We are looking for a bright and inspiring postdoc researcher in the field of urban food & biomass systems at the Department of Environmental Technology (http://www.ete.wur.nl/UK/). Your research will focus on design of circular supply chains for food & bio-based products in and around cities. This can be done by connecting predefined product functionality and corresponding quality requirements to locally available food and biomass resources (including locally produced, used, recovered, etc.). A new design tool has to be developed to estimate the consequences of incorporating local resources to current food and biomass supply chain as well as to assess the impact of the required quality criteria and relate this to potential streams of local resources. Furthermore, the tool aims to incorporate new and existing (bio)technologies that free the required ingredients or constituents from the local resource streams to create a broad spectrum of circular design options.

Therefore, the project aims to develop a tool to support circularity-based design of urban food and biomass flow dynamics by identifying the functionality of the products, deriving the corresponding quality indicators for the functionality and inventorying local, urban resource streams that fulfil the quality and functionality of local, urban demands. You will build this understanding and model-based approach using studies, simulations and cases in Amsterdam. The expected deliverables after 2 years include (but not limited to):

• A scientific overview/review paper on state-of-the-art of circular food and biomass system
• A prototype of the tool + a tool description/manual
• A scientific paper on the development and preliminary application of such tool

You will be interacting with several on-going PhDs working on urban system modelling and various food and biomass processing/quality/technology experts at Agrotechnology & Food Science Group (AFSG) of Wageningen University & Research (WUR). You will work within the urban system engineering (USE) sub-group of Environmental Technology department (Part of AFSG), but you will also play an important role in connecting various current and future research work on circular food and biomass system within the entire AFSG. As a member of the department of Environmental Technology, you are expected to participate in our applications for research grants and educational activities. Part of your work will be performed at Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Metropolitan Solutions (AMS) and Wageningen Food & Bio-based Research (WFBR), at which you will be asked to contribute to the tool development with various local stakeholders in Amsterdam or from WFBR to co-develop, apply and validate this tool. After the end of the project, we aim to provide the candidate a career perspective at the applied research institute WFBR.

As postdoc you are an ambitious, enthusiastic and creative scientist and a team player, devoted to research and its applications in the field of urban system analysis and scenario construction methods. You also have:

• A PhD degree in chemical (process) engineering, food process engineering, material science or related fields;
• In-depth understanding of the physical and chemical properties of urban food and biomass streams (e.g. reactive carbohydrate/fibers, proteins, lipids, etc.);
• Familiar or acquainted with modelling tool development; a strong ICT skill for modelling is an asset;
• Interested in defining and improving urban circularity;
• Independent, strong networking and communication skills, experience or good sensitivity in marketing;
• An ability to collaborate and interact with researchers from various food and bio-based disciplines and societal stakeholders;
• Ability in acquisition and proposal writing for getting research funding;
• Excellent communication skills.

A challenging position (with an average working time of 40 hours per week for a period of 24 months) with depending on your experience, a competitive salary from a minimum of € 2709,-. to a maximum of € 4274,-. for a full working week of 38 hours in accordance with the Collective Labor Agreement Dutch Universities (scale 10).

In addition, we offer:

• 8% holiday allowance;
• a structural year-end bonus of 8.3%;
• excellent training opportunities and secondary employment conditions;
• flexible working hours and holidays can possibly be determined in consultation so that an optimal balance between work and private life is possible;
• excellent pension plan through ABP;
• 232 vacation hours, the option to purchase extra and good supplementary leave schemes;
• a flexible working time: the possibility to work a maximum of 2 hours per week extra and thereby to build up extra leave;
• a choice model to put together part of your employment conditions yourself, such as a bicycle plan;
• a lively workplace where you can easily make contacts and where many activities take place on the Wageningen Campus. A place where education, research and business are represented;

Wageningen University & Research stimulates internal career opportunities and mobility with an internal recruitment policy. There are ample opportunities for own initiative in a learning environment.

We offer a versatile job in an international environment with varied activities in a pleasant and open working atmosphere.

Wageningen University & Research

The mission of our University is to explore the potential of nature to improve the quality of life. Within Wageningen University & Research, nine specialized research institutes from the Wageningen Research Foundation and Wageningen University have joined forces to help answer the most important questions in the domain of healthy food and living environment. With approximately 30 locations, 5,000 employees, and 10,000 students, it is one of the leading organizations in its domain worldwide. An integrated approach to problems and the cooperation between various disciplines are at the heart of the unique approach of Wageningen.

Equal opportunities employer
We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of their race, sex, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation or age.

For further information about working at Wageningen University & Research, take a look at http://www.wur.nl/en/Jobs.htm

Acquisition regarding this vacancy is not appreciated.