PhD candidate: synthesis and evaluation of biobased covalent adaptable networks (project SusInkCoat)

22 Feb 2024
Job Information

Organisation/Company

Maastricht University (UM)

Research Field

Physics

Researcher Profile

First Stage Researcher (R1)

Country

Netherlands

Application Deadline

30 Apr 2024 - 21:59 (UTC)

Type of Contract

Temporary

Job Status

Not Applicable

Hours Per Week

38.0

Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme?

Not funded by an EU programme

Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure?

No

Offer Description

This project is part of the SusInkCoat consortium with partners both the public and the private sector. The goal of the SusInkCoat project is to develop switchable and adaptive functional polymers and additives for low environmental footprint.
Plastics have their drawbacks: their production consumes energy and leads to greenhouse gas emissions; they are made from non-sustainable materials; they do not decompose; and less than 10% are recycled. Much progress has been made in making plastics more sustainable for larger applications. However, thin films, such as those used in coatings and inks, are lagging behind. The SusInkCoat project is changing that. Researchers are developing new materials, processes and applications to improve the durability, functionality and recyclability of coatings, thin films and inks. In addition, the consortium is training a new generation of chemical developers for whom sustainability and circularity are core values.

The task of Maastricht University is to develop biobased monomers and recyclable thermosets thereof, as well as the chemical and physical polymer characterization. Recyclability of the thermosets will be obtained by the introduction of dynamic bonds and their dynamic behavior will be studied. Properties of the resulting inks and coatings will also be investigated. The PhD student will work closely together with academic and industrial project partners in the consortium. Samples will be upscaled for the testing by the industrial partners. Based on their feedback, the synthesis work will be tuned.

The PhD student will be appointed at the Aachen-Maastricht Institute for Biobased Materials of Maastricht University, which is part of the Faculty of Science and Engineering. You will work in the Sustainable Polymer Synthesis group of Associate Professor Katrien Bernaerts, which focusses on the synthesis and design of polymer materials with tunable properties and recyclability exploiting the functionality of biobased building blocks. You will operate from the Brightlands-Chemelot Campus in Geleen (Nl), where the labs are located.

Requirements
Specific Requirements

The candidate

• holds a master degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering or related fields;
• has skills in organic synthesis (monomers) and chemical characterization;
• has skills in polymer synthesis and characterization. Experience with polycondensation is a pro;
• has interest in the material characterization of covalent adaptable networks (rheology, DMA, tensile test, …);
• has a strong interest to investigate structure-property relationships of the synthesized thermosets both from fundamental point of view and for ink and coating applications;
• is open to scale up polymers for application tests by industrial project partners;
• the candidate is expected to stay abreast of the recent literature (publications and patents) in the field of recyclable thermosets, develop research ideas and valorised the research in the form of patents and research papers;
• likes to interact with academic and industrial partners;
• is result driven, inventive, creative, counts with potential impact, works ‘accountable’ and works with ownership;
• Masters scientific English for speaking, reading, and writing. Knowledge of Dutch is not required.

Additional Information
Benefits

What we offer
As PhD candidate: synthesis and evaluation of biobased covalent adaptable networks (project SusInkCoat)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 scale P according to UFO profile Promovendus, with corresponding salary based on experience ranging from €2770,00 and €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 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.

Additional comments

Curious?
Are you interested in this exciting position but still have questions? Feel free to contact Katrien Bernaerts, Associate Professor Sustainable Polymer Synthesis Katrien Bernaerts ([email protected] or +31 43 388 2636) for more information.

Applying?
Or are you already convinced and ready to become our new PhD? Apply now, no later than April 30,2024 for this position and submit:

• Cover letter including your motivation, your relevant experience (referring to the “description of the candidate”, above)
• CV
• Names and contact data of two people who could provide a reference
• Diplomas/degrees including a grade transcript of previous education.

We will recruit until the position is filled. The selection process commences immediately, but will close when a suitable candidate has been found, even if this prior to the final date of the application window. Closing date for this position is 30 April 2024.

Website for additional job details

https://www.academictransfer.com/338090/

Work Location(s)

Number of offers available

1

Company/Institute

Maastricht University

Country

Netherlands

City

Sittard-Geleen

Postal Code

6167RD

Street

Urmonderbaan 22

Where to apply

Website

https://www.academictransfer.com/en/338090/phd-candidate-synthesis-and-evaluati…

Contact

City

Maastricht

Website

http://www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/

Street

Minderbroedersberg 4

Postal Code

6211 LK

STATUS: EXPIRED