PhD position: Lignin-Based Resins for Waterproof Coatings

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PhD position: Lignin-Based Resins for Waterproof Coatings

• Our goal: To develop recyclable, lignin-based waterproofing resins – in close collaboration with public and private partners.
• Your colleagues: An interdisciplinary team of researchers at the Aachen-Maastricht Institute for Biobased Materials (AMIBM), part of the Faculty of Science and Engineering (FSE).

As part of the European SPLENDOR project, you’ll collaborate with a strong consortium of academic and industrial partners. SPLENDOR focuses on a groundbreaking technology to directly depolymerize lignin – a byproduct of the pulp industry – into valuable bio-aromatic chemicals without pretreatment, catalysts, or additives. This one-step process is scalable, waste-free, and designed for seamless integration into pulp mills.

At Maastricht University, your task will be to synthesize and characterize lignin-based resins for waterproof coatings. You will functionalize lignin fractions through organic chemistry, develop recyclable crosslinking strategies (so-called covalent adaptable networks), and study the material properties using techniques such as rheology, DMA, and tensile testing. Together with industrial partners in the SPLENDOR project, you will assess coating performance and contribute to real-world applications.

You will be based at AMIBM, located on the Brightlands Chemelot Campus in Geleen (NL), and join the research group of Associate Professor Katrien Bernaerts. The group specializes in the design of polymer materials with tunable properties and recyclability, using biobased building blocks.

What you bring
It’s not about ticking boxes – it’s about who you are and what you contribute. Do you recognize yourself in the following?

• Strong in synthesis skills – You have solid experience in organic chemistry, polymer synthesis, and analytical characterization.
• strong materials characterization skills - characterization of covalent adaptable networks with rheology, DMA, tensile tests, ...
• Experimental and analytical mindset – You’re eager to explore and understand the structure-property relationships of innovative polymers for coating applications
• Passionate about sustainability – You’re motivated to help develop circular alternatives to fossil-based materials.
• A team player – You enjoy working across disciplines and engaging with industrial partners. Willing to scale up monomers/polymers for tests by companies in the consortium
• Results-oriented and curious – You think ahead, take initiative, and are driven by impact.
• Independent and creative – You’re open to experimentation and like to challenge conventional thinking.
• Fluent in English – You communicate effectively in scientific English, both written and spoken. Dutch is not required.

What we offer
As PhD position: Lignin-Based Resins for Waterproof Coatings at Faculty of Science & Engineering, you will be employed by the most international university in the Netherlands, however, you will be located in Geleen. In addition, we offer you:

• Good employment conditions. The position is graded in scale P according to UFO profile PhD, with corresponding salary based on experience ranging from €2901,00 and €3707,00 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
Why work at Maastricht University?

At Maastricht University (UM), everything revolves around the future. The future of our students, as we work to equip them with a solid, broad-based foundation for the rest of their lives. And the future of society, as we seek solutions through our research to issues from all around the world. Our six faculties combined provide a comprehensive package of study programmes and research.

In our teaching, we use the Problem-Based Learning (PBL) method. Students work in small groups, looking for solutions to problems themselves. By discussing issues and working together to draw conclusions, formulate answers and present them to their peers, students develop essential skills for their future careers.

With over 22,300 students and more than 5,000 employees from all over the world, UM is home to a vibrant and inspiring international community.

Are you drawn to an international setting focused on education, science and scholarship? Are you keen to contribute however your skills and qualities allow? Our door is open to you! As a young European university, we value your talent and look forward to creating the future together.

Click here for more information about UM. 

Faculty of Science and Engineering  
At the Faculty of Science and Engineering (FSE), we focus on themes such as circularity and sustainability, future farming, digitisation and (scientific) instrument development.  FSE's leading projects, like the Einstein Telescope Pathfinder, are sure to grab anyone's attention.  The faculty is a vibrant hub of education and research in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) and Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS).  At FSE, over 450 staff members and 3700 students gather to explore e exciting interdisciplinary research and educational programmes. Feel welcome, be part of our team and put your brilliant mind to work!  
 

FSE at the Brightlands Campuses  
Maastricht, Sittard-Geleen, Heerlen, and Venlo, the home of four creative Brightlands campuses, are bustling with 30,000 entrepreneurs, researchers, and students working diligently to solve global challenges. The Faculty of Science and Engineering is active on all four Brightlands campuses, and this is where our impact reaches its peak. To give you an idea of what is happening at each campus: Sittard-Geleen is home to the largest chemical site in the Euregion, while Venlo is a large hub for agri-food innovation. Maastricht is the site of the Health Campus, and Heerlen is the place to be for Smart Services.  
 

Department

The Aachen-Maastricht Institute for Biobased Materials (AMIBM) is a department of the Faculty of Science and Engineering (FSE) at Maastricht University. AMIBM is a European cross-border research institute established by Maastricht University and RWTH Aachen University focusing on the development of advanced biobased materials. The mission of AMIBM is to replace traditional polymer building blocks with innovative and sustainable alternatives for the development of novel and environmentally-beneficial materials. AMIBM promotes world-class multidisciplinary research in the field of biobased materials, by training PhD students with the multiple skills needed to be future leaders in the field, and creating the research breakthroughs that will enable the utilization of sustainable and renewable materials for advanced materials applications. The multidisciplinary team draws together scientists with expertise in organic chemistry, biocatalysis, lead finding of new biobased blocks, polymer chemistry, polymer physics, polymer engineering, biobased and biomedical materials, tissue engineering, and industrial and medical applications. More information can be found via https://www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/research/institutes/amibm/research/ 

Research group Sustainable Polymer Synthesis 
Main research focus is on the design and synthesis of sustainable polymer materials with tuneable properties for the circular economy. Sustainability entails biobased building blocks (but no biorefinery) instead of fossil raw materials, green routes for polymer synthesis and processing, as well as chemical recycling/reprocessing methods (biodegradability, depolymerization, dynamic bonds) to make the end-of-life of polymers more sustainable. Structure-property relationships of the resulting polymers are evaluated in several fields of application e.g. stimuli-responsive polymers, coatings, fibres, engineering plastics and biomedical materials. Growing focus on the use of artificial intelligence techniques to support and accelerate the experimental work, e.g. data interpretation and prediction of structure-property relationships.
https://sustainablepolymersynthesis.com/

Curious?
Are you interested in this exciting position but still have questions? Feel free to contact Katrien Bernaerts, Associate Professor Sustainable Polymer Synthesis, via +31433882636 or katrien.bernaerts@maastrichtuniversity.nl. for more information. 

Applying?
Or are you already convinced and ready to become our new PhD position: Lignin-Based Resins for Waterproof Coatings? 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. 
 

Please upload:

• A cover letter including your motivation and relevant experience
• A CV
• Names and contact data of two people who could provide a reference
• Diplomas/degrees including a grade transcript of previous education

The vacancy is open for internal and external candidates. In case of equal qualifications, internal candidates will be prioritized.

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.