PHD Research Project

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- JOB - Netherlands - Wetsus - European centre of excellence for sustainable water technology - Posted on: 9 September 2026
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9 Sep 2026
Wetsus - European centre of excellence for sustainable water technology Research Field
Engineering » Chemical engineering
Chemistry » Molecular chemistry
Chemistry » Biochemistry Researcher Profile
First Stage Researcher (R1) Positions
PhD Positions Application Deadline
16 Oct 2026 - 15:00 (Europe/Amsterdam) Country
Netherlands Type of Contract
Temporary Job Status
Full-time Hours Per Week
40 Offer Starting Date
1 Mar 2027 Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme?
Horizon Europe Reference Number
2026.18 Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure?
No
Offer Description
Flagship sustainable by design circular composite bioplastics
The Wetsus research theme Biopolymers from Water develops and innovates on methods to produce and recover biopolymers, in particular polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs). PHAs are renewable resources that serve as a versatile platform for bioplastics within circular economy systems, with wastewater and organic residual streams as feedstocks. PHA-based bioplastics are inherently biobased and biodegradable for the plastics industry, as well as being recyclable and renewable. Through well-controlled microbial processes, PHA-rich biomass can be efficiently generated and the polymers effectively recovered, enabling circular resource use. However, such biobased plastics are still costly to produce. One strategy to enhance recovered PHAs into high-value renewable products for industry is to make biobased composite materials to maximize performance with lower cost to deliver on commercial quality standards - controlled property specifications and materials that are safe and sustainable by design. The entry of 'waste' derived PHAs into circular economic supply chains therefore ...