The Department of Sustainable Development at Utrecht seeks PhD candidates for the Position on the Sustainability of Revolutionary Reusable Packaging.
Reusable packaging systems (RPS) have promising environmental benefits compared to single-use packaging, yet have been subject to less integrated attention in science and society, potentially due to the complexity of the required system change. To address this, the project Re2Pack takes an interdisciplinary approach focused on value chains, consumer behaviour, and packaging design to introduce sustainable RPS.
They are searching for a PhD candidate to work in an interdisciplinary environment to identify and quantify the economic and environmental sustainability of RPS, using and developing decision-making tools based on Life Cycle Assessment (LCA).
Duration: 4 years.
Starting Date: The preferred starting date for this position is August or September 2024.
Salary
The position on sustainability of revolutionary reusable packaging offers:
- a gross monthly salary between €2,770 and €3,539 salary scale P under the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities (CAO NU);
- 8% holiday pay and 8.3% year-end bonus;
- a pension scheme, partially paid parental leave, and flexible terms of employment based on the CAO NU.
Job Requirements
For the Sustainability of Revolutionary Reusable Packaging, they are looking for colleagues who:
- holds a Master’s degree (or equivalent) in environmental sciences, industrial ecology, industrial design engineering, sustainable development, sustainable business innovation or another relevant discipline;
- has a multidisciplinary education and experience with natural sciences disciplines. This involves both qualitative and quantitative analytical skills and systems thinking;
- has demonstrated experience applying life cycle assessment and, ideally, knowledge of the packaging sector;
- has the ability to clearly communicate complex information and interact effectively with both academic and diverse stakeholder audiences;
- is enthusiastic to learn and work independently and as part of a larger team working on the transition to the circular economy;
- has excellent English language skills, both written and verbal;
- has the curiosity and motivation to address important real-world problems through rigorous and ambitious academic inquiry.
Application Process
Interested applicants should submit the following documents:
- a motivation letter explaining their interest in and suitability for the position;
- curriculum vitae, including the grade for their Master’s thesis and overall grade point average (or equivalent) of their Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees;
- Master’s thesis (in pdf) or a summary (2 pages maximum) of their latest research;
- the names and contact details of 2 academic referees (only to be contacted after approval).
To apply for the PhD Position on the Sustainability of Revolutionary Reusable Packaging, click here.
Deadline: March 17, 2024.
For more information on PhD Position on the Sustainability of Revolutionary Reusable Packaging, visit the official site.
