Junior Researcher Biorefinery & Resource Recovery

Functie-inhoud

As a passionate researcher with a bio-based and circular heart you help execute European research projects for and in partnership with businesses.

Great job

Biorefinery plays an important role in the realization of the material and energy transition through the use of different innovative technologies such as fermentation. To strengthen our team, we are seeking an eager junior researcher with experience and a passion for fermentation processes. In this position you will conduct laboratory research within the Biobased Resources & Energy research group with a focus on recovery and characterization of valuable components from residual streams from industries, nature and the agricultural sector.

As a junior researcher, we envision you to:

• Create research plans and execute laboratory experiments in order to optimize fermentation parameters and techniques.
• Analyze and interpret data from fermentation experiments.
• Collaborate with a multi-disciplinary team to integrate both downstream and upstream process development.
• Prepare technical reports and presentations on experimental outcomes and recommendations.
• Guide internship students with their research projects.

Your role as junior researcher at Avans

You will find your place within the Centre of Expertise MNEXT – Material and Energy Transition, a partnership of Avans University of Applied Sciences and HZ University of Applied Sciences. MNEXT forms the bridge between innovation and society together with SMEs. We are an international team with about 90 enthusiastic colleagues. That means that we communicate both in Dutch and  English. The atmosphere is accessible and full of humour. We do not practice hierarchy, which means we create short lines of communication.

You will be part of the  Biobased Resources & Energy research group which focusses on the recovery of valuable building blocks, products, and energy from residual streams from industries, agriculture, and nature. Examples include producing bioplastics from aqueous waste streams and valorisation of organic acids. They do this in close cooperation with education, regional businesses, and (inter)national (applied) universities and research institutes. 

Please visit our website for details about our activities.

What we offer you

An environment where you have the freedom to discover and improve things – this is how we get the best out of you. We will help you to continue developing, enabling you to contribute to the ongoing professionalisation of our organisation. We also offer:

• A gross monthly salary based on a fulltime position between € 3.471 and € 5.170 (scale 10 of the collective labor agreement for higher professional education). In accordance with the collective labor agreement, salaries will be increased by 4% as of January 1, 2025.
• An end-of-year bonus, which is approximately equal to a thirteenth month.
• An appointment for 1 year. If the position functions well and there is sufficient budgeted staffing capacity, an extension is a possibility.
• A good work-life balance and pleasant workplaces.
• A lot of freedom in your job with the option to work from home.

You fit right in

As our new colleague, you are flexible and you have a strong inquisitive attitude, commitment and focus on knowledge-sharing and collaboration. You share our passion and ambition for biobased and circular economy developments and solutions in practice-based and innovative research. Since we are an international team, you have strong communication skills in English. You also have:

• A bachelor’s or master’s degree in chemical engineering, microbiology, biochemistry or similar study programmes.
• Laboratory experience performing fermentations. Knowledge and experience with using lab scale bioreactors is an asset.
• Experience in analytical methods, such as liquid and gas chromatography, and thermal gravimetric analysis.
• Experience with downstream processing (solvent extraction, adsorption, etc) of biomass.
• Knowledge of mass and energy balances and unit operations.

Innovative Avans

Big ambitions, human scale. Committed. Personal. That’s Avans. A place where you can be yourself. With your unique ideas and insights, we’ll give you plenty of freedom. That’s part of our learning and entrepreneurial character. We offer optimum flexible education, in co-creation with the professional field. And we are always changing, and moving with the world around us. Our aim is to offer ever more personalisation, so that our students can choose part of their own learning pathways. That’s our Ambition for 2025. Read these stories to discover Avans as an employer.

Contribute to our Ambition

Do you see a rewarding role for yourself as we continue to professionalise our research and education? Then apply no later than December 2th by clicking ‘apply’. Let us know in your motivation letter why you feel like this is the right challenge for you . If you have any questions, please contact Guilherme de Souza Reis, researcher of the Biobased Resources & Energy research group, on +31 6 4164 0356 or ga.desouzareis@avans.nl. We will give you an update on your application within 2 weeks of the closing date.