Utrecht Unniversity 2021 PhD Scholarship in Inorganic Chemistry and Catalysis

Decades of polymer engineering have led to various plastic materials with a variety of tuneable properties and applications. Considerably less effort has gone into strategies on how to deal with the waste created. The majority of plastic waste is landfilled, burned, or leaks to the environment. Unfortunately only 12 % (by weight) is recycled globally, mainly because the predominantly applied recycling technique of melting and re-extrusion produces a lower quality plastic. In this project you will develop chemical pathways to recycle polyolefin waste. There are three projects available:

1. thermo-oxidative degradation of polyethylene to valuable carboxylic acids;
2. developing a supported catalyst for the supercritical solvolysis of polyethylene; 
3. and rational design of an impurity-resistant catalyst for solvent-assisted polyolefin cracking to aromatics.

• Table of Content
• About Utrecht University
• PhD Scholarship in Inorganic Chemistry and Catalysis
• Aim and Benefits of PhD Scholarship in Inorganic Chemistry and Catalysis
• Requirements for PhD Scholarship in Inorganic Chemistry and Catalysis Qualification
• Application Deadline
• How to Apply

About Utrecht University

Founded in 1636 and located in the heart of the Netherlands, Utrecht University is one of Europe's leading research universities. We are recognised internationally for our high-quality, innovative approach to research and teaching. As an international student, you’ll be in good company at Utrecht University. Every year, approximately 1,500 international students come to the university to take English-taught degree programmes and other courses. Students work and study closely together, learning to operate in an international environment from the outset. This is essential for s...... continue reading

PhD Scholarship in Inorganic Chemistry and Catalysis

Aim and Benefits of PhD Scholarship in Inorganic Chemistry and Catalysis

Offer

• a full-time position for 1.5 years, which can be extended to 4 years upon good performance;
• a full-time gross salary starting at €2,395 in the first year and increasing to €3,061 in the fourth year (scale P Collective Labour Agreement Dutch Universities (cao));
• benefits including 8% holiday bonus and 8.3% end-of-year bonus;
• a pension scheme, partially paid parental leave, and flexible employment conditions external link based on the Collective Labour Agreement Dutch Universities.

The research group will provide the candidate with the necessary support in all aspects of the project.

Requirements for PhD Scholarship in Inorganic Chemistry and Catalysis Qualification

We are looking for a candidate with a Master's degree in chemistry or chemical engineering, with a focus on catalysis. Our perfect candidate:

• has a strong interest in the fields of heterogeneous catalysis, spectroscopy, and/or analytical chemistry;
• is proficient in spoken and written English;
• is creative and a team player with good communicative skills;
• has hands-on experience in using or building chemical set-ups in the lab environment;
• is able to work independently in a multidisciplinary environment.

You should be able to perform complex and thorough investigations into catalyst materials and performances, and therefore you should have the ability to quickly learn new techniques and develop the technical expertise to work with catalytic testing set-ups.

Application Deadline

How to Apply

If you have the expertise and the experience to excel in this role, then simply respond via the “Apply now” button!

Please enclose:

• your letter of motivation;
• your curriculum vitae;
• the names, telephone numbers, and email addresses of at least two references.

For more details, visit website.