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

For the Chair Industrial and Circular Water Technology (UGent–Evides), Particle and Interfacial Technology (PaInT) research group at the Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, we are looking for a motivated doctoral fellow for a research project on membrane fouling and cleaning in industrial water applications.

Membrane processes — in particular reverse osmosis (RO) and nanofiltration (NF) — are central to industrial water production and reuse. Their performance is limited over time by scaling and fouling, and their operational lifetime is largely determined by how effectively scaling and fouling can be reversed through membrane cleaning. In practice, cleaning is often incomplete: cleaning chemistries and cleaning conditions are chosen empirically, cleaning efficiency is difficult to quantify, and the trade-offs between efficiency, membrane integrity loss, cost and discharge compliance of spent cleaning solutions are poorly resolved.

This PhD project addresses two specific gaps: the absence of a robust, quantitative measure of cleaning efficiency, and the limited mechanistic understanding of how cleaning agents interact with the different types of scaling and fouling. Through a systematic investigation of the link between feedwater chemistry, foulant composition and cleaning performance across a range of industrial cases, the project aims first to establish the mechanisms of cleaning and, based on that understanding, to formulate simple cleaning solutions with which those mechanisms can be tested.

More specifically, you will:

• Develop and apply standardised protocols for membrane evaluation (permeability, salt rejection, pressure drop, integrity) and for membrane autopsy (ATR-FTIR, SEM-EDX, ICP-OES, LC-OCD, ATP, TGA), applied consistently across a range of industrial membrane samples. 
• Characterise industrial feedwaters using a tiered analytical strategy, covering both quantification and compositional fractionation of organic matter, as well as silica and iron speciation. 
• Establish a curated library of commercial and bulk-chemistry cleaning agents and test these against standardised, mutually comparable fouled membrane coupons under quantitative laboratory conditions. 
• Identify the most effective cleaning agents against defined criteria (permeability recovery, foulant removal, retention of membrane integrity) and validate them on lab-scale RO modules under conditions representative of practical cleaning (duration, temperature, cleaning agent concentration and cross-flow hydrodynamics), including membrane integrity testing over accelerated cleaning cycles. 
• Understand the cleaning mechanisms for the different types of scaling and fouling and their combinations, and subsequently formulate simple cleaning solutions to test the hypotheses arising from that understanding. 
• Contribute structured datasets to the life cycle assessment (LCA) of each cleaning agent, including the accompanying economic analysis, carried out in collaboration with partner groups (including the STEN research group of Prof. Jo Dewulf). 
• Build and maintain active working relationships with Evides Industriewater and other industrial partners, including on-site sampling visits and technical exchanges, in order to align the project outcome with practical implementation. 
• Disseminate results through peer-reviewed publications, conferences and workshops within the industrial network of the Chair. 

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

• You hold a Master's degree in bioscience engineering, chemical engineering, environmental engineering, water technology, applied chemistry or an equivalent programme with a strong process- and analytical-chemistry component. You must fulfil the diploma requirements by the date of appointment. 
• You have a strong interest in scientific research and aim to obtain a doctoral degree. 
• You have a solid foundation in water chemistry and/or analytical chemistry and are confident with hands-on experimental laboratory work. 
• You have an interest in applied, industry-facing research and are comfortable interacting with industrial partners. 
• You are analytically minded, structured in your work, and able to design and execute experimental campaigns independently. 
• You possess excellent academic writing and presentation skills and a very good command of English (written and spoken). 
• You live in Belgium or are willing to relocate here for the duration of the appointment. 
• You have a drivers license 

Additional assets: 

• Prior exposure to membrane technology (specifically RO, NF, UF, MF), through coursework, an internship, a thesis or industry. 
• Practical experience with sample preparation or operation of, or the ability to interpret results from, analytical techniques such as FTIR, SEM/EDX, ICP-OES/MS, LC-OCD or ion chromatography. 
• Familiarity with water chemistry modelling (PHREEQC, OLI or equivalent). 
• Experience with industrial water treatment, drinking water production or process water applications. 
• Working knowledge of Dutch is an asset but is not required. 

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 01/01/2027. 
• 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, a copy of your Master's diploma (if already in your possession) and a motivation letter to emile.cornelissen@ugent.be. 
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 emile.cornelissen@ugent.be.