Facilitated with funding from the European Development Fund (EDF), the University of Aruba is a young and dynamic university that was founded in 1988. Since its existence, the university has not stopped and currently consists of four faculties, namely the Faculty of Law, the Financial-Economic Faculty, the Faculty of Hotel and Tourism Management Studies and the Faculty of Arts and Science. Our primary activity, providing education, is supported and facilitated by our Offices Centers and other support staff.
The University of Aruba, in collaboration with KU Leuven (Belgium), is seeking to expand its research and teaching capacity in bio-environmental engineering, technology, engineering, informatics, and data sciences. In 2019 the curriculum of the new academic bachelor in sciences, technology and engineering and mathematics (STEM) will open its doors and will graduate its first bachelors in 2022. This three-year program will consist of a 180 European credits program with a focus on sustainable development in small island states. A 90 credit master program will start in 2021. For this new STEM sciences program, the University of Aruba will start with the education and research training of the new academic staff needed to provide this program and is looking for a:
JUNIOR RESEARCHER
Valorization of reverse osmosis brines as sustainable resources.
(1,0 fte.)
The main responsibilities are:
The junior researcher will teach modules in the program and conduct PhD research within a PhD research program at the University of Aruba and KU Leuven. The PhD is expected to be completed in 2022/23.
Project: Valorization of reverse osmosis brines as sustainable resources.
Seawater is an abundant, but critical resource for any island. Using seawater for the production of freshwater requires desalination; this generates brines, which can be an environmental threat, or an opportunity. The strategic technological approach that will be developed is in exploring methods for separation of valuable elements such as lithium or magnesium from reverse osmosis brines. Given the current rate of depletion for some resources, recovery of these is thought of higher economic interest than water production. This may require a further concentration of brines, and methods (electrochemical, precipitation) for selective recovery.
Key words:
· Desalination
· Resource recovery
· Reverse osmosis
· Drinking water
· Lithium
· Magnesium
Responsible professor for this project at KU Leuven:
Prof. Bart Van der Bruggen
Department of Chemical Engineering - Process Engineering for Sustainable Systems, KU Leuven
The ideal candidate:
· Holds a master’s degree in a relevant discipline from an accredited university.
· Has an affinity for research, academic education and sustainable development through sciences and engineering.
· Has an ambition to contribute to sustainable development.
· Is a team-player that can also work independently.
· Is open for coaching and training and can provide and receive constructive feedback to/from peers and students.
· Has excellent verbal and written communication skills in English.
The University of Aruba offers:
Candidates will be registered as research students of KU Leuven and receive excellent educational training and coaching as well as research training and supervision by both KU Leuven and the University of Aruba. An exciting new opportunity for a four-year term contract, on the condition that the research proposal is approved in the first year. This four-year contract provides an attractive benefit package including APFA pension, additional health insurance, and a competitive wage.After successful completion of the PhD program, junior researchers are eligible for senior academic positions in the program.
Interested? Visit our website and submit your application letter and resume before Saturday, August 31, 2019, through our career portal: https://careers.portal.ua.aw for the specific PhD project you are interested in. If you need further information regarding the position, please contact us at stem@ua.aw. One (or more) job interviews, a medical exam, an assessment test and a certificate of good conduct are in accordance with our rules of application and a standard part of our recruitment and selection procedure.
Candidates with a demonstrated strong affinity for Aruba and the Caribbean and for challenges in small island states are strongly encouraged to apply.