Research associate (f/m/d)
specialising in engineering or environmental sciences, industrial engineering, chemistry

Organizational unit

Institute for Technology Assessment and Systems Analysis (ITAS)

Job description

As part of the EU project "European Produced Sustainable Sodium-Ion Batteries for Stationary Applications" (EPISODE), you will develop innovative approaches to sustainability assessment and circular economy for batteries, with a particular focus on sodium-ion batteries. You will analyze production processes and systems for their sustainability, identify ecodesign hotspots, and develop targeted optimization strategies. Your work will provide our industrial partners with valuable insights and precise data, enabling them to efficiently develop sustainable batteries and make a significant contribution to the energy transition. Your specific tasks include:

• Developing and optimizing sustainability metrics and ecodesign principles for sodium-ion cells
• Modeling processes and creating detailed inventory data for the selected battery system in terms of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), Life Cycle Costing (LCC), and Social Life Cycle Assessment (S-LCA)
• Co-modeling battery recycling processes and evaluating their sustainability
• Analyzing the operation of the new battery storage system for PV self-consumption at the system level, with the aim of maximizing ecological benefits and resource efficiency
• Utilizing an existing multi-criteria decision-making tool to evaluate complex sustainability metrics in collaboration with stakeholders

Starting date

01.05.2025

Personal qualification

We expect:

• A completed university degree (Master’s) in engineering, environmental sciences, industrial engineering, chemistry, or a related field; a Ph.D. is an advantage
• Initial professional experience in the fields of sustainability, circular economy, or battery development
• Solid knowledge of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and sustainability assessment
• Experience in process modeling and recycling methods, including consideration of social and ethical aspects of the circular economy
• Familiarity with OpenLCA
• Basic knowledge of multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) methods
• Strong analytical and conceptual thinking skills
• Communication skills and experience in moderating workshops
• A strong ability to work in interdisciplinary teams
• A high level of initiative and sense of responsibility

Salary

Salary category 13, depending on the fulfillment of professional and personal requirements.