The Department of Chemical Engineering (CIT) belongs to the Science, Engineering and Technology Group and brings together expertise in chemical, biochemical and environmental process engineering. Within the Chemical and Biochemical Reactor Engineering and Safety (CREaS) team at Campus De Nayer, the research lines of Prof. Raf Dewil and Prof. Lise Appels focus on water treatment, resource recovery and sustainable process engineering. Their predominantly experimental research combines advanced oxidation and (photo)catalytic processes, functional nanomaterials and (bio-inspired) biological systems to develop integrated solutions for the removal of persistent micropollutants and the recovery of valuable chemicals, fuels and water.
We seek a Research Manager to help shape, expand and coordinate this ambitious research portfolio. The role is situated at the interface of photocatalysis, functional nanomaterials and biological systems for water and resource recovery, with a strong focus on strategy and portfolio building, project acquisition and coordination, and proposal development. The Research Manager will help build a multi-year funding pipeline, strengthen the team’s participation in and coordination of European consortia, and professionalize project governance, planning, budgeting and reporting.
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Responsibilities
- Contribute to the translation of the research vision of Prof. Dewil and Prof. Appels into a concrete multi-year project and funding strategy;
- Proactively identify funding opportunities in Flanders and Europe, with a strong emphasis on Horizon Europe and related EU programmes;
- Initiate and support multidisciplinary national and international consortia, and align potential project opportunities with the strenghts of the research core;
- Lead end-to-end proposal development, including call analysis, work package design, planning, budgeting, internal review rounds and quality assurance across excellence, impact and implementation;
- Support the start-up, management and follow-up of research projects and ensure coherent execution across scientific, administrative and financial dimensions;
- Coordinate project planning with available people, infrastructure, experimental capacity and reporting requirements;
- Strengthen the visibility and positioning of the research core in multidisciplinary and European research networks related to water treatment, resource recovery, nanomaterials and biological systems;
Profile
- You possess a PhD or equivalent experience in chemical engineering, environmental engineering or a related discipline;
- You have solid domain knowledge in one or more of the following areas: photocatalysis, functional nanomaterials, water and wastewater treatment, biological systems, resource recovery, or sustainable process engineering;
- You have proven experience in research strategy and proposal writing; a strong track record in European proposals is a major asset;
- You are able to coordinate complex multidisciplinary projects and interact confidently with academic and non-academic partners in national and international consortia;
- You are familiar with major funding channels in Flanders and Europe, especially Horizon Europe and related prorgrammes;
- You are proactive, structured and solution-oriented, with strong communication skills;
- You are able to manage experts, create alignment across teams and translate scientific ambitions into realistic project roadmaps;
- You are fluent in English, both spoken and written. Knowledge of Dutch is an advantage.
Offer
We offer a dynamic and inspiring job as a Research Manager at KU Leuven. This permanent, full-time position offers the opportunity to help shape an ambitious experimental research portfolio at the interface of photocatalysis, nanomaterials and biological systems for water treatment and resource recovery. You will work in a multidisciplinary and international environment at Campus De Nayer, in close interaction with leading researchers and a large research team. The position offers room for initiative, strategic impact and long-term development, while contributing directly to the strengthening of KU Leuven’s European research portfolio.
Interested?
For more information please contact Prof. Raf Dewil ([email protected]) or Prof. Lise Appels ([email protected]).
KU Leuven strives for an inclusive, respectful and socially safe environment. We embrace diversity among individuals and groups as an asset. Open dialogue and differences in perspective are essential for an ambitious research and educational environment. In our commitment to equal opportunity, we recognize the consequences of historical inequalities. We do not accept any form of discrimination based on, but not limited to, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, age, ethnic or national background, skin colour, religious and philosophical diversity, neurodivergence, employment disability, health, or socioeconomic status. For questions about accessibility or support offered, we are happy to assist you at this email address.
