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5 PhD (EID) positions available for EU project TreatREC
TreatREC - Interdisciplinary concepts for municipal wastewater treatment and
resource recovery. Tackling future challenges is a Marie Sklodowska Curie Action
European Industrial Doctorate (EID) project (programme Innovative Training Networks
(ITN) of Horizon 2020). The project is a joint collaboration between academia and
industry with a clear aim of producing a group of early stage researchers capable of
conducting high quality research, but also able to address industrial and societal needs
and implement wastewater-related directives in practice. The five researchers will
conduct their scientific projects in an environment that combines industrial excellence
in the development, design, construction and management of wastewater treatment
systems, with complementary academic excellence in a) hypothesis-driven research
involving the improvement/upgrading of state-of-the art technologies and the
deepening the understanding of fate and removal of microcontaminants in wastewater
treatment systems and in b) applied research involving the development of decision
support systems which allow for the encapsulation of knowledge for further use in
decision-making processes.
We are looking for 5 post-graduate researchers (Early Stage Researchers - ESR),
specialized in Chemistry, Chemical, Environmental, Civil Engineering and similar.
The position is offered for 3 years for the following individual research projects:
ESR1. Tackling emerging compounds in WWTP’s
Host institution: Aquafin NV, Research & Development, Aartselaar, Belgium
ESR2. Transformation of microcontaminants in wastewater treatment
Host institution: Catalan Institute for Water Research (ICRA), Girona, Spain
ESR 3. Optimal configuration of nitrogen and phosphorous recovery schemes within
WWTPs
Host institution: University of Girona, LEQUIA, Girona, Spain
ESR 4. The resilience of wastewater treatment to multiple stress conditions
Host institution: ATKINS, Bristol, UK
ESR 5. Assessment of environmental and socio-economical implications of urban
wastewater systems upgrading
Host institution: Catalan Institute for Water Research (ICRA), Girona, Spain
All hired researchers will compulsory enrol Doctoral Programme in Water Science and
technology at the University of Girona, Spain, and undertake mobility in order to
implement the Individual Research Project as well as to participate in a sustained
training programme. Follow the link for more information on the Doctoral
Programme.
- Remuneration according to MSCA ITN rules
Eligibility criteria
- Nationals from any country may apply
- Mobility: at the time of the recruitment, the researcher must not have resided or
carried out his/her main activity (work, studies, etc.), in the country of the chosen
host institution (recruiting beneficiary) for more than 12 months in the 3 years
immediately prior to the date of the recruitment.
- Research category of Early Stage Researcher (ESR): researchers who, at the time of
the recruitment, have not yet been awarded a doctorate degree and are in the first
4 (full-time equivalent) of their research careers, including the research training
period that would entitle them to a doctorate.
General evaluation criteria
- Educational background relevant for the chosen position (individual research
project)
- For holders of an official university degree from the countries within the European
Higher Education Area (EHEA): A minimum of 300 ECTS credits completed in official
university studies are required, of which at least 60 must be at a master’s degree
level. For holders of a university degree obtained in another country, an equivalent
degree that qualifies the holder to begin doctoral studies in the country in which it
was issued (a certificated from the University may be required).
- Previous research experience, relevant to the chosen position.
- Language skills (English compulsory).
- Networking and communication skills (to be evaluated in the interview).
How to apply
Applicants should send full application consisting of:
- A statement letter addressing his/her research interests in relationship with the
selected individual research project* 1
- University transcripts (grades)
- Curriculum Vitae (Europass format recommended)
- 2 recommendation letters
to the TreatREC coordinator Dr. Mira Petrovic (mpetrovic@icra.cat) before 15th of
January, 2015
1
st
nd
Applicants may indicate two individual research projects in order of preference (1 and 2 choice)
List of Individual Research Projects
Fellow code: ESR 1
Title of individual research project
Host institution
Brief description of individual research
project
Mobility
Supervisory team
Educational requirements
Other specific requirements
Tackling emerging compounds in WWTP’s
Aquafin NV, Research & Development,
Aartselaar, Belgium
The main objective is to evaluate sustainable
and innovative wastewater treatment
technologies to improve the removal
efficiency of microcontaminants. The
proposed technologies will be a combination
of biological processes such as membrane
biological reactors (MBR) with polishing
stages such as advanced oxidation processes
(AOP), activated carbon and
bioelctrochemical systems (BES) or MBR with
bioaugmentation.
