PhD Scholarship in Life Cycle Assessment for Sustainable Energy Management

This position is at the faculty of Engineering Sciences of Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium. The candidate will work in the research group MOBI (Mobility, Logistics and Automotive Technology Research Centre), which has an international and multidisciplinary team of more than 100 specialists and is currently participating in 25 running EU projects.

MOBI is a top-notch research group with an international reputation in the fields of sustainable transport and its integration in the smart energy system of the future. The group is coordinating several Belgian and European scale projects on sustainable energy management.  In this context, we are offering a 4 year scholarship for a PhD on the environmental life cycle impact of Local Energy Communities and sustainable energy management.

The PhD candidate will be responsible for performing the research on the sustainable life cycle impact of Local Energy Systems. The PhD candidate is expected to focus on environmental aspects but also collaborate with other PhD students focusing on social and economic impacts to make a full sustainability assessment. The scholarship is open to applicants from all nationalities, backgrounds and gender.

MAIN TASKS

• Perform Life Cycle Assessments of Local Energy Communities
• Conducting the research according to the workplan of the project
• Writing research reports and scientific articles;
• Presenting research at (international) seminars and conferences;
• Collaborate with other researchers (internal and external) and project partners

PROFILE

• An academic Master degree in Engineering or related (e.g. Industrial Ecology, Environmental Engineering, Environmental Science etc.)
• Knowledge of LCA and sustainability assessment techniques
• Knowledge of energy systems is an asset
• Programming skills (e.g. python) are an asset
• Interest in research and development
• Good communication skills in English (speaking and writing)
• Ability to work both in a team and independently while carrying out complex tasks
• Proactive and able to take initiative

OUR OFFER

• Competitive salary
• 1-year scholarship (renewable up to 4 years)
• Hospitalization cover
• Free use of public transport for travel to and from work
• Extensive sporting facilities and a nursery on campus
• Young, international and challenging work environment at the cutting edge of innovative research

Starting date: As soon as possible

HOW TO APPLY

Please send the following documents to: ashleigh.hruz@vub.be

• CV;
• Diplomas;
• Transcripts;
• Cover letter

This posting will remain open until a suitable candidate has been found. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted