Job offers

273/2024 Postdoc (f/m/d)
Engineering, Natural or Environmental Sciences

Category

Job description

At the Institute for Technology Assessment and Systems Analysis (ITAS), you will participate in the evaluation and optimization of the sustainability profile of new and emerging energy technologies with a particular focus on hydrogen (and its derivatives, Power-to-X), long-term, and thermal storage. This includes the following tasks:

  • Conducting ecological, economic, and social life cycle sustainability assessments (LCA, LCC, Social-LCA), including data collection, analysis, and interpretation.
  • Developing and maintaining tools, models, and databases to support sustainability and life cycle analysis activities.
  • Representing topic and methodological expertise within the Helmholtz Association and supporting collaboration at various working levels.
  • Collaborating in national and EU projects to integrate sustainability aspects within product design, product development, and decision-making processes.
  • Identifying opportunities for environmental improvement and resource optimization throughout the entire product life cycle, including circular economy.
  • Identifying emerging trends, regulations, and best practices in the fields of sustainability research, prospective life cycle analysis, and new energy technologies.
  • Supporting work in national and international networks or activities such as e.g. EERA, BEPA, VDI, SETAC.
  • Communicating results and recommendations to societal stakeholders and partners within projects and activities through reports, publications, presentations, and workshops.
  • Contributing to the development of new work areas and the implementation of sustainability strategies and initiatives.
  • Supervising thesis projects (Bachelor's, Master's).
     

Personal qualification

You have:

  • A university degree (Master's) in engineering, natural, or environmental sciences with a completed doctorate.
  • Very good knowledge and experience in the field of life cycle assessment (LCA) and life cycle costing (LCC).
  • Understanding of sustainability principles, life cycle analysis methods, and energy technologies, as well as systemic thinking in the energy sector.
  • Good German and English language skills, both spoken and written.
  • Organizational talent and good communication skills.

Salary

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

 

More details Apply

ITAS 02-2024 Master Thesis A System Dynamics model for Li-Ion battery production and values chain

Category

Job description

Within the ongoing energy transition, increasing amounts of different Lithium-Ion secondary batteries (LiB) will be needed for stationary and mobile applications. There are some sustainability related drawbacks related to the production of LiB regarding e.g., resource and energy use and related environmental impact. The aim of the thesis is to carry out an assessment of a selected lithium-ion battery production and corresponding value chain using a system dynamics approach. The expected goals are the identification of potential effects of potential disruption or changes in the value chain on Lithium-ion battery production in Europe. The work is carried out in close cooperation with the POLIS Cluster of Excellence at KIT and the Technical Research Center Finland (VTT). The latter holds expertise in the field of system dynamics and KIT for resources and battery production.

In particular, the work comprises the following tasks:

  • Review of existing publications on Material Flow and Life cycle Assessment studies for Lithium-ion batteries
  • Identification of important actors and processes along the value chain
  • Analysis of energy and materials flow analysis within a system dynamics approach
  • Quantification material and energy flows in the corresponding model
  • Development of sensitivity analyses.
  • Critical reflection of the outcomes

Personal qualification

  • Field of study: Industrial engineering, process, social sciences, system analysis or similar disciplines
  • Good technical understanding
  • Initial experience with material and energy flow analysis or life cycle assessment advantageous
  • Skilled in MS-Office (Excel and Word)
  • Very good English skills (basic knowledge of German is an advantage)
  • Organized and reliable, working independently and self-motivated.     

 

More details Apply

Student helpers