Postdoctoral researcher cost-effective functional safety for sustainable process industries

The Department of Engineering Management in the Faculty of Business and Economics is looking for a full-time (100%) postdoctoral researcher in the field of cost-effective functional safety for sustainable process industries

Position

• You will work actively with academic and industrial partners in a starting two-year strategic basic research project on functional safety in the process industry, focusing on the cost-effectiveness of safety instrumented systems.
• You will build on existing literature to address gaps in both academia and practice regarding the cost-effectiveness analysis of safety instrumented systems.
• You will conduct cost-effectiveness analyses by designing cost models to highlight trade-offs in the implementation of safety instrumented systems.
• You will evaluate how system design complexity affects the lifecycle costs of safety instrumented systems.
• You will collaborate with field experts to validate research findings and address existing concerns about the cost-effectiveness of safety instrumented systems.
• You will assist in ongoing research projects and the operation of the EnvEcon research group.
• You will help coordinate project proposals on enabling safe and sustainable processes and systems by design with specific focus on the chemical industry and you contribute to attracting external funding.
• You will assist in the supervision of PhD students and other team members.
• You will publish scientific articles related to the research project.

Profile

• You hold a PhD in (applied) engineering sciences (chemical engineering, process engineering, mechanical engineering, safety engineering), applied economics or similar; or you will have obtained it by the time you start to work.
• Your research qualities are in line with the faculty and university research policies.
• Your teaching competences are in line with the University of Antwerp’s educational vision.
• You act with attention to quality, integrity, creativity and cooperation.
• You can speak and write fluently in English.
• Experience with industrial chemical processes and process safety is considered as a plus.
• Interest in production processes and the manufacturing sector is a plus.
• You show interest in sustainable development and the transition to a more sustainable society.
• You show interest in cleantech and environmental technology.
• Experience with funding acquisition and project coordination is considered as a plus.
• Experience with cost engineering methods, cost-benefit analysis and cost-effectiveness analysis are considered as a plus.

What we offer

• We offer a full-time contract for a period of 1 year, which can be extended with 1 year (after positive evaluation). We will also look together for options to extend the contract (after the two-year project, after positive evaluation).
• The planned start date is 1 November 2025 or as soon as possible after that date.
• Your gross monthly salary is calculated according to the pay scale for a principal research fellow in the Contract Research Staff category (Dutch: Bijzonder Academisch Personeel, BAP).
• You will receive ecocheques, Internet-connectivity allowance, a group insurance, an income protection insurance, and a bicycle allowance or a full reimbursement of public transport costs for commuting.
• You will do most of your work at the University of Antwerp Stadscampus in a dynamic and stimulating working environment.
• Find out more about working at the University of Antwerp here.

Want to apply?

• You can apply for this vacancy through the University of Antwerp’s online job application platform up to and including 13 October 2025 (by midnight Brussels time). Click on the 'Apply' button and complete the online application form. Be sure to include the following attachments:
• a motivation letter
• your academic CV
• The selection committee reviews all applications as soon as possible after the application deadline. As soon as a decision is made, we will notify you. If you are still eligible after the pre-selection, you will be informed about the possible next step(s) in the selection procedure. You can already save the following dates: Selection interviews will be planned on 16 October 2025.
• If you have any questions about the online application form, please check the frequently asked questions or send an email to jobs@uantwerpen.be. If you have any questions about the job itself, please contact dr. Philippe Nimmegeers (philippe.nimmegeers@uantwerpen.be).