Are you a curiosity driven and highly motivated researcher with a fascination for environmental biotechnology for the recovery of scarce resources? Do you like working with bioreactors in the laboratory and learning to master a wide array of experimental protocols and analytical techniques? Would you like to gain of fundamental understanding of biological crystallization processes? Then you could be the ideal PhD candidate to join our team!

Why this PhD position?
Selenium, just like nitrogen and phosphorus, is an essential dietary element. However, when present at too high concentrations in surface water, it poses a threat to fish and birds. In many surface waters, both in the Netherlands and worldwide, the selenium concentration is too high. Selenium is released to surface water through various routes, such as via industry and agriculture. In addition, the element is scarce in many agricultural areas worldwide and has to be supplied as a fertilizer. Recovery therefore is essential. No chemical environmentally friendly technologies exists to remove the selenium from water, let alone recover it. However, through biocrystallization, microorganisms precipitate selenium in its elemental form, making it suitable for recovery. However, little is known about the crystallization mechanisms.

What will you do?
Through batch and bioreactor experiments you will study the selenium biocrystallization process. You will investigate variations in co-pollutants (nitrogen, arsenic, sulfur etc), reactor configurations, pH, temperature etc. Emphasis will also be on the selenium polymorphs through in-depth structural study using advanced solid characterization techniques. For some of these analyses, you may perform experiments at an international research facility abroad. Within the project, frequent contact will take place with industrial stakeholders, both end-users and technology providers. In this PhD-project, you will map the selenium biocrystallization process under industrially relevant conditions to pave the way to technological application. As a result of your research, you will not only understand the selenium biocrystallization better, but in general add to knowledge concerning biocrystallization mechanisms.

Your duties and responsibilities include:

• performing batch bottle experiments to study a wide variety of conditions;
• building your own continuous bioreactor set-up, including sensors for monitoring process parameters;
• performing bioreactor experiments to study selenium biocrystallization in continuous reality-based wastewater and using analytical techniques to determine mass balances, reaction rates and biological growth;
• analysing the formed selenium solids structure with various advanced solid characterization techniques;
• verbally communicating your findings with project stakeholders and colleagues;
• publishing your research results in peer-reviewed scientific journals;
• teaching (10% of your time), including supervising MSc-thesis students;
• obtaining 30 credits with PhD-courses at the Wageningen Institute for Environment and Climate Research (WIMEK) graduate-school.

• you have, or will soon obtain, a MSc degree in biogeochemistry, environmental engineering, environmental technology, biotechnology, analytical chemistry or a related field from an internationally recognized two year master program taught in English;
• you have extensive experience with laboratory work, for instance as part of your MSc-thesis;
• you have hands-on experience with either mineral characterization (using e.g. XRD, SEM, synchrotron based characterization techniques such as XANES) or operation of (lab-scale) bioreactors;
• you have affinity with either research into wastewater treatment or biological resource recovery;
• you are able to think in and work with multidisciplinary research approaches;
• you have affinity with working as a team player, proactive in your work, involved actively in your working environment and capable of independently addressing and solving research problems.

For this position your command of the English language is expected to be at C1 level. Sometimes it is necessary to submit an internationally recognised Certificate of Proficiency in the English Language. More information can be found here.

Wageningen University & Research offers excellent terms of employment. A few highlights from our Collective Labour Agreement include:

• partially paid parental leave;
• working hours that can be discussed and arranged so that they allow for the best possible work-life balance;
• the option to accrue additional compensation / holiday hours by working more, up to 40 hours per week;
• there is a strong focus on vitality and you can make use of the sports facilities available on campus for a small fee;
• a fixed December bonus of 8.3%;
• excellent pension scheme.

In addition to these first-rate employee benefits, you will receive a fully funded PhD position and you will be offered a course program tailored to your needs and the research team.

The gross salary for the first year is € 2.872,- per month rising to € 3.670,- in the fourth year in according to the Collective Labour Agreements for Dutch Universities (CAO-NU) (scale P). This is based on a full-time working week of 38 hours. We offer a temporary contract for 18 months which will be extended for the duration of the project if you perform well. The total duration of the contract is 4 years.

There are plenty of options for personal initiative in a learning environment, and we provide excellent training opportunities. We are offering a unique position in an international environment with a pleasant and open working atmosphere.

You are going to work at the greenest and most innovative campus in Holland, and at a university that has been chosen as the “Best University” in the Netherlands for the 19th consecutive time.

Coming from abroad
Wageningen University & Research is the university and research centre for life sciences. The themes we deal with are relevant to everyone around the world and Wageningen, therefore, has a large international community and a lot to offer to international employees.

Because we expect you to work and live in the Netherlands our team of advisors on Dutch immigration procedures will help you with the visa application procedures for yourself and, if applicable, for your family.

Feeling welcome also has everything to do with being well informed. We can assist you with any additional advice and information about for example helping your partner to find a job, housing, or schooling. Finally, certain categories of international staff may be eligible for a tax exemption on a part of their salary during the first five years in the Netherlands.

Wageningen University & Research

The mission of Wageningen University & Research is “To explore the potential of nature to improve the quality of life”. Under the banner Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen University and the specialised research institutes of the Wageningen Research Foundation have joined forces in contributing to finding solutions to important questions in the domain of healthy food and living environment. With its roughly 30 branches, 7,700 employees (7,000 fte), 2,500 PhD and EngD candidates, 13,100 students and over 150,000 participants to WUR’s Life Long Learning, Wageningen University & Research is one of the leading organisations in its domain. The unique Wageningen approach lies in its integrated approach to issues and the collaboration between different disciplines.

You will work here
The research is performed in the Environmental Technology (ETE) department. You will become member of the ‘Biorecovery’ subgroup of ETE, which is led by prof. Annemiek ter Heijne. You will be supervised by Dr. Annemerel Mol and Dr. Renata van der Weijden. Prof. Annemiek ter Heijne will be your promotor.
To get an idea of the work we do in our group, have a look at the video below:

Read the 5 reasons why your future colleagues enjoy working at WUR and watch this video to get an idea of our green campus!

We will recruit for the vacancy ourselves and do not appreciate unasked for services from recruitment agencies. However, sharing in your network is appreciated.