The Faculty of Science and Institute of Environmental Sciences  are looking for:

Software developer / Scientist, Industrial Ecology (1 fte)

Vacancy number: 22-334

The Institute of Environmental Sciences (CML) is a key player in developing methodologies and tools to assess the environmental sustainability of products, services, and technologies. These methods include, amongst others, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Environmentally Extended Input Output Analysis (EEIOA) and have a real-world impact by informing technology developers and policy makers about the environmental sustainability of future technologies.

We are looking for a software developer or researcher with proven programming skills to support our work. The software developer will play an important role in supporting international research projects and developing tools for internal and external use. One principal tool is the python-based open source LCA software Activity Browser (https://github.com/LCA-ActivityBrowser/activity-browser) as it has a rapidly growing international user base. Additional projects may concern contributing in the development of web-applications for the analysis of sustainability scenarios using EEIOA (e.g., www.ramascene.eu).

The vacancy offers opportunities for personal growth, e.g. by taking on the lead developer role for our LCA software and interacting with its international user base, due to the possibility to take part in cutting-edge sustainability research, including the possibility to publish scientific papers or take part in education and software trainings. The candidate will work closely with scientific staff and can rely on our profound experience with the development of software for LCA and EEIOA. Leiden University also offers a range of courses for personal development.

Key tasks

• Taking on the role of the lead developer of the Activity Browser open source LCA software (with guidance from colleagues at CML)
• Supporting the maintenance of web-applications
• Supporting scientific research projects from a software perspective

Selection criteria

• Solid programming knowledge, preferably in Python (e.g. PySide, pandas, brightway). JavaScript is a plus. Previous experience with software development is a plus.
• Experience or desire to grow in the use of web development frameworks (e.g., Django). Experience or knowledge of containerization technologies (e.g., Docker or Singularity) is a plus.
• Independent mind and own initiative to contribute to projects and software
• Ability to work in a team.
• Proficiency in English and good communication skills.
• An interest in sustainability. Knowledge in the fields of industrial ecology, LCA, or related disciplines is a plus, but not strictly required.

Terms and conditions 

We offer a one year term position with the possibility of renewal based on need, funding and performance. The salary range is from € 2.846 to € 4.490 gross per month (pay scale 10 in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities).

Leiden University offers an attractive benefits package with additional holiday (8%) and end-of-year bonuses (8.3 %), training and career development and sabbatical leave. Our individual choices model gives you some freedom to assemble your own set of terms and conditions. For international spouses we have set up a dual career programme. Candidates from outside the Netherlands may be eligible for a substantial tax break.  

Research at our faculty

The Faculty of Science is a world-class faculty where staff and students work together in a dynamic international environment. It is a faculty where personal and academic development are top priorities. Our people are driven by curiosity to expand fundamental knowledge and to look beyond the borders of their own discipline; their aim is to benefit science, and to make a contribution to addressing the major societal challenges of the future.

The research carried out at the Faculty of Science is very diverse, ranging from mathematics, information science, astronomy, physics, chemistry and bio-pharmaceutical sciences to biology and environmental sciences. The research activities are organised in eight institutes. These institutes offer eight bachelor’s and twelve master’s programmes. The faculty has grown strongly in recent years and now has more than 2,300 staff and almost 5,000 students. We are located at the heart of Leiden’s Bio Science Park, one of Europe’s biggest science parks, where university and business life come together.

The Institute of Environmental Sciences (CML) is positioned in the Faculty of Sciences. The core focus of CML is to perform research and education in the interdisciplinary field of Environmental Sciences. CML has two Departments: Industrial Ecology (CML-IE) and Environmental Biology (CML-EB). Presently, about 125 fte (including postdocs and PhDs) are employed at CML. CML collaborates with the TU Delft and Erasmus University in the Leiden-Delft-Erasmus Centre for Sustainability (LDE-CfS), Naturalis Biodiversity Centre, and other partners.

For more information, see https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/science and  https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/working-at. Information about CML can be found at https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/science/environmental-sciences.