PhD Position Solvothermal Liquefaction of Waste to Biomaterials

Delft University of Technology (TU Delft)

Organisation/Company Delft University of Technology (TU Delft)
Research Field Engineering – Chemical engineering – Process engineering
Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1)
Final date to receive applications 9 Mar 2026 – 22:59 (UTC)
Country Netherlands
Type of Contract Temporary Job
Status Not Applicable
Hours Per Week 38.0
Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by an EU programme
Is the job related to a staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Shape the future of biomaterials from waste!

Job description

We have a new PhD vacancy in our group on solvothermal liquefaction (STL) of waste to biomaterials. This PhD position is part of the newly funded national NWA-ORC project, Ab-initio Biowaste Loop (ABEL), which is funded by NWO (Dutch Research Council). See: https://(Use the "Apply for this Job" box below)..

To close material loops in the Dutch bioeconomy, ABEL brings together a large multidisciplinary consortium from industry, academia, policymakers, and societal partners to tackle one of the most pressing challenges of our time: making high‑value, sustainable, and circular biomaterials from low‑value waste streams that can compete and even outperform traditional alternatives.

As a PhD student within the ABEL consortium at TU Delft, you will:

• Experimentally study the feasibility of a novel STL technology that is less complex and uses less energy than current ones, using a new generation of solvents and catalysts, to upcycle low‑grade waste into biomaterials for many sectors of the Dutch economy. This project targets applications across agriculture, asphalt paving, aviation, construction and the built environment. Furthermore, we will incorporate the experimental data from this project into conceptual process designs that utilize advanced process simulation models to evaluate the potential of solvent‑based thermochemical processing for large‑scale applications.
• Publish high‑quality scientific articles in peer‑reviewed journals and contribute to project reports in collaboration with the project supervisor and others.
• Participate in consortium meetings, workshops, and stakeholder events, and actively contribute to knowledge exchange and impact activities.
• Support the supervision of students where relevant and contribute to the academic life of the department.

This PhD position is a unique opportunity to help reshape and defossilize supply chains, material innovation, and explore how the value of biomaterials is defined and perceived across industry, society, policymakers and regulators.

Job requirements

You are strong in advanced chemical and process engineering research and enjoy hands‑on experimental work. You are eager to grow your expertise and enjoy engaging with and supporting students. You need to have:

• A Masters degree in Chemical engineering, Chemistry or a related field.
• Experience with material characterization techniques, e.g., elemental analysis, bomb calorimetry and gas chromatography (GC‑MS).
• Familiarity with chemical engineering and chemistry‑based experimental work is considered an advantage.
• Demonstrated interest or experience in sustainability transitions, circular economy, waste management.
• A critical attitude toward results is expected, which translates into formulating new research questions.
• Ability to function both in a team and independently.
• Good communication skills. Fluent in English, both spoken and written.

TU Delft (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…