PhD position in Analytical Chemistry

The 4-year PhD program focuses on developing rapid screening methods using high-resolution mass spectrometry (HR-MS) to detect chemicals in consumer articles and identify toxic substances through effect-directed analysis (EDA).

The PhD research will be embedded in the European Partnership for the Assessment of Risks from Chemicals (PARC). PARC’s mission is to address chemical safety challenges by developing next-generation risk assessment, supporting the European Green Deal's goal of a toxic-free environment.

The enforcement of EU chemical safety legislation is crucial for advancing the European Green Deal agenda and the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability. Effective enforcement ensures EU citizens are protected from regulated substances and maintains fair competition among producers and importers. Advances in analytical techniques and chemical information systems offer new opportunities to identify chemicals of emerging concern. However, these novel methods are underutilized in regulatory contexts. This project aims to evaluate and develop rapid screening methods for identifying priority substances across various sample matrices. These methods will enhance enforcement actions, supporting national authorities in implementing key regulations like REACH, CLP, and product-specific legislation such as the RoHS Directive and regulations on food contact materials.

The candidate will develop high-resolution mass spectrometry (HR-MS) suspect and non-target (SNTS) workflows tailored to rapidly identify regulated and emerging chemicals of concern in consumer articles. This will require a strategic approach that integrates existing HR-MS and ambient MS techniques. The goal is to create a methodology suitable for the enforcement of chemical legislation, contributing to better consumer protection and regulatory compliance.

In the second stage of the project, effect-directed analysis (EDA) will be used to prioritize the identification of additives and other chemicals of emerging concern in consumer products and other (environmental) samples. The findings will be published in peer-reviewed scientific journals. These publications will form the basis of the PhD thesis.

Your duties

• Developing fast screening HR-MS methods using ambient MS techniques to support the enforcement of chemicals in consumer articles
• Use of hyphenated techniques such as LC-QTOF-MS, (tims)-QTOF-MS, GC-HR-MS, DART-QTOF-MS etc.
• Setup comprehensive SNTS workflows for the prioritization and annotation and semi-quantification of regulated and emerging chemicals.
• Active participation in PARC.
• Effect-directed analysis methodologies including high resolution fractionation, and different in vitro bioassays for screening.

Further duties and expectations

• Ensure and report quality assurance/control (QA/QC) of the produced data
• Supervision of Master’s students in their research and literature theses within the framework of the project.
• Involvement in teaching, e.g. supervision of working groups or practicals at BSc and MSc level.
• Dissemination of results in peer-reviewed journals and at (inter)national conferences
• Write and defend a PhD thesis at the VUA.

Requirements:

• Required diploma: MSc in analytical chemistry, or an equivalent degree in a closely related field.
• Expertise: analytical chemistry (e.g. liquid and/or gas chromatography, high-resolution mass spectrometry), suspect/nontarget screening workflows, excellent command of the English language, and scientific writing skills.
• Affinity with toxicology / in vitro bioassays
• Strong analytical problem-solving skills and attention to detail.
• A team player but is also able to work independently.

Salary Benefits:

A challenging position in a socially engaged organisation. At VU Amsterdam, you contribute to education, research and service for a better world. And that is valuable. So in return for your efforts, we offer you:

• a salary of € 2.872,00 (PhD) and maximum € 3.670,00 (PhD) gross per month in the fourth year, for a full-time employment
• an employment contract of initially 1 year. If there is sufficient perspective, this will be extended to a total of 4 years. Your dissertation at the end of the fourth year forms the end of your employment contract.

We also offer you attractive fringe benefits and arrangements. Some examples:

• A full-time 38-hour working week comes with a holiday leave entitlement of 232 hours per year. If you choose to work 40 hours, you have 96 extra holiday leave hours on an annual basis. For part-timers, this is calculated pro rata.
• 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus
• contribution to commuting expenses
• optional model for designing a personalized benefits package
• a wide range of sports facilities which staff may use at a modest charge

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