18 months Aquafin, Belgium; 18 months
University of Girona/ICRA, Spain
Marjoleine Weemaes (AQUAFIN)
Joaquim Comas (UdG)
Ignasi Rodriguez-Roda (ICRA)
Environmental, chemical or civil engineering
Interest in pilot scale research on a
wastewater treatment plant (practical!) ,
data handling, technology development,
Fellow code: ESR 2
Title of individual research project
Host institution
Brief description of individual research
project
Mobility
Supervisory team
Educational requirements
Other specific requirements
Transformation of microcontaminants in
wastewater treatment
Catalan Institute for Water Research (ICRA),
Girona, Spain
The main objective of this ESR is to elucidate
transformation pathways and identify
structures of main transformation products
(TPs) from selected emerging
microcontaminants formed during
treatments studied in PhD project of ESR1
(BioMAC, MBR, Bioaugmentation, AOP and
BES) and evaluate potential ecotoxicological
effects of intermediate TPs. In addition, aim
is to get better insight into transformation
processes during treatment, such as
deconjugation (relevant for hormones and
pharmaceuticals) and chiral transformations
(pharmaceuticals and their metabolites).
16 months ICRA, Girona, Spain; 14 months
ATKINS, UK; 4 months Aquafin, Belgium; 2
month secondment UK (University of Bath)
Mira Petrovic (ICRA)
John Bagnall (ATKINS)
Roels Joris (AQUAFIN)
Chemistry, Environmental Sciences, Chemical
Engineering
Experience in chemical analysis using
chromatographic and mass spectrometric
techniques will be positively considered
Fellow code: ESR 3
Title of individual research project
Host institution
Brief description of individual research
project
Mobility
Optimal configuration of nitrogen and
phosphorous recovery schemes within
WWTPs
University of Girona, LEQUIA, Girona, Spain
This ESR will focus on the study of the
combination of ammonium struvite plus
anaerobic ammonium oxidation from the
liquid fraction of the digested sludge in terms
of nitrogen and phosphorous recovery as
well as their impact on the whole water line.
The following topics will be studied:
1.
Lab-scale evaluation for NH4-struvite
plus one stage anaerobic ammonium
oxidation: operational conditions, quality
and operational cost, influence over water
line.
2.
Lab-scale evaluation of operational
conditions for one stage anaerobic
ammonium oxidation plua K-struvite
precipitation: operational conditions, quality
and operational cost, influence over water
line.
3.
Design, construction and operation of
a pilot plant for (NH4-or-K struvite and
anaerobic ammonium oxidation) according
to the previous results.
18 months University of Girona, Spain; 18
months Aquafin, Belgium
Supervisory team
Jesús Colprim (University of Girona)
Marjoleine Weemaes (AQUAFIN)
Educational requirements
Bsc in Chemical Engineering, environmental
engineering or similar; Msc degree in
environmental science, biotechnology or
similar.
Other specific requirements
Knowledge on molecular tools and
wastewater treatment experience is
desirable
Fellow code: ESR 4
Title of individual research project
Host institution
Brief description of individual research
project
Mobility
Supervisory team
Educational requirements
Other specific requirements
The resilience of wastewater treatment of
to multiple stress conditions
ATKINS, Bristol, UK
This project aims to investigate the multiple
stressors that trigger periods of reduced
wastewater performance and effluent
quality.
The objectives of this investigation are:
• To identify multiple stressors that
pose a risk to maintaining effluent
quality
• To determine whether identified
stressors cause short, medium or long
term
changes
to
bacterial
assemblages
within
urban
wastewater system
• To identify mitigation measures to
ameliorate against periods of
reduced
effluent
quality
and
increased variability resulting from
stressors.
18 months ATKINS, UK; 18 months
ICRA/University of Girona, Spain
John Bagnall (ATKINS)
Lluis Corominas (ICRA)
Geoff Darch (ATKINS)
Applicants from chemistry, biological or
environmental sciences, civil or chemical
engineering or geography backgrounds will
be considered, however good numerical and
analytical skills are essential.
A knowledge of wastewater treatment and
broader catchment issues facing water
quality. An understanding of the challenges
facing the water industry from climate
changes and resource limitation.
Fellow code: ESR 5
Title of individual research project
Host institution
Brief description of individual research
project
Mobility
Supervisory team
Educational requirements
Other specific requirements
Assessment of environmental and socioeconomical
implications
of
urban
wastewater systems upgrading
Catalan Institute for Water Research (ICRA),
Girona, Spain
Water managers are facing emerging
challenges in urban wastewater systems
pushed by societal, economical and
technological changes. In order to evaluate
how well the system meets specific
objectives influenced by current and
emerging challenges, relevant indicators are
employed. The objective of this research
topic is to develop an Environmental
Decision Support System (EDSS) to assess the
technical,
environmental
and
socioeconomic aspects for WWTP upgrade. A subobjective is to include uncertainty into the
EDSS to make more qualified decisions
18 months ICRA/University of Girona, Spain;
11 months AQUAFIN, Belgium; 4 months
ATKINS, UK, secondment 1 month The
Netherlands.
Lluis Corominas (ICRA)
Adrien Marchi (AQUAFIN)
Joaquim Comas (UdG)
Environmental, chemical or civil engineering
or environmental science
Knowledge in wastewater treatment
modelling; multicriteria analysis; decision
support systems is desirable