Let’s shape the future - University of Antwerp
The University of Antwerp is a dynamic, forward-thinking, European university. We offer an innovative academic education to more than 20000 students, conduct pioneering scientific research and play an important service-providing role in society. We are one of the largest, most international and most innovative employers in the region. With more than 6000 employees from 100 different countries, we are helping to build tomorrow's world every day. Through top scientific research, we push back boundaries and set a course for the future – a future that you can help to shape.
The Department of Engineering Management at the Faculty of Business and Economics (UAntwerp) is looking for a full-time doctoral scholarship holder in the field of Dynamic economic impact assessment of seaweed biorefineries to support the protein shift.
Position
- You will work actively on the preparation and defence of a PhD thesis on the dynamic economic impact assessment of seaweed biorefineries. This PhD research is part of a larger FWO-SBO research project SUPROSEA (Sustainable Proteins from Seaweed) in which a solution is sought for the imminent shortage of protein by cultivating seaweed in Flanders. Seaweed is a promising alternative protein source and can contribute to global food sustainability. The main objective of SUPROSEA is to investigate the sustainability of different seaweed biorefineries in Flanders (North Sea). Within this project, you will contribute to an integrated sustainability impact assessment for seaweed biorefineries. This sustainability assessment will consist of several submodels, including the scaling up of the technology, an environmental assessment, and a dynamic economic assessment. The PhD research will focus on the dynamic economic evaluation of the seaweed biorefineries. In a first step, the economic feasibility of different value chains for the seaweed biorefineries is assessed in a static economic assessment. This static assessment will be combined with real options analysis, to account for the impact of uncertainties on the investment decision. Different types of uncertainties can be considered, including market uncertainty (e.g. fluctuation of prices) and technological uncertainty (e.g. learning effects). The results from the economic assessment reveal the optimal investment timing for various scenarios of the seaweed biorefineries. These results are combined with the environmental impacts in the integrated sustainability impact assessment.
- You will publish scientific articles related to the research project.
- You will carry out a limited number of teaching and research support tasks.
Profile
- You hold a Master’s degree in Business Engineering, Applied Economics, Economics, or Environmental Economics or you will have obtained it by the time you start working.
- You can demonstrate excellent study results.
- Your teaching competencies are in line with the education visions of the University of Antwerp
- Your research qualities are in line with the faculty and university research policies.
- You act with attention to quality, integrity, creativity and cooperation.
- You show a strong affinity for interdisciplinary research.
- You show a strong interest in quantitative methods. Having a background in financial evaluation methods such as real options analysis is a bonus.
- You show a strong interest in sustainability and finding innovative solutions that can support us in a transition to a net-zero society
- You can easily present your research results to a non-expert audience.
What we offer
- We offer a doctoral scholarship for a period of one year. Following a positive evaluation, the scholarship can be renewed for another two-year period and then again for one final year (four years in total).
- The planned start date is 1 November 2024 or as soon as possible after that date.
- Your monthly scholarship amount is calculated according to the scholarship amounts for doctoral scholarship holders on the pay scales for Contract Research Staff (Dutch: Bijzonder Academisch Personeel, BAP).
- You will receive ecocheques, an Internet-connectivity allowance and a bicycle allowance or a full reimbursement of public transport costs for commuting.
- You will do most of your work at the City campus of the University of Antwerp in a dynamic and stimulating working environment.
- Find out more about working at the University of Antwerp.
Want to apply?
- You can apply for this vacancy through the University of Antwerp’s online job application platform up to and including 11 September 2024 (by midnight Brussels time). Click on the 'Apply' button, complete the online application form and be sure to include the following attachments: a motivation letter and your academic CV.
- The selection committee will review all of the applications as soon as possible after the application deadline. As soon as a decision has been made, we will inform you about the next steps in the selection procedure. Please make a note of the following date: 25 September (interview).
- If you have any questions about the online application form, please check the frequently asked questions or send an email to jobs@uantwerpen.be. If you have any questions about the job itself, please contact Tine.compernolle@uantwerpen.be and Hanne.lamberts-vanassche@uantwerpen.be
The University of Antwerp received the European Commission’s HR Excellence in Research Award for its HR policy. We are a sustainable, family-friendly organisation which invests in its employees’ growth. We encourage diversity and attach great importance to an inclusive working environment and equal opportunities, regardless of gender identity, disability, race, ethnicity, religion or belief, sexual orientation or age. We encourage people from diverse backgrounds and with diverse characteristics to apply.