Project information

Dutch healthcare accounts for 7-8% of the total national greenhouse gas emissions. In hospitals, at least 20% of this is related to the operating theatre. This includes waste, inhalation gases for anesthesia, energy for air refreshment, and medicine residues in wastewater. To change the behavior of all stakeholders, this project assembled a very diverse team to make the operating theatre greener by gaining insight into the biggest polluters. The CAREFREE (Creating A healthieR Environment for FutuRE patiEnts) project aims to fill knowledge gaps but also to provide tools that enhance trust, acceptance, and a change in behavior for the myriad of stakeholders. The project is coordinated by Maastricht University/MUMC and funded by NWO through the Knowledge and Innovation Covenant’s ‘Collaboration in mission-driven innovation’ (NWO-KIC). The project is also introduced in a short video.

The project will be executed by a consortium with partners from the universities and university medical centers of Maastricht, Amsterdam, and Nijmegen, in collaboration with a wide range of companies and other stakeholders (Fresenius Kabi, B-Braun Medical, PureBlue Water, Waterschap Limburg, Groene Zorg Alliantie, Landelijk Netwerk de Groene OK, Milieuplatform Zorgsector NL, Patiëntenfederatie Nederland, Nederlandse Vereniging voor Heelkunde, Vereniging voor Hygiëne & Infectiepreventie in de Gezondheidszorg, Nederlandse Federatie van Universitair Medisch Centra, Zuyd Hoge School, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment-RIVM).

Life Cycle Assessment

Life Cycle Assessment studies will be performed in collaboration with the project partners to investigate which alternatives for current healthcare practices will improve the environmental footprint of the operating theatre. The LCA work will be focused on three topics of the connected work packages: different types of anesthetics, reusable and disposable trocars, changes in air treatment, and reduction of pharmaceutical residues.

The research will be performed at the Sustainability of Chemicals and Materials Group of the Aachen-Maastricht Institute for Biobased Materials at Maastricht University and at the Radboudumc in Nijmegen.

As a Ph.D. candidate, you will:

• Develop, perform, and validate environmental LCA studies for project-specific targets: alternative anesthetics, reusable and disposable trocars, different air treatment regimes, and reduction of pharmaceutical residues in wastewater;
• Develop the Life Cycle Inventory for the LCA studies through data collection within the consortium, collection of information in literature resources and databases, extracting data from other sources, such as process modelling in ASPEN;
• Work with a multi-stakeholder project team to develop and discuss research problems;
• Communicate the results of the research to project partners and stakeholders;
• Present your work at international conferences;
• Write scientific papers for international peer-reviewed conferences and journals, and write your Ph.D. thesis;
• Provide teaching assistance and/or supervision within undergraduate and master’s projects and programs;
• The Ph.D. research will be performed under the co-supervision of Maastricht University and Radboudumc, where you will closely collaborate with postdoctoral researchers.

Requirements

• A Master's degree in a pertinent field such as industrial ecology, sustainable chemistry, chemical engineering, materials science or biomedical materials;
• Acquired training and/or practical experience in Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) or similar environmental modelling techniques;
• An understanding of medical practices is considered advantageous;
• Demonstrated keen interest in the subject matter;
• Proven capability to function effectively both independently and within a collaborative team setting;
• Proficiency in both written and spoken English, accompanied by good communication skills;
• Proficiency in Dutch would be a valuable supplementary skill, in particular for communication with Dutch stakeholders.

