Professor in 'Chemical Engineering' (Elsene, BE) na VUB Brussels University | Vrije Universiteit Brussel

1 - Working at the VUB

For more than 50 years, the Vrije Universiteit Brussel has stood for freedom, equality and solidarity, and this is very much alive on our campuses among students and staff alike. 

At the VUB, you will find a diverse collection of personalities: innovators pur sang, but above all people who are 100% their authentic selves. With some 4,000 employees, we are the largest Dutch-speaking employer, in the private sector, in Brussels; an international city with which we are only too happy to connect and where (around) our 4 campuses are located. 

Add to this our principle of free research - in which self-reflection, a critical attitude and an open, creative mind around scientific and social issues are central - and you have a university that is fundamentally groundbreaking and pioneering in education and research. In short: the VUB all over again. 

Moreover, the VUB is a member of EUTOPIA, an alliance of like-minded European universities, all ready to reinvent themselves.

2 - Position description

The Faculty of Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering and Industrial Chemistry, is looking for a part-time professor. 

More concretely your work package contains: 

Education and Research domain:

Chemical engineering techniques with a focus on separation technologies, process technology and sustainable chemical processes.

Education tasks:

You support the educational offer in bachelor's and master's programs in Chemical Engineering, in particular:
•    You contribute to courses in separation technology, reactor and process design, or process modelling;
•    You supervise master's theses within the domain of adsorption processes or related separation technologies;
•    You are permanently involved in the supervision of master's and doctoral students in the field of adsorbent design, modelling of adsorption processes and pilot-scale validation;
•    You integrate your research expertise and industrial applications in the educational offer.

Research tasks:

You develop and support the research program on adsorption technology, with a particular focus on new technologies that can contribute to the transition to a carbon-neutral society:

• You develop innovative hybrid and multifunctional adsorption materials and structures to apply for process intensification in the broad framework of sustainable process technology;
• You develop electrified adsorption technologies with the aim of increasing energy efficiency and enabling the use of renewable energy sources;
• You develop advanced methods for the modelling of hybrid separation processes and investigating the extent to which AI can contribute to this;
• You model and simulate energetic aspects of molecular separation processes, material behavior and process dynamics;
• You roll out a technological platform (from material production to pilot plant and process) for negative emissions technology, such as Direct Air Capture;
• You supervise doctoral students and active participation in the development of project applications and collaborations with industrial partners.

Other tasks:

•    You have an advisory and coaching role within the department, including at the start of new research infrastructure or projects;
•    You support valorisation initiatives and industrial collaborations;
•    You represent the research group within (inter)national networks and consortia.

For this function, our Brussels Humanities, Sciences & Engineering Campus (Elsene) will serve as your home base. 

3 - Profile

What do we expect from you?

• You are Doctor of Chemical Engineering, preferably with a thesis related to adsorption processes, ideally including experimental and theoretical research on CO₂ adsorption