Job announcement – PhD in Analytical and Environmental Chemistry

Research Program TIMOTHY – Tracing and Integrated Modeling of Natural and Anthropogenic Effects on Hydrosystems: The Scheldt River Basin and Adjacent Coastal North Sea.A research position is made available in the Department of Analytical and Environmental Chemistry (ANCH) of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) within the framework of the project TIMOTHY, funded by the Belgian Federal Government on Science Policy called Interuniversity Attraction Poles (IAP). The position is aimed at obtaining a PhD: it starts on October 1st 2007 and lasts for 4 years.

Following Workpackages of TIMOTHY (see also website https://www.astr.ucl.ac.be/TIMOTHY/) are covered by ANCH, involving yet a team of post-docs and other PhD students:

WP2: Mechanisms and current level of emissions and contaminations
– Assessing Cd and Cu concentrations and fluxes at key sampling sites (use of HR-ICP-MS for the determination of the concentrations and DGT-DET for the sampling in water column and sediments)
– Assessing PAHs, PCB and dioxins (Bio-assay CALUX screening technology and GC-MS for the determination of the concentrations and DGT – DET for the sampling in the sediments)

WP3: Model development and process studies
– Better understanding and formulating the nitrification reaction based on 15N technique (Isotope Ratio MS).
– Writing a simplified module to describe the distribution and exchange of heavy metals between dissolved and suspended matter/POC (Particulate Organic Matter).
– Writing a multi-element interaction model describing the labile (bioavailable) versus the non-labile metal fraction (organically bound).
– Assessing the kinetics of adsorption-desorption processes of metals and micro-organic pollutants.

The applicant will be responsible for one or more of the sub-items of the Workpackages 2 or 3, according his/her skills.

Applicants must possess a Master degree in Chemistry, Bio-engineering, Chemical Engineering or Environmental Sciences, demonstrate good research abilities, preferably in the field mentioned above and are requested to provide their CV to the address given below by August 31 2007. Applicants should possess fluency in English demonstrated by one of the following criteria: a TOEFL paper based score of 580 or TOEFL Internet Based (IBT) score of at least 90 or an AIELTS score of at least 6.5 or a Cambridge “Certificate in Advanced English” or any other equivalent credential. The estimated monthly net salary (after deductions) is around 1562 Euro, equal to that of the National Science Foundation.

E-mail address: wbaeyens@vub.ac.be
Postal address: Prof. W. Baeyens, VUB (ANCH), Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussel, Belgium.