VITO/EnergyVille is looking for a (prospective) life cycle assessment (LCA) expert to strengthen the Sustainable Energy Systems Assessment & Modelling (SESAM) team.

EnergyVille is a collaboration between the Belgian research partners VITO, KU Leuven, IMEC and UHasselt in the field of sustainable energy. SESAM is a dynamic, multidisciplinary team of researchers with strong international connections to academic, research, and industrial organizations working on developing energy system models and sustainability assessment frameworks to explore long-term scenarios with a 2050 horizon. Our energy system thinking approach is applied to renewable energy technologies, including (but not limited to) Power-to-X, carbon capture and sequestration, batteries and solar cells.

The team is looking for a researcher willing to work on the sustainability assessment of new technologies using (prospective) LCA and further develop this method via its integration with energy systems models to contribute to a more sustainable economy.

In your position as LCA researcher in our team, you will:

• work as a researcher in funded research projects (e.g. Horizon EUROPE) and in scientific work for governments and/or industry.
• assess the present and future environmental impacts of energy technologies, such as batteries, solar cells, Power-to-X technologies.
• evaluate the sustainability of various renewable energy systems using (prospective) LCA in combination with other tools and approaches (e.g. energy systems modelling and scenario analysis).
• ensure innovation in the field through further development and improvement of (prospective) LCA methodology, scenario analysis, digitalization.
• make a tangible contribution to increased industrial sustainability through projects in which new solutions are developed based on the group research activities
• be responsible for cooperation within national and European research consortia and expand your network with Belgian and European governments and industrial partners.

• You have a Master's degree in a relevant domain (engineering, environmental science, computer science, etc.). A PhD and experience with scientific publishing are a plus.
• You have experience with LCA. Knowledge of ex-ante/prospective LCA and/or energy systems analysis are a plus
• Experience with advanced LCA software (in particular, Brightway and Activity Brower) and with programming (e.g. Python) is an asset.
• You are a flexible and a result-oriented team player able to work autonomously.
• You have excellent analytical skills and are able to write clear and comprehensible reports.
• Knowledge of Dutch is an added value but not required.

Offer

• If you're tired of the frequent commute, you've come to the right place. We work 'activity based', our activities bring us to our location. Our EnergyVille office is in Genk, here we meet at least once a week. Part-time work from home, our headquarter in Mol, or working from a satellite office in Antwerp-Berchem, Ghent or Ostend is possible.
• A competitive salary with a range of benefits including allowances, insurances, and a modular vacation package.
• Innovation is our asset, so it goes without saying that we offer our employees the opportunity to follow additional training courses and stay up to date in their field of expertise. You always get the opportunity to broaden your knowledge on for example sustainability assessment tools.
• You will be part of an organization with an international reputation, known for its advanced technological research and scientific consultancy.
• With us, you will contribute directly to sustainable developments at local, national, and global level through your innovative applications. You provide an answer to today’s societal challenges.
• Moreover, at VITO we attach great importance to work-life balance. We do this by being flexible, depending on your specific needs.