researcher-expert Sustainable Aviation

Hasselt University, Belgium

Updated: over 2 years ago
Deadline: 26 Nov 2021
research institute Research Institute: Centre for Environmental Sciences of Hasselt University seeks a (m/f/x)

researcher-expert Sustainable Aviation
Background
The Centre for Environmental Sciences (CMK) at Hasselt University strives to be an international academic leader in holistic, multi-, and transdisciplinary analyses pertaining to the environment and a source of robust science-driven advice to public and private decision-makers from the local to the international level. CMK is an agent of societal change from a local to a global level, by means of academic discovery, dissemination and implementation: CMK research addresses challenges of high societal urgency that require analyses that span across the boundaries of different scientific domains and disciplines, and necessitate fundamental as well as applied research. CMK has approximately 150 researchers. The postdoc position is situated in CMK’s research theme “clean technologies”, more specifically with regard to making aviation more sustainable. The research institute has long-standing expertise here in particular with regard to sustainable aviation fuels (SAF), with multiple research projects ongoing at the moment. CMK has been heavily involved in advising the International Civil Aviation Organization, national governments and other aviation stakeholders on aspects of economic and environmental sustainability of SAF and has taken up a formal leadership function in the integration of SAF into the ICAO CORSIA process. Through its ICAO involvement, the institute has strong ties to all actors in the SAF supply chain.
Job content
You will work as a postdoc within the CMK research group environmental economics. Your main assignment will be on STARGATE, a 5 year EU Green Deal Project that will make a tangible and meaningful contribution to increasing the environmental sustainability of EU airports. The mission of the STARGATE consortium is to develop, test and deploy a set of innovative solutions aimed at making the airport ecosystem significantly more sustainable. Brussels Airport is the lighthouse airport in the consortium with Toulouse, Athens and Budapest airports acting as fellow airports that will implement successful sustainability actions from the lighthouse airport. The STARGATE project will serve as a valuable tool for the EU to reach the Green Deal Plan bold targets of 55% carbon emission reduction by 2030 and a carbon net-zero region by 2050.
 Within STARGATE, Hasselt University is lead for the work package on clean energy, which is one of the three core work packages of the project. The role of the postdoc in this project is twofold: First, the postdoc will conduct original research to advance the deployment of clean energy solutions, in particular sustainable alternative fuels at Brussels airport and beyond. This entails working closely with SAF stakeholders along the entire SAF supply chain in order to develop innovative business models for feedstock production, conversion and SAF blending. The postdoc is expected to present the work at international conferences, publish findings in highly-regarded journals, and contribute to the actual implementation of the findings within STARGATE.
 Second, the postdoc will act as a project manager for the clean energy work package of STARGATE, coordinating the different tasks, monitoring progress among the partners involved and making sure that deliverables and deadlines are met.
Profile
  • You have a doctoral degree in economics, business administration, management, chemical, civil or aeronautical engineering (or equivalent)
  • You have a proven affinity to the air transport sector or alternative fuels for the transport sector.
  • You have shown potential for publishing in peer-reviewed journals.
  • You have strong project management skills.
  • You are enterprising and show initiative.
  • You are cooperative and can work well in teams.
  • You take a pragmatic approach to seeking solutions.
  • You work analytically and have a structural understanding.
  • You have verifiable interest in sustainability aspects in transportation and/or energy
Offer
You will be appointed and paid as researcher-expert .
The contract is initially for 18 months with the potential for extension.
Selection procedure
You can only apply online up to and including 26 November 2021.
The selection procedure consists of a preselection based on application file, an introductory interview and an in-depth interview.
Further information
Prof. dr. Robert MALINA, +32-11-268687, [email protected]
More about working at Hasselt University? Check www.uhasselt.be/vacancies for our staff benefits.

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