Doctoral fellow

ABOUT GHENT UNIVERSITY

Ghent University is a world of its own. Employing more than 15.000 people, it is actively involved in education and research, management and administration, as well as technical and social service provision on a daily basis. It is one of the largest, most exciting employers in the area and offers great career opportunities.
With its 11 faculties and more than 85 departments offering state-of-the-art study programmes grounded in research in a wide range of academic fields, Ghent University is a logical choice for its staff and students.

YOUR TASKS

Within this PhD, you will develop and apply state-of-the-art sensing methodologies, including spectroscopic techniques (e.g. NIR, Raman, or hyperspectral imaging), combined with machine learning and chemometric modelling to monitor and control polymer recycling processes. The research will be carried out in close collaboration with your promotors, other LCPE colleagues and industrial partners, ensuring. The scientific findings should lead to publications in international peer reviewed journals and should be presented at international conferences. The final goal is a PhD thesis in which the scientific findings will be combined.


The position is offered in the Laboratory for Circular Process Engineering on the Kortrijk campus, under the supervision of Prof. Pieter Nachtergaele and Prof. Steven De Meester. The work will take place within a young and dynamic team of about 22 PhD students, 3 postdocs, and 4 technicians, focusing on improved chemical engineering for the circular economy, with an emphasis on pretreatment and downstream processing. This is important, as it is clear that waste is heterogeneous and mechanical and chemical recycling technologies are often highly sensitive to certain contaminants. Prof. De Meester and Prof. Nachtergaele have strong ties to industry and a deep understanding of the waste management landscape. The group applies fundamental science to the processes used in waste treatment facilities, while also introducing more innovative approaches.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

Candidates are expected to have an engineering background and/or affinity with process monitoring and data science. Affinity with technologies such as ….. is also relevant. We are looking for candidates with a critical and analytical attitude and a sense of initiative.
Other profile requirements:

You hold a master's degree in chemical engineering, bioscience engineering, materials science, civil engineering, industrial engineering, or equivalent. Candidates with a degree in applied physics or chemistry with a strong engineering focus are also encouraged to apply. The degree requirements must be met at the start of the appointment. 

• You have a genuine interest in scientific research and a drive to contribute to sustainable, circular solutions for the plastics industry. 
• You are able to work both independently and collaboratively within a multidisciplinary and international research environment. 
• You have strong organizational skills, a structured working attitude, and a high level of self-motivation and perseverance. 
• You have excellent academic writing and oral presentation skills, and are comfortable communicating complex findings to both scientific and industrial audiences. 
• You have a strong command of the English language, both written and spoken, in an academic and professional context. 
• You are willing to engage with industrial partners and participate in project meetings, site visits, and collaborative research activities. 
• You are open to presenting your research at national and international scientific conferences and contributing to peer-reviewed publications. 

 Additional plus points: 

• Experience with inline or online spectroscopic sensing techniques, such as near-infrared (NIR), Raman, mid-infrared (MIR), or hyperspectral imaging. 
• Experience with chemometric or multivariate data analysis methods, such as partial least squares regression (PLS), principal component analysis (PCA), or machine learning-based approaches. 
• Familiarity with polymer characterisation techniques (e.g., DSC, TGA, GPC, rheology) or knowledge of polymer chemistry and physics. 
• Experience with or knowledge of plastic sorting, mechanical recycling, or chemical recycling technologies and processes. 
• Experience with laboratory work, experimental design, and data acquisition in an engineering or applied science context. 
• Basic programming skills in Python, MATLAB, or R, particularly for data processing and modelling purposes.

WHAT WE CAN OFFER YOU

• We offer a full-time position as a doctoral fellow, consisting of an initial period of 12 months, which - after a positive evaluation, will be extended to a total maximum of 48 months. 
• Your contract will start on 01/09/2026 at the earliest. 
• The fellowship amount is 100% of the net salary of an AAP member in equal family circumstances. The individual fellowship amount is determined by Team Personnel Administration based on family status and seniority. A grant that meets the conditions and criteria of the regulations for doctoral fellowships is considered free of personal income tax. Click here for more information about our salary scales 
• All Ghent University staff members enjoy a number of benefits, such as a wide range of training and education opportunities, 36 days of holiday leave (on an annual basis for a full-time job) supplemented by annual fixed bridge days, bicycle allowance and eco vouchers. Click here for a complete overview of all the staff benefits.

INTERESTED?

Send your cv, copy of your diploma (if already in your possession), a motivation letter and the contact details of at least one reference person (phone number and/or email address) to Pieter.Nachtergaele@UGent.be before 31 May 2026. The file names must have the following format: Type of document_First Name_Last Name.docx (e.g., CV_Jordy_Motte.docx).
We do not accept late applications.
As Ghent University maintains an equal opportunities and diversity policy, everyone is encouraged to apply for this position.
For more information about this vacancy, please contact Prof. Pieter Nachtergaele (Pieter.Nachtergaele@UGent.be).