Power-to-Chemicals and Power-to-Fuels processes are the future of the chemical industry. The chemical industry is a major greenhouse gas emitter. To meet their GHG emission reduction target, the chemical industry must use alternative carbon sources (e.g. CO2) and electricity-based processes (Power-to-X). The perspective of a highly electrified chemical industry where renewable feedstocks and energy are the basic ingredients of chemicals is very appealing to many societal, industrial and governmental stakeholders. Microorganisms are able to grow on electrodes and utilize renewable electricity to convert CO2 to valuable chemicals. This Power-to-X process is called microbial electrosynthesis (MES), and is the focus of this postdoctoral project. This postdoc project is part of a larger project (2 PhD and 2 postdocs) and a consortium composed of four international companies, which all together will develop a scalable MES process that produces hexanoic acid (C6, a major base chemical) from CO2 and renewable electricity. Our distinctive approach will elucidate how to avoid rate and yield limiting steps from micrometer to meter scale, by guiding experiments and reactor/electrode design with comprehensive multiscale modelling. We will use the attained insights on the working mechanisms of MES to develop a scalable process capable of producing pure hexanoic acid from CO2 under industrially relevant conditions.

The task of the postdoctoral researcher will be to develop a clean, scalable process for recovery of hexanoate (C6) that is produced by MES. This should lead to the C6 acid in high purity and yield. Anion-exchange will be the primary method for downstream processing. The postdoctoral researcher will determine and model adsorption and desorption, predict conditions to increase performance, further work out the recovery process, experimentally integrate it with an established MES set-up, and fully characterize the overall system. Techno-economic analysis will be used to guide the direction of this work.

The ideal candidate

• Has a PhD or draft PhD thesis on (bio)chemical engineering or equivalent.
• Is a highly motivated and an enthusiastic researcher, with a keen interest in bridging several fields, i.e. microbial electrochemistry and product recovery.
• Is a strong experimentalist, with experience related to the topic.
• Has a sound knowledge basis on thermodynamics, kinetics, transport phenomena, and process engineering, and experience with techno-economic analysis.
• Is skilled in critical and conceptual thinking for finding and selecting process options that are worthy of experimental study.
• Has a large drive to share results in scientific papers and conferences.
• Is fluent in English, has good communicative/reporting skills, and team working capacity.

Fixed-term contract: 2 jaren.

Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities. The TU Delft offers a customisable compensation package, a discount on health insurance and sport memberships, and a monthly work costs contribution. Flexible work schedules can be arranged.

Salary range for this position is € 3.226,00 - € 5.090,00

For international applicants, TU Delft has the Coming to Delft Service. This service provides information for new international employees to help you prepare the relocation and to settle in the Netherlands. The Coming to Delft Service offers a Dual Career Programme for partners and they organise events to expand your (social) network.

Delft University of Technology

Delft University of Technology is built on strong foundations. As creators of the world-famous Dutch waterworks and pioneers in biotech, TU Delft is a top international university combining science, engineering and design. It delivers world class results in education, research and innovation to address challenges in the areas of energy, climate, mobility, health and digital society. For generations, our engineers have proven to be entrepreneurial problem-solvers, both in business and in a social context.

At TU Delft we embrace diversity as one of our core values and we actively engage to be a university where you feel at home and can flourish. We value different perspectives and qualities. We believe this makes our work more innovative, the TU Delft community more vibrant and the world more just. Together, we imagine, invent and create solutions using technology to have a positive impact on a global scale. That is why we invite you to apply. Your application will receive fair consideration.

Challenge. Change. Impact!

Faculty Applied Sciences

With more than 1,100 employees, including 150 pioneering principal investigators, as well as a population of about 3,600 passionate students, the Faculty of Applied Sciences is an inspiring scientific ecosystem. Focusing on key enabling technologies, such as quantum- and nanotechnology, photonics, biotechnology, synthetic biology and materials for energy storage and conversion, our faculty aims to provide solutions to important problems of the 21st century. To that end, we educate innovative students in broad Bachelor's and specialist Master's programmes with a strong research component. Our scientists conduct ground-breaking fundamental and applied research in the fields of Life and Health Science & Technology, Nanoscience, Chemical Engineering, Radiation Science & Technology, and Engineering Physics. We are also training the next generation of high school teachers.

Click here to go to the website of the Faculty of Applied Sciences.

Department of Biotechnology

Innovation is crucial to fulfil the potential of industrial biotechnology for sustainable production of fuels, chemicals, materials, food and feed. Similarly, scientific and technological advances in environmental biotechnology are needed to enable novel approaches to water purification, and ‘waste-to-product’ processes thus contributing to a circular economy. Increased fundamental knowledge encompassing enzymes, microorganisms and processes are essential for progress in this field. The Department of Biotechnology covers this research area and, based on new insights, selects, designs and tests new biobased catalysts, micro-organisms, and processes.

The position is available in the section Bioprocess Engineering.