The 4-year PhD program focuses on developing rapid screening methods using high-resolution mass spectrometry (HR-MS) to detect chemicals in consumer articles and identify toxic substances through effect-directed analysis (EDA).

The PhD research will be embedded in the European Partnership for the Assessment of Risks from Chemicals (PARC). PARC’s mission is to address chemical safety challenges by developing next-generation risk assessment, supporting the European Green Deal's goal of a toxic-free environment.

The enforcement of EU chemical safety legislation is crucial for advancing the European Green Deal agenda and the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability. Effective enforcement ensures EU citizens are protected from regulated substances and maintains fair competition among producers and importers. Advances in analytical techniques and chemical information systems offer new opportunities to identify chemicals of emerging concern. However, these novel methods are underutilized in regulatory contexts. This project aims to evaluate and develop rapid screening methods for identifying priority substances across various sample matrices. These methods will enhance enforcement actions, supporting national authorities in implementing key regulations like REACH, CLP, and product-specific legislation such as the RoHS Directive and regulations on food contact materials.

The candidate will develop high-resolution mass spectrometry (HR-MS) suspect and non-target (SNTS) workflows tailored to rapidly identify regulated and emerging chemicals of concern in consumer articles. This will require a strategic approach that integrates existing HR-MS and ambient MS techniques. The goal is to create a methodology suitable for the enforcement of chemical legislation, contributing to better consumer protection and regulatory compliance.

In the second stage of the project, effect-directed analysis (EDA) will be used to prioritize the identification of additives and other chemicals of emerging concern in consumer products and other (environmental) samples. The findings will be published in peer-reviewed scientific journals. These publications will form the basis of the PhD thesis.

Your duties

• Developing fast screening HR-MS methods using ambient MS techniques to support the enforcement of chemicals in consumer articles
• Use of hyphenated techniques such as LC-QTOF-MS, (tims)-QTOF-MS, GC-HR-MS, DART-QTOF-MS etc.
• Setup comprehensive SNTS workflows for the prioritization and annotation and semi-quantification of regulated and emerging chemicals.
• Active participation in PARC.
• Effect-directed analysis methodologies including high resolution fractionation, and different in vitro bioassays for screening.

Further duties and expectations

• Ensure and report quality assurance/control (QA/QC) of the produced data
• Supervision of Master’s students in their research and literature theses within the framework of the project.
• Involvement in teaching, e.g. supervision of working groups or practicals at BSc and MSc level.
• Dissemination of results in peer-reviewed journals and at (inter)national conferences
• Write and defend a PhD thesis at the VUA.

• Required diploma: MSc in analytical chemistry, or an equivalent degree in a closely related field.
• Expertise: analytical chemistry (e.g. liquid and/or gas chromatography, high-resolution mass spectrometry), suspect/nontarget screening workflows, excellent command of the English language, and scientific writing skills.
• Affinity with toxicology / in vitro bioassays
• Strong analytical problem-solving skills and attention to detail.
• A team player but is also able to work independently.

Fixed-term contract: 1 year.

A challenging position in a socially engaged organisation. At VU Amsterdam, you contribute to education, research and service for a better world. And that is valuable. So in return for your efforts, we offer you:

• a salary of € 2.872,00 (PhD) and maximum € 3.670,00 (PhD) gross per month in the fourth year, for a full-time employment
• an employment contract of initially 1 year. If there is sufficient perspective, this will be extended to a total of 4 years. Your dissertation at the end of the fourth year forms the end of your employment contract.

We also offer you attractive fringe benefits and arrangements. Some examples:

• A full-time 38-hour working week comes with a holiday leave entitlement of 232 hours per year. If you choose to work 40 hours, you have 96 extra holiday leave hours on an annual basis. For part-timers, this is calculated pro rata.
• 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus
• contribution to commuting expenses
• optional model for designing a personalized benefits package
• a wide range of sports facilities which staff may use at a modest charge

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

A-LIFE
The department Amsterdam Institute for Life and Environment (A-LIFE) brings together the former departments of Environment & Health, Molecular Cell Biology and Ecological Sciences. A-LIFE seeks to connect properties and emerging behaviours across all scales, from molecules to ecosystems, including human populations. The section Chemistry for Environment and Health investigates environmental and human exposure, focusing on the development and application of advanced analytical methods for accurate, robust exposure of the assessment to a wide variety of chemicals.

Faculty of Science
Researchers and students at VU Amsterdam’s Faculty of Science tackle fundamental and complex scientific problems to help pave the way for a sustainable and healthy future. From forest fires to big data, from obesity to malnutrition, and from molecules to the moon: we cover the full spectrum of the natural sciences. Our teaching and research have a strong experimentally technical, computational and interdisciplinary nature.

We work on new solutions guided by value-driven, interdisciplinary methodologies. We are committed to research, valorisation and training socially engaged citizens of the world who will make valuable contributions to a sustainable, healthy future.

Are you interested in joining the Faculty of Science? You will join undergraduate students, PhD candidates and researchers at the biggest sciences faculty in the Netherlands. You will combine a professional focus with a broad view of the world. We are proud of our collegial working climate, characterised by committed staff, a pragmatic attitude and engagement in the larger whole. The faculty is home to over 11,000 students enrolled in 40 study programmes. It employs over 1,600 professionals spread across 10 academic departments.

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam stands for values-driven education and research. We are open-minded experts with the ability to think freely. - a broader mind. Maintaining an entrepreneurial perspective and concentrating on diversity, significance and humanity, we work on sustainable solutions with social impact. By joining forces, across the boundaries of disciplines, we work towards a better world for people and planet. Together we create a safe and respectful working and study climate, and an inspiring environment for education and research. Learn more about our codes of conduct

We are located on one physical campus, in the heart of Amsterdam's Zuidas business district, with excellent location and accessibility. Over 6,150 staff work at the VU and over 31,000 students attend academic education.

Diversity
Diversity is the driving force of the VU. The VU wants to be accessible and receptive to diversity in disciplines, cultures, ideas, nationalities, beliefs, preferences and worldviews. We believe that trust, respect, interest and differences lead to new insights and innovation, to sharpness and clarity, to excellence and a broader understanding.

We stand for an inclusive community and believe that diversity and internationalisation contribute to the quality of education, research and our services.

Therefore, we are always searching for people whose backgrounds and experience contribute to the diversity of the VU community.