Are you an experienced researcher with a PhD interested in continuing your pursuit of scientific questions in a diverse, ambitious, and competitive environment? Are you someone with the desire to develop your own research ideas and establish new collaborations? We have a vacancy for a postdoc in biobased photonic materials. Will you join our team?

What will you be doing?
We, the Physical Chemistry and Soft Matter Laboratory (PCC), have an open postdoctoral position available in the research domain photonic biobased materials. Your role will be to strengthen a promising collaborative research line between Wageningen University at PCC (WU) and Wageningen Food and Biobased Research group which is a part of the contract research department of Wageningen University & Research. You will be part of a team of experienced and ambitious researchers striving for scientific excellence within the stated science domain. Your position offers you the ability to explore a research direction with a clear goal; to create a biobased photonic whitener with immediate application in industry. You will be expected to collaborate with an international team to develop this research direction into a real-world product.

PCC is a group of likeminded scientists interested in phenomena at the nanoscale, where creative chemistry is essential, complex physics is a rule rather than an exception and biology comes to life.



We understand that you are triggered and want to apply immediately. Please read the 'Do you want to apply' section below for more guidance.

SCIENCE SECTION WILL INCLUDE SPECIFIC TASKS
In order to reduce its carbon footprint and become more sustainable and circular, the chemicals and materials industry needs to increase its use of bio-renewable feedstocks. This will offer unprecedented opportunities to the agrifood and/or forestry sector in supplying the raw materials that are required for the carbon transition. In this project precompetitive knowledge and know-how will be developed with respect to so called "photonic pigments" derived from residual carbohydrates and polysaccharides. Inspired upon how nature creates colors, white pigments will be developed effectively reflecting light. After obtaining a proof of concept, further development should enable to replace a significant part of the currently used 6 -8 million tons of inorganic titanium dioxide (TiO2) based opacifiers in products like paints, coatings and home and personal care products with more sustainable, and carbohydrate-based alternatives. This will enable to substitute part of the TiO2 pigments that are being produced via very energy (and thus CO2) intensive processes and are increasingly getting substances of (very) high concern due to potential carcinogenic effects of specific TiO2 pigment grades and being classified as nanoparticles in applications like sunscreens.

You will develop an emulsion crosslinking or other (e.g. foaming) methods for the synthesis of crosslinked polysaccharide particles containing sacrificial template particles developed in WP2. Polysaccharides like (grey) starch, cellulose, glucans, chitosan will be studied in connection with ester bond forming cross-linkers like trimetaphospate and adipic acid anhydride. Beyond fabrication, you will also photonically characterize these pigments.

Besides your willingness to learn, presentation skills and scientific ambition:

• you have a PhD in a relevant field for PCC; this includes, physical chemistry, polymer chemistry, optical microscopy, or colloidal physics. Postdoc experience is a bonus;
• you have an interest in both fundamental science and application of that science. This position calls for creating a real-world material and includes strong interactions with industrial partners;
• you have the ability and ambition to strengthen international collaborations within and between research groups at WUR;
• of course you are fluent in English (C2 level).

Wageningen University & Research offers excellent terms of employment. A few highlights from our Collective Labour Agreement include:

• working hours that can be discussed and arranged so that they allow for the best possible work-life balance;
• the option to accrue additional compensation / holiday hours by working more, up to 40 hours per week;
• there is a strong focus on vitality and you can make use of the sports facilities available on campus for a small fee;
• a fixed December bonus of 8.3%;
• excellent pension scheme.

In addition to these first-rate employee benefits, you will of course receive a good salary. Depending on your experience, we offer a competitive gross salary of between € 2960,- and € 4670,- for a full-time working week of 38 hours (1 FTE), in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreements for Dutch Universities (CAO-NU) (scale 10). Preferably an appointment for 0.8 FTE, but 1 FTE can be discussed. Appointment for maximum 30 months in total.

Wageningen University & Research encourages internal advancement opportunities and mobility with an internal recruitment policy. There are plenty of options for personal initiative in a learning environment, and we provide excellent training opportunities. We are offering a unique position in an international environment with a pleasant and open working atmosphere.

You are going to work at the greenest and most innovative campus in Holland, and at a university that has been chosen as the "Best University" in the Netherlands for the 17th consecutive time.

Coming from abroad
Wageningen University & Research is the university and research centre for life sciences. The themes we deal with are relevant to everyone around the world and Wageningen, therefore, has a large international community and a lot to offer to international employees. Applicants from abroad moving to the Netherlands may qualify for a special tax relief, known as the 30% ruling. Our team of advisors on Dutch immigration procedures will help you with the visa application procedures for yourself and, if applicable, for your family.

Feeling welcome also has everything to do with being well informed. Wageningen University & Research's International Community page contains practical information about what we can do to support international employees and students coming to Wageningen. Furthermore, we can assist you with any additional advice and information about helping your partner to find a job, housing, schooling, and other issues.

Wageningen University & Research

The mission of Wageningen University & Research is "To explore the potential of nature to improve the quality of life". Under the banner Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen University and the specialised research institutes of the Wageningen Research Foundation have joined forces in contributing to finding solutions to important questions in the domain of healthy food and living environment. With its roughly 30 branches, 7,200 employees (6,400 fte) and 13,200 students and over 150.000 participants to WUR's Life Long Learning, Wageningen University & Research is one of the leading organisations in its domain. The unique Wageningen approach lies in its integrated approach to issues and the collaboration between different disciplines.

Read the 5 reasons why your future colleagues enjoy working at WUR and watch this video to get an idea of our green campus!

We will recruit for the vacancy ourselves, so no employment agencies please. However, sharing in your network is appreciated.