Post-doc on Process Analytical Tools for Advanced Bioprocess Monitoring and Control

VITO, one of Europe’s leading research centers with 1,300 employees, transforms scientific insights into groundbreaking technological innovations, AI-driven solutions, and policy advice. We do this with one clear goal: to help the world thrive for at least another 1,000 years.

As a science-to-technology partner, we support businesses, governments, and society in their transition toward sustainability. With our multidisciplinary approach and unique laboratory, scaling, and testing infrastructure, we develop practical technological innovations. We accelerate progress toward a regenerative economy within the planet's boundaries, prioritizing electrification and circularity. Additionally, we create smart climate solutions for resilient and secure ecosystems and promote a healthy living environment where people, industry, agriculture, and nature coexist in harmony.

Our employees work in multidisciplinary expert teams across more than 40 research domains. They leverage our unique laboratory and data infrastructure, as well as our extensive network of innovation partners. Through positive transition thinking and in-depth techno-economic analyses, we develop solutions that are not only effective on paper but also in the complex reality of everyday life.

To support and strengthen our growth, we are looking for a:

Post-doc on Process Analytical Tools for Advanced Bioprocess Monitoring and Control

The Team

As part of the Materials & Chemistry business unit, the PROBIO team develops bioprocesses and biomass processing schemes targeting new synthesis routes and novel value chains for a greener and bio-based industry.

The team has extensive and unique expertise and infrastructure in bioprocess intensification, including among others performance of continuous fermentations, of enzymatic and whole cell bioprocesses coupled with membrane separation technology and of (CO2) fermentations at elevated pressure. Building on our current model-based process optimization approach, we aim to expand our activities in advanced process control. We want to implement novel process analytical tools (PAT) to gain deeper insights in process dynamics and to further optimize the (integrated) processes while saving on resources and guaranteeing constant output. In recently approved projects we will acquire novel PAT for advanced online measurements, such as Raman spectroscopy.

As part of this new research direction, you will help build capabilities, expertise, and collaborations for development and use of PAT and Digital Twinning in view of process optimization and intensification.

To strengthen our team of researchers and technicians (now about 12 people) we are looking for a new colleague to integrate PAT in advanced process monitoring and control of (separation-enhanced) bioconversion processes. For this we opened a post-doc position for a 1-year contract, potentially extendable to 2 years.

This is our plan for you

• Together with our team of experts, you will support the implementation of PAT on a variety of bioprocesses, in stand-alone mode or in combination with separation technology in the framework of dedicated projects.

• You will take the lead to develop chemometrics and integrate them with commercial and proprietary process control software.

• You will develop Digital Twins based on PAT inputs.

• You will plan, execute and support bioconversion tests with new PAT, by designing experiments, by supporting in their execution and by processing all results.

• You will report, present and publish the results.

We believe the right candidate for this job should have:

• A PhD in (bio)chemical process engineering, PAT or data analysis

• A track record of applied knowledge on online monitoring techniques and chemometrics

• Ideally, an applied knowledge of Raman spectroscopy and chemometrics

• Ideally, experience with MATLAB, LabVIEW, Python

• Creative mindset

• Enthusiasm about both experimental lab work and processing of data and reporting

• Team player skills

• A strong interest in cooperation across disciplines and sectors

• A good knowledge of English, both written and spoken

What we offer

• A team of great colleagues, experts in their field, who will guide, support and interact with you

• A front-row seat to witness the development of technical solutions for a sustainable world

• Access to state-of-art equipment for bioprocess intensification and online monitoring and control

• Interesting opportunities to interact with partners in industry and academia

• A competitive salary package