Senior Researcher-Teacher Circular Water Technology

In the last decade, research and education at Avans have paid considerable attention to recovering raw materials (e.g. phosphate, PHA and cellulose) and energy (biogas) from industrial and municipal wastewater.  Recently, attention has shifted beyond raw material recovery to include the reuse of industrial and municipal wastewater as a source of fresh water, employing combinations of biological, chemical, and physical technologies. This growing focus is driven by rising water demands for agriculture, industry, and drinking purposes, as well as by more frequent droughts linked to climate change.

At Avans, we want to further develop our research in the field of Circular Water Technology and implement these new developments in education. We are seeking a senior researcher-teacher Circular Water Technology that can apply for and lead innovative applied research projects while implementing this knowledge into education at Avans such as the minor AquaCycle: Circular Water Technology.

In this position as senior researcher-teacher you will combine research and education in collaboration with companies, and (non)-governmental organizations, inside and outside Avans, you:

• Further develop the new research line Circular Water Technology.
• Integrate research with education. You guide internship students, actively contribute to research-education integration and participate in teaching.
• Work on funding and proposal writing. You secure research funding and write grant proposals, particularly for projects with a focus on Circular Water Technology.
• Lead and carry out research projects. You take charge of research initiatives, mentor junior researchers and students, and collaborate with academic and industrial partners. 
• Have the possibility to grow from senior researcher towards associate lector (professor) depending on the success of Circular Water Technology within research and education.

We estimate that approximately 50% of your time will be spent on research and 50% on education-related activities.

As a researcher-teacher Circular Water Technology you will be positioned at the Center of Expertise Material and Energy Transition (MNEXT) of Avans in Breda. MNEXT forms the bridge between innovation and society together with SMEs. More than 80 employees work at MNEXT. We are an international team which means that we communicate both in Dutch and English. By conducting applied research with students, teachers, researchers and outside stakeholders, we set the materials and energy transition in motion towards a more sustainable future.

Within MNEXT you will be part of the research group biobased Resources & Energy which focusses on the recovery of valuable building blocks, products, and energy from residual streams from industries, agriculture, and nature. Examples include producing bioplastics from agricultural waste streams and chemical recycling. Your teaching activities will take place at the academy of life Sciences and Technology (ALST) with study programmes such as chemical engineering, environmental sciences and chemistry.

Please visit our website for details about our activities.

An environment where you have the freedom to discover and improve things; This is how we get the best out of you. We facilitate you in your continuous development, with which you then contribute to our further professional and technical professionalization. We also offer you:

• A monthly salary of a minimum of € 5.486 to a maximum of € 7.175 gross for a full­ time appointment (scale 12 collective labour agreement for higher professional education). In line with the collective labor agreement, salaries will be increased by 5% as of January 1, 2026.
• An end-of-year bonus, which is approximately equal to a thirteenth month.
• An appointment for 1 year. If the position functions well and there is sufficient training space, an extension is a possibility.
• A good work-life balance and pleasant workplaces.
• A lot of freedom in your job with the option to work partially from home.

You are expected to have strong problem-solving skills, as you will be addressing complex challenges in Circular Water Technology. Collaboration is key, so you should be comfortable working in interdisciplinary teams and with industrial partners.

Good communication skills are essential for sharing your findings effectively, both in writing project proposals and reports and in giving presentations. You also need to be adaptable and open to learning, especially when exploring new techniques and value chains. Additionally, you have:

• A PhD/PD in water technology, (micro)biology, (bio)chemistry or similar field of expertise., with a broad mindset being able to research and connect different biological, chemical and physical technologies.
• Proven experience in developing and optimizing novel processes and technologies for treatment and valorisation of industrial and municipal wastewater.
• Experience in analytical methods such as liquid and gas chromatography and product characterization such as TGA and DSC.
• Proven experience in writing subsidy proposals. International experience is a pre.

Please note that this position is only open to candidates who are eligible to work in the EU. Unfortunately, we cannot consider applicants from outside the European Union.

Big ambitions, human scale. Committed, personal - that's Avans. A place where you can be yourself. With your unique ideas and insights. That's part of our learning and entrepreneurial character. We offer optimum flexible education, in co-creation with the professional field. We are always changing and moving with the world around us. Our aim is to offer ever more personalization, so that our students can choose part of their own learning pathways. Read these stories to discover Avans as an employer.

Do you see a great role for yourself in further professionalizing our education and research and in contributing to the further development of Avans into a knowledge institution? Please apply no later than Monday, January 12, 2026 via the application button. If you have any questions about the content of the position, please contact Jappe de Best, Professor/lector, via via Saskia Boot-Wijn, Business Operations Coordinator MNEXT, via s.boot@avans.nl or by phone on +31885259131.

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