Are you driven by sustainability and do you want to perform research in the exciting field of plastics recycling in a leading research group? Then we invite you to consider our offer.

Job Description
In the plastic packaging value chain, there is only limited information available on the plastics in that chain to assess circularity and recyclability goals, especially the use of post-consumer recyclates (PCR) in packaging.

Quality specifications, monitoring, and standardisation of materials are common in certain industries like chemistry and pharma but are, at this point, only in an infancy state in plastic waste management. A major challenge when it comes to mechanical recycling of plastics is that the quality of the material is not monitored throughout the whole process. Inline monitoring is however essential for predicting the final quality of PCR.

In the MoQuP-R project, we focus on the necessary quality monitoring tools and the application of existing models related to the prediction of recyclate quality in order to increase the use of PCR in packaging. In this project, your responsibilities will entail:

• Review literature to identify relevant quality parameters in mechanical recycling of plastics.
• Support the adaptation of laboratory and/or offline analytical techniques to be used inline in polymer processing equipment.
• Support the realisation of changes to polymer processing equipment to enable inline measurements during extrusion.
• Develop a new inline rheometer aiming to identify fluctuations in the properties of the material during recycling.
• Design and perform experiments using polymer processing equipment and post-consumer plastics to apply and develop monitoring tools.
• Analyse the experimental data from the experiments related to PCR quality and propose predictive models.
• Present your work at international conferences, MoQuP-R consortium meetings, and other events and write scientific papers for international peer-reviewed journals.
• Provide teaching assistance and/or supervision of students.

As a PhD Candidate, you will work in the Circular Plastics team in the Faculty of Science and Engineering located at Brightlands Chemelot Campus in Geleen. You will become part of a young international research group, specialized in the mechanical recycling of plastics with a strong polymer science background. You will be guided by Rudinei Fiorio and supported by other experts in the Circular Plastics team on this exciting topic.

Requirements
We expect you to have the following experience, knowledge, and skills:

• A MSc degree in mechanical engineering, polymer engineering, polymer science, chemical engineering, chemistry, or similar;
• Good knowledge on analytical techniques such as rheology, spectroscopy, GCMS;
• Skills in polymer processing;
• Good skills in data analysis software (e.g. Python (preferred), Matlab, Simulink);
• Proficiency in both written and spoken English.

What we offer
As a PhD candidate at the 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 scale PhD according to UFO profile PhD canidate, with corresponding salary based on experience ranging from €2770,00 in the first year and €3539,00 gross per month in the fourth year (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, future farming, digitisation and (scientific) instrument development. FSE's leading projects, like the Einstein Telescope Pathfinder, are sure to grab anyone's attention. The faculty is a vibrant hub of education and research in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) and Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS). At FSE, over 450 staff members and 3700 students gather to explore e exciting interdisciplinary research and educational programmes. Feel welcome, be part of our team and put your brilliant mind to work!

FSE at the Brightlands Campuses
Maastricht, Sittard-Geleen, Heerlen, and Venlo, the home of four creative Brightlands campuses, are bustling with 30,000 entrepreneurs, researchers, and students working diligently to solve global challenges. The Faculty of Science and Engineering is active on all four Brightlands campuses, and this is where our impact reaches its peak. To give you an idea of what is happening at each campus: Sittard-Geleen is home to the largest chemical site in the Euregion, while Venlo is a large hub for agri-food innovation. Maastricht is the site of the Health Campus, and Heerlen is the place to be for Smart Services.

Curious?
Are you interested in this exciting position but still have questions? Feel free to contact Rudinei Fiorio at r.fiorio@maastrichtuniversity.nl for more information.

Applying?
Or are you already convinced and ready to become our new PhD candidate? Apply now, no later than 18 August 2024, for this position.

Please upload your CV, motivation letter, grade list and publication list.

The vacancy is open for internal and external candidates. In case of equal qualifications, internal candidates will be prioritized.

Maastricht University is committed to promoting and nurturing a diverse and inclusive community. We believe that diversity in our staff and student population contributes to the quality of research and education at UM, and strive to enable this through inclusive policies and innovative projects led by teams of staff and students. We encourage you to apply for this position.