Position : PhD Researcher (4yr position) - Nutrient Recycling

Nutrient Recycling – from pilot production to farms and fields

This position is part of a larger contingent of new recruitments of 6 new staff members committed to research in research topics of projects in the BioRefine Cluster Europe.

Introduction

Ghent University (Belgium) is internationally one of the leading institutes in resource recovery and renewable resources. It is home to the BioRefine Cluster Europe (www.biorefine.eu), a network of international research and development projects with dedicated focus of guiding innovation towards applied market implementation. 
As part of an extensive European programme on nutrient recycling – from pilot production to farms and fields (Interreg NWE “ReNu2Farm”), we are recruiting a junior expert for a PhD degree at Ghent University (Belgium).

This research focuses on recovering and recycling plant nutrients Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P) and Potassium (K) from waste streams into suitable and marketable fertilizer products. In this respect, properties of recycling-derived fertiliser products will be improved to meet end-user needs. Field trials will be performed to validate and demonstrate these newly developed products to farmers and policy makers. In addition, transnational trade chains will be developed to facilitate enterprises to introduce these new-to-market recycling-derived fertiliser products. The research topic is part of the broader concept of biobased resource recovery in response to nutrient surplus and mineral fertilizer dependency. Research will be conducted in a setting of transnational collaboration, including stays abroad. 

Your profile

  • You are interested in and motivated by the research topic, as well as in obtaining a PhD degree
  • You have mastered the English language, both in writing skills and oral presentations
  • You have the required communicative skills to interact independently with scientific community, business community and farming community
  • You have a relevant degree – Master level in applied biological sciences (agriculture, environmental technology,…)

We offer

  • Full-time employement for a period of 4 years 
  • Being embedded in a team of young dynamic experts from academia and industry
  • Involvement in a European project (Interreg NWE “ReNu2Farm”) with research partners in the Ireland, United Kingdom, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium and France with possibility of mobility across partner countries to visit innovative nutrient recovery processes at practical industrial scale
  • An innovative and hot-topic research scope with clear practical applications 
  • Close supervision and guidance in the conducting of the planned research 
  • The possibility to develop a broad network 
  • Stimulation to self-improvement by encouraging participation in courses, workshops and conferences
  • Career option (to be discussed with the selected candidate based on mobility/travel interests and research opportunities) : for short or longer stays at partner organisations in North-West Europe (wide range of options) and the possibility to obtain Dual Degree PhD from both institutes as a result of such an exchange.

How to apply

Send (I) CV and (II) motivation letter to: eva.clymans@ugent.be before January, 26nd 17h (Central European Time) (put „ReNu2Farm“ in the email title). Selected candidates will be invited for an interview in the first two weeks of February.

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