What we offer

As a PhD candidate at Faculty of Science & Engineering, you will be employed by the most international university in the Netherlands, located in the beautiful city of Maastricht. In addition, we offer you:

• Good employment conditions. The position is graded in the UFO profile PhD candidate, with corresponding salary based on experience ranging from €2770,00 to €3539,00 gross per month (based on a full-time employment of 38 hours per 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. Upon a positive evaluation, an extension of 3 years will follow.
• At Maastricht University, the well-being of our employees is of utmost importance, we offer flexible working hours and the possibility to work partly from home if the nature of your position allows it. You will receive a monthly commuting and internet allowance for this. If you work full-time, you will be entitled to 29 vacation days and 4 additional public holidays per year, namely carnival Monday, carnival Tuesday, Good Friday, and Liberation Day. If you choose to accumulate compensation hours, an additional 12 days will be added. Furthermore, you can personalize your employment conditions through a collective labor agreement (CAO) choice model.
• As Maastricht University, we offer various other excellent secondary employment conditions. These include a good pension scheme with the ABP and the opportunity for UM employees to participate in company fitness and make use of the extensive sports facilities that we also offer to our students.
• Last but certainly not least, we provide the space and facilities for your personal and professional development. We facilitate this by offering a wide range of training programs and supporting various well-established 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.

Maastricht University

Why work at Maastricht University?

At Maastricht University (UM), everything revolves around the future. The future of our students, as we work to equip them with a solid, broad-based foundation for the rest of their lives. And the future of society, as we seek solutions through our research to issues from all around the world. Our six faculties combined provide a comprehensive package of study programmes and research.

In our teaching, we use the Problem-Based Learning (PBL) method. Students work in small groups, looking for solutions to problems themselves. By discussing issues and working together to draw conclusions, formulate answers and present them to their peers, students develop essential skills for their future careers.

With over 22,300 students and more than 5,000 employees from all over the world, UM is home to a vibrant and inspiring international community.

Are you drawn to an international setting focused on education, science and scholarship? Are you keen to contribute however your skills and qualities allow? Our door is open to you! As a young European university, we value your talent and look forward to creating the future together.

Click here for more information about UM.

Faculty of Science and Engineering

At the Faculty of Science and Engineering (FSE), we focus on themes such as circularity and sustainability, the future of agriculture, digitalization, and (scientific) instrument development.

FSE's leading projects, like the Einstein Telescope Pathfinder, undoubtedly capture everyone's attention.

The faculty is a vibrant hub of education and research in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), as well as Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS).

At FSE, over 450 staff members and 3150 students come together to work on exciting interdisciplinary research and educational programs. You are welcome to join our team and put your brilliant mind to work!

FSE at the Brightlands Campuses

Maastricht, Sittard-Geleen, Heerlen, and Venlo, home to four creative Brightlands campuses, are vibrant locations where 30,000 entrepreneurs, researchers, and students enthusiastically collaborate on solutions for global challenges. The Faculty of Science and Engineering is active on all four Brightlands campuses, and it is where we have the most impact. To give you an idea of what is happening at each campus: Sittard-Geleen hosts one of Europe's largest chemistry and materials sites, while Venlo is a major hub for agro-food innovation. Maastricht is the location of the Health Campus, and Heerlen is the place to be for smart services.

AMIBM

The Aachen-Maastricht Institute for Biobased Materials (AMIBM) is a department of the Faculty of Science and Engineering (FSE) at Maastricht University, located on the Brightlands Chemelot Campus in Geleen. AMIBM is a European cross-border research institute established by Maastricht University and RWTH Aachen University (Germany), focusing on developing advanced biobased materials.

The mission of AMIBM is “ground-breaking conversion of biomass to biobased materials and into product applications”. AMIBM promotes excellent multidisciplinary research in the field of biobased materials for advanced materials applications. The multidisciplinary team draws together scientists with expertise in molecular and applied biotechnology, organic chemistry, polymer chemistry, polymer physics, polymer engineering, biomedical materials, and sustainability assessment.

AMIBM is embedded in a lively, entrepreneurial, and creative working environment at the Brightlands Chemelot Campus in Geleen (the Netherlands), one of the largest chemical and materials communities in Europe.

Click here for more information about AMIBM.

Research group Sustainability of Chemicals and Materials.

The mission of the research team is to provide suitable instruments and sustainability impact assessments to guide the transition from a fossil-based and linear economy to a biobased and circular economy.

We are a young and growing international team of sustainability experts focusing on environmental impact assessment in connection with economic and social impacts.

Click here for more information about the research group Sustainability of Chemicals and Materials.