The School of Engineering and Architecture of Fribourg (HEIA-FR), a member institution of the Uni- versity of Applied Sciences and Arts of Western Switzerland (HES-SO), offers bilingual study programs at the BSc and MSc levels.

Mission and Scope of Activities

Join the ChemTech institute at the School of Engineering and Architecture of Fribourg (HEIA-FR) in an exciting project focused on the discovery of new antifungal compounds from natural origins , particularly from marine fungi and extremophiles. The successful candidate will contribute to the isolation, structural elucidation, and synthesis of bioactive compounds with potential pharmaceutical applications. This interdisciplinary project bridges natural product chemistry, microbiology, and medicinal chemistry, aiming to address the global challenge of antibiotic resistance. Active collaboration with our Biofactory Competence Center will foster cross-disciplinary interaction and integration of results, leading to the production of these natural compounds.

Your profile

• PhD in Chemistry (Synthesis, Natural Product Isolation and Identification, Analytical Chemistry)
• Strong expertise in:
• Isolation and purification of compounds from complex natural mixtures
• Structure elucidation using advanced spectroscopic techniques:
• NMR (1D and 2D)
• High-resolution mass spectrometry (HR-MS)
• Organic synthesis of natural products and analogues
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a multidisciplinary team
• Proficiency in spoken and written English. A good level in German and French is an advantage

Additional information

• Full-time employment as a postdoctoral researcher (Academic Associate UAS) for a period of 1 year
• Activity rate: 80-100 %
• For details, contact Prof. Cyril Portmann, +41 26 429 67 76
• Job starting date: February 2026 at the earliest or to be agreed
• Application deadline: October 31, 2025

Interested? We look forward to receiving your complete application file (cover letter, CV, copies of diplomas, and work certificates). Please submit it by clicking the "Apply" button below.