Key responsibilities

The SUNER-C Horizon Europe coordination and support action partnership aims to foster the industrial ecosystem for accelerating the displacement of fossil resources by renewable solar fuels and chemicals towards the EU net-zero emissions target by 2050. The aim is to aggregate knowledge and develop conditions to overcome scientific, technological, organizational and socioeconomic challenges to accelerate innovation and enable the transition of electrochemical, photoelectrochemical and photochemical manufacturing of solar fuels and chemicals from abundant H2O and atmospheric CO2 in the circular economy from laboratory and demonstrator level to large-scale industrial and broad societal application. You will develop public-private links, define resources and funding requirements, set up probes for public debate and assemble a business plan of actions from the comprehensive roadmap delivered by the SUNER-C consortium. You will write a business plan (blueprint) for the Large Scale Research Initiative on solar fuels to be agreed upon with the European Commission and the Member States based on key performance indicators for the short (1-2 years), intermediate (3-5 years) and long (10-20 years) terms in an ongoing dialogue with public and private stakeholders. For this we are looking for an enthusiastic, motivated science-based-business developer, PhD level or comparable with experience in solar to fuel and chemicals technologies, including photoelectrochemistry and photochemistry for artificial photosynthesis. Your blueprint will include indications on the needed public funding and private investments, and integration of societal and cross-cutting aspects, and identify stakeholders. It will determine action points with timescales for implementation, resolve and secure the financial underpinning in the ecosystem and identify the relevant stakeholders to address fundamental research and innovation needs.

Selection Criteria

• PhD level in (Bio)chemistry, biology, or equivalent;
• Proven interest in Solar Fuels and Chemicals;
• Solid skills in business development;
• Proven Proficient in English (verbal and writing);
• Excellent communication skills.

Terms and conditions

We offer a full-time position for initially one year. After a positive evaluation of the progress of the thesis, personal capabilities and compatibility the appointment will be extended until the end of the Suner-C project: 31-5-2025. Salary range from € 3974,= (pay scale 11) to € 6181,= gross per month (pay scale 12) 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. Candidates from outside the Netherlands may be eligible for a substantial tax break.

Diversity

Leiden University is strongly committed to diversity within its community and especially welcomes applications from members of underrepresented groups.

Luris

Our organisation

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 committed to expand fundamental knowledge by curiosity 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 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 chemistry and life science research in the Leiden Institute of Chemistry (LIC) is organized around two major research areas: 'Chemical Biology' and 'Energy & Sustainability'. The institute's research themes illustrate the central position of chemistry between biology, medicine and physics. The various research topics carried out within these themes are ideal for executing interdisciplinary research and innovation.

Luris creates and facilitates the network between Leiden academics and public and private partners, with a focus on generating impact on society from research, knowledge and innovation .

We support academics from Leiden University in their ambition to progress and develop their research. To achieve that aim, we work closely with the academics, companies and many other stakeholders in the Leiden ecosystem.

The Business Developer Solar to Fuel and Chemicals is embedded at LIC (Leiden Institute of Chemistry) and LURIS, the Knowledge Transfer Office of Leiden University.