Resolution, structures, and vibrational circular dichroism of helicoidal trinickel and tricobalt paddlewheel complexes. Chirality. 2020;32(6):753-764. doi:10.1002/chir.23211

3.       Daugey N, Brotin T, Vanthuyne N, Cavagnat D, Buffeteau T. Raman Optical Activity of Enantiopure Cryptophanes. J Phys Chem B. 2014;118(19):5211-5217. doi:10.1021/jp502652p

Your mission will be to prepare and perform spectral measurements on chiral samples. The studies in solution will be carried out by Raman Optical Activity spectroscopy complemented by optical spectroscopy (UV absorption, ECD, IR, VCD and/or rotatory power). The processing of experimental data will be carried out under Origin and/or Python.

The results will be interpreted by comparison with theoretical chemistry calculations in DFT, using software or developed programs.

# Optical Activity Spectroscopy

• You prepare the chiral or chirally structured samples

• You carry out the measurements of Raman Optical Activity and optical spectroscopies

• You process the data, write the reports, and disseminate the results

• You are evolving measurement protocols, data processing and instrumentation

# Spectroscopy calculations

• You perform quantum chemistry calculations of optical activity spectroscopy

• You compare theory and experience

• You interpret the results

# Bibliography and scientific dissemination

• You write reports and articles

• You communicate about your results

• You supervise bachelor’s or master’s students

Vos atouts / Vos talents

Holder of a PhD in in Chemistry and/or Physics, you ideally have a first experience in optical activity.

• You are autonomous in your work, proactive and have a critical mind

• You demonstrate organizational skills and teamwork

• You master the regulation of occupational chemical, microbiological, electrical risks as well as radiation

• You know the techniques of chemical analyses as well as molecular chemistry and modeling

• You are capable of conducting experiments and measuring by optical spectroscopy

• You know the data processing and analysis tools, programming (Python, Origin, Octave) and the mathematical and computer tools necessary to exploit the results

• Written and oral English (level C1/C2) in a multicultural work context and French basis appreciated

Do you recognize yourself? Apply!

More information:

This project brings together five teams: the ISM, the ICMCB of Pessac, the ENS Chimie de Lyon and the LCT of Namur (Belgium).

Based in Talence, Gironde - FRANCE – access by tramway line B  (stop « Peixotto ») buses, bike. The laboratory is near the city-centre of Bordeaux and about 60 Km of the Atlantic coasts.

NB: the position is based in a laboratory in the Restrictive Zone, which requires an investigation prior to hiring, which can take up to 8 weeks.

12-month fixed-term contract

Gross monthly salary: 2750€

What we offer:

A training course adapted to support your job taking-up and your professional development

Up to 50 days of annual leave from the first year (in proportion to the arrival date)

Remote work possible depending on the organization of the service

Participation in complementary social protection and access to social action mechanisms

75% coverage of the public transport subscription in Gironde

Sustainable mobility package for home trips–work

Access to a staff parking

Leisure, sport and culture offers for all staff

Recruitment process: Applications are reviewed as they arrive.

Candidates selected for an interview will be contacted by the Recruitment Officer for a first pre-qualification phone conversation. An interview with the supervisor will then be organised by videoconference.

Interested applicants should send a CV, brief statement of qualifications and basis for interest in the position, a list of your relevant publications, and the email addresses of 2 appropriate references.