PhD Position: Quantifying Indoor and Occupational Microplastic Exposure

Are you fascinated by plastics beyond what you can see and motivated to quantify microplastics in indoor and occupational air, and to design interventions that mitigate exposure? Tiny plastic particles are increasingly detected in the air of homes and workplaces, yet their concentrations, characteristics, and health relevance remain poorly understood. Even less is known about which interventions can effectively reduce exposure under real-life conditions.

Your job
This PhD Position – Quantifying Indoor and Occupational Microplastic Exposure and Co-creating Interventions focuses on quantifying indoor and occupational microplastic exposure and on co-creating practical interventions that make a measurable difference in everyday environments. Embedded in the interdisciplinary MOMENTUM 3.0 programme funded by ZonMw, the project combines environmental exposure assessment, advanced analytical chemistry, behavioural science, and stakeholder engagement to generate knowledge that directly feeds into health risk assessment and toxicological research.

You will:

• Design and conduct indoor air measurements in homes and workplaces using a citizen-science approach;
• Build and deploy active air-sampling setups to collect airborne microplastic samples;
• Analyse samples using advanced analytical techniques, including TED-GC/MS (Thermal Extraction Desorption–Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry) to quantify microplastic mass, SEM-EDX (Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy) to visualise particle morphology at the micro- and nanoscale, and µ-FTIR (Micro-Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy) for high-throughput particle identification;
• Process and interpret complex datasets to identify exposure patterns and determinants;
• Design and evaluate intervention strategies, including HEPA filtration and behavioural guidance;
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary academic and societal partners;
• Publish results in peer-reviewed journals and present findings at international conferences.

You will be supervised by an interdisciplinary team from the Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO) and Utrecht University (UU) and will work closely with leading experts in exposure science, analytical chemistry, toxicology, epidemiology, and behavioural science. Your research will be carried out at both TNO and Utrecht University, conveniently located at Utrecht Science Park, enabling close day-to-day collaboration. The position offers excellent opportunities for cross-institutional training, knowledge exchange, and international networking. You will become member of the MOMENTUM NextGen Early Career Research Network, which facilitates the integration, training and collaboration of PhDs and postdocs in the Netherlands as part of their career development as transdisciplinary microplastics researchers.

You are an enthusiastic and collaborative colleague and meet several or all of the following criteria:

• a Master’s degree in Chemistry or a closely related field;
• strong interest in environmental health, analytical techniques, and exposure assessment;
• experience with laboratory work and familiarity with spectroscopy or chromatography methods;
• ability to work independently as well as in a multidisciplinary team;
• good communication skills in English (written and spoken), Dutch is an advantage.

• A fully funded PhD position for 12 months, with extension to a total of four years upon successful evaluation;
• a working week of 38 hours and a gross monthly salary between €3,059 and €3,881 (salary scale P under the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities (CAO NU));
• 8% holiday pay and 8.3% year-end bonus;
• a pension scheme, partially paid parental leave and flexible terms of employment based on the CAO NU.

In addition to the terms of employment laid down in the CAO NU, Utrecht University also offers a range of its own schemes for employees. This includes arrangements for professional development, various types of leave, and options for sports and cultural activities. You can also tailor your employment conditions through our Terms of Employment Options Model. In this way, we encourage you to keep investing in your personal and professional development. For more information, please visit Working at Utrecht University.

A better future for everyone. This ambition motivates our scientists in executing their leading research and inspiring teaching. At Utrecht University, the various disciplines collaborate intensively towards major strategic themes. Our focus is on Dynamics of Youth, Institutions for Open Societies, Life Sciences and Pathways to Sustainability. Sharing science, shaping tomorrow.

At the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine we train the veterinarians and researchers of the future, provide care for animals and conduct leading and societal relevant research. That is what we are good at. We see that the health and welfare of animals, humans and the environment are interconnected. By sharing our knowledge and working together, we make positive impact, both nationally and internationally. Our 1,500 students and 950 staff members inspire and strengthen each other. Our engagement connects us. The drive to, from an integral perspective, make the world a better place.

At Utrecht University, your position will be based at the Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS), within the research line One Health Chemical, led by Professor Roel Vermeulen. This research line consists of three interconnected groups: Occupational Health, Planetary Health, and the Data Science & Exposome Group.

At TNO, your position will be based in the department Environmental Modelling, Sensing and Analysis (EMSA) within the Particle Expertise Centre. This is one of three teams in the department which alongside microplastics also researches the complexity of (ultrafine) particulate matter in the air

For more information, please contact dr. Luke Parker at luke.parker@tno.nl and/or prof. dr. Roel Vermeulen at r.c.h.vermeulen@uu.nl.

Candidates for this vacancy will be recruited by Utrecht University.