PhD position on circular green hydrogen production (1.0 FTE)

1. What are the material and technological needs for producing, using, and recycling green hydrogen production technologies by electrolyzers?
2. What are the current challenges and opportunities in the production, consumption, and recycling practices of green hydrogen technologies, and how can circular economy principles be integrated to develop cradle-to-cradle electrolyzers?
3. How can we reduce raw resource requirements and ensure the full recycling and repurposing of components without downgrading their material quality in green hydrogen production technologies?
4. How can we generate material and socio-technical insights into the production, use, and recycling of green hydrogen technologies to promote and create a mission-oriented circular economy and community?

•  Investigate raw materials, their origins, future needs, and refining necessary to create the building blocks of electrolyzers, focusing on existing and promising raw materials;
• Study the production, consumption, and recycling practices that hinder the creation of a fully circular green hydrogen economy and investigate innovative solutions to overcome these challenges;
• Collaborate with the Energy & Resources and Innovation Studies groups of the Copernicus Institute and work closely with both socio-technical and fundamental geomaterials, manufacturing techniques, and recycling practices;
• Develop theoretical perspectives and scientific expertise to generate material and socio-technical insights into how the core green hydrogen technology - the electrolyzer - is produced, used, and recycled, and provide advice on how these processes can be made more sustainable and circular;
• Publish research results in high-impact scientific journals and present research findings at national and international conferences;
• Contribute to the supervision of Master's students and participate in teaching activities related to the project.

• A background in the material sciences, innovation studies, transitions, chemical engineering, energy engineering or a related field;
• Strong interest and knowledge of the circular economy;
• Strong knowledge of qualitative research skills, such as interviews;
• Knowledge in the field of hydrogen production, storage, transport and use is a plus; 
• Demonstrated ability to conduct independent research and publish in peer-reviewed scientific journals;
• Willingness to travel to case study sites and conduct fieldwork as needed;
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills;
• Proficient in English, both written and spoken. 

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