We are looking for an expert in Life Cycle Assessment of polymers or chemicals to evaluate the carbon footprint reduction potential of fully biobased PET.
Job Description
Project information: Bio-based plastics hold great potential to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions with some environmental trade-offs. Bio-based polyethylene terephthalate (Bio-PET) emerges as a promising candidate in this sustainable materials landscape. When produced from the biobased monomers mono ethylene glycol (MEG) and terephthalic acid (PTA), the resulting plastic is entirely derived from renewable sources. Additionally, it can be recycled, supporting a circular plastic economy. A recent cradle-to-gate Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) study shows that 100% bio-PET has a lower carbon footprint than conventional fossil-based PET. However, there is room for further improvement.
This project aims to evaluate various biobased production routes through LCA to optimize Bio-PET production for minimal climate impact. The study will also examine end-of-life scenarios to determine the most environmentally beneficial strategies for Bio-PET production and circularity. The overarching goal is to identify the most ecologically favourable production and circularity strategy for Bio-PET.
The research is funded by the Dutch Polymer Institute (DPI) within the Sustainable Polymers program. DPI is a global platform for collaboration in the field of polymer research. In the dynamic polymer science community, DPI connects business and academia to create a strong international network of industry experts and high-quality scientists to pioneer ground-breaking innovation in polymer science and create sustainable solutions for long-term challenges. DPI research projects are carried out by leading science groups globally and guided by industrial experts of the participating companies.
Responsibilities
- Develop, perform, and validate advanced environmental LCA studies for project-specific targets.
- Develop the Life Cycle Inventory for the LCA studies through data collection with partners, collection of information in literature resources and databases, and extracting data from other sources, such as process modelling in ASPEN.
- Work with a scientific project team and industrial partners to develop and discuss research problems.
- Present your work at international conferences.
- Write scientific papers for international peer-reviewed conferences and journals.
- Provide teaching assistance and/or supervision within undergraduate and master’s projects and programs.
The postdoctoral researcher will work at the Sustainability of Chemicals and Materials Group of the Aachen-Maastricht Institute for Biobased Materials at the Brightlands Chemelot Campus, one of the largest chemical and materials communities in Europe. You will become part of a vibrant multidisciplinary research group, specialized in the sustainability assessment of emerging biobased and circular chemical value chains. The postdoctoral research will be performed under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Yvonne van der Meer.
Qualifications
- A highly motivated candidate
- A PhD degree in a pertinent field such as industrial ecology, sustainable polymers/chemistry, or sustainable chemical engineering.
- Advanced knowledge and skills in LCA of biobased products or chemicals with a proven track record of authoring high-quality scientific papers.
- Experience with industry collaborations is considered advantageous.
- Willingness to collaborate in an efficient working style, and strong communication skills.
- Proficiency in both written and spoken English.
What we offer
- As Postdoctoral Researcher Life Cycle Assessment of Bio-based PET at Faculty of Science & Engineering, you will be employed by Maastricht University. The position is graded in scale 11 according to UFO profile Researcher, with salary based on experience ranging from €4,332.00 to €5,929.00 gross per month (full-time 38 hours/week). In addition to the monthly salary, an 8.0% holiday allowance and an 8.3% year-end bonus apply.
- An employment contract for a period of 12 months with a scope of 1.0 FTE.
- Flexible working hours and the possibility to work partly from home where possible. Monthly commuting and internet allowance provided. Full-time staff receive 29 vacation days and 4 additional public holidays per year (Carnival Monday, Carnival Tuesday, Good Friday, Liberation Day). If compensation hours are accumulated, an additional 12 days will be added. Conditions can be personalized through a collective labor agreement (CAO) choice model.
- Other excellent secondary employment conditions, including a good pension scheme with ABP and access to university fitness and facilities.
- Opportunities for personal and professional development, including training programs and initiatives such as “acknowledge and appreciate.”
The terms of employment at Maastricht University are largely set out in the collective labor agreement of Dutch Universities. In addition, local provisions specific to UM apply. For more information, click here.
Some industrial ecology candidates who are on the job market...
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#J-18808-Ljbffr€4332 - €5929 monthly