"PhD Position: Sustainable Additive Systems for Enhanced Rubber Durability"

Job Description

This is a high-profile, industrial-academic collaboration between the University of Twente (UT) and two global industry leaders, Apollo Tyres and LANXESS. The project is dedicated to designing and implementing smart, protective delivery systems for critical additives. The aim is to shield these agents during high-shear processing and enable their controlled and targeted release to significantly boost the long-term durability and functionality of next-generation rubber composites.

The successful candidate will be jointly supervised by the ETE (Elastomer Technology and Engineering) group, focusing on rubber science, and the SPC (Sustainable Polymer Chemistry) group, specializing in materials design.

This position requires a scientist capable of bridging advanced polymer design with industrial material application. The PhD candidate will be responsible for creating and validating a novel system that integrates smart carriers into complex rubber matrices.

Your main research activities will revolve around:

• System Formulation and Design: Developing novel protective systems using sustainable precursor materials. This includes precise control over the carrier morphology and the mechanisms that dictate functional additive delivery.
• Materials Integration: Applying knowledge of polymer chemistry and rubber compounding to effectively incorporate the new protective systems into various elastomer formulations. The researcher will test these materials under challenging industrial-relevant processing conditions.
• Performance and Lifetime Analysis: Conducting comprehensive mechanical, chemical, and aging tests on the resulting rubber composites to quantitatively demonstrate the significant improvements in durability, functionality, and overall product lifetime enabled by the smart additive systems.

Requirements

We are seeking a highly driven, motivated researcher with expertise across the chemical-materials spectrum, ideally combining competence in all three critical areas for this project:

• A Master’s degree in Chemistry, Materials Science, Polymer Engineering, or Chemical Engineering.
• Essential Expertise: A strong background and demonstrable practical experience in Elastomer/Rubber Technology (including compounding and testing), in Polymer Chemistry (synthesis or functionalization), and/or Colloidal Formulations (colloids, or advanced particle systems).
• Ability to independently manage a project that transitions from bench-scale chemical synthesis to industrial-scale material testing.
• Excellent proficiency in English (written and verbal) and a proven capability for effective communication in a complex, international, and confidential research environment.

Conditions of Employment

We offer a challenging and inspiring four-year full-time PhD position in a highly dynamic and multidisciplinary research environment.

• A full-time, four-year position as a PhD candidate at the University of Twente (UT).
• The salary ranges from € 3.059,- (first year) to € 3.881,- (fourth year) accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities (CAO).
• Holiday allowance of 8% and a year-end bonus of 8.3%.
• Excellent secondary conditions, including a solid pension scheme (ABP).
• Access to state-of-the-art research facilities, including advanced polymer synthesis and materials characterization labs.
• Regular project meetings with the industrial partners to keep a close dialogue.
• Support for re-housing and immigration issues.

Additional Information

Are you interested in contributing to the future of sustainable, high-performance rubber materials?

Please submit your application before 18th of January 2026 via the provided application button. Your application should be a single PDF document and include:

• A personal motivation letter, emphasizing your specific interest in this project and relevant expertise.
• A detailed CV.
• Academic transcripts of your BSc and MSc education.
• Contact details or letters for at least two academic references (supervisors/professors).

For more information or questions about the position, please contact Prof. Anke Blume or Prof. Frederik Wurm via the respective department pages at the University of Twente.

The interviews are planned in the first weeks of February 2026.