No other man-made material has revolutionized social, industrial, as well as environmental aspects of humankind in such a short period of time as plastics. Polymeric materials can be found in almost every industrial sector ranging from food packaging to spaceships. Thus, a life without polymers as the ultimate resource of convenience seems unimaginable today. At the same time, effective recycling strategies are urgently required to tackle the issue of plastic pollution and to create the foundation of a sustainable society. Amongst established methods of plastic waste treatment, chemical recycling of polymers with the aim to recover the original monomeric species is highly sought-after. This recycling method allows for the production of fresh polymer products without loss of quality and resources.

In this PhD project, you will develop innovative methods to recycle and/or upcycle traditional polymers as well as design novel polymeric structures that are more amenable to recycling ('design for recycling'' approach). Your research will include the synthesis of smart monomers that can switch between polymerized and depolymerized states as well as introducing functional groups into polymeric backbones that can be cleaved under selected conditions. To enable efficient (de)polymerization reactions, you will use highly active and state-of-the-art photo- and organocatalysts. Furthermore, you will apply various characterization techniques available in our laboratories to gain a full understanding of the properties of new polymeric materials. You will conduct this research as a valuable team member of our young and ambitious Polymer Performance Materials research group at Eindhoven University of Technology.

Polymer Performance Materials Group

At the new TU/e group of Polymer Performance Materials (Link), started in 2020, we aim at developing new fundamental concepts in macromolecular chemistry and polymer materials. Guided by structure-property relationships, we improve existing polymeric materials and design novel polymers, in both cases focusing on performance with respect to materials properties as well as circularity. This includes the development of novel synthetic methodology to allow the conversion of existing and novel polymers into recyclable materials. We combine polymer synthesis with detailed molecular, morphological and property characterization, to expand our knowledge base of fundamental polymer science and to advance new technologies. Of particular interest are new polymerization strategies for the creation of novel polymers for industrially relevant high-performance applications. We maintain a truly interdisciplinary approach and encourage collaboration between academia and industry. At Polymer Performance Materials, we strive to teach our students the essence of academic research. We hope to inspire them to excel in an independent scientific research career, with a mission to provide a lasting contribution to society.

• We are looking for a talented, motivated, and enthusiastic candidate with a master's degree (or an equivalent university degree) in organic chemistry, polymer chemistry, or related disciplines.
• A strong background in organic and polymer chemistry is desired.
• Analytical skills, initiative and creativity are valuable qualities.
• You are a naturally curious person, who is eager to learn more and has a strong interest in research.
• We prefer candidates with a good team spirit, who like to work in an internationally oriented, social environment.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English are a prerequisite.

• A meaningful job in a highly motivated team at a dynamic and ambitious University. TU/e
  is one of Europe's top technological universities, situated at the heart of a most innovative high-tech region, with a wealth of collaborations with industry and academic institutes.
  A place to be for talented scientists!
• A full-time employment for four years, with an intermediate evaluation (go/no-go) after nine months.
• To develop your teaching skills, you will spend 10% of your employment on teaching tasks.
• To support you during your PhD and to prepare you for the rest of your career, you will make a Training and Supervision plan and you will have free access to a personal development program for PhD students (PROOF program).
• A gross monthly salary and benefits (such as a pension scheme, pregnancy and maternity leave, partially paid parental leave) in accordance with the Collective Labor Agreement for Dutch Universities.
• Additionally, an annual holiday allowance of 8% of the yearly salary, plus a year-end allowance of 8.3% of the annual salary.
• Should you come from abroad and comply with certain conditions, you can make use of the so-called '30% facility', which permits you not to pay tax on 30% of your salary.
• A broad package of fringe benefits, including an excellent technical infrastructure, moving expenses, and savings schemes.
• Family-friendly initiatives are in place, such as an international spouse program, and excellent on-campus children day care and sports facilities.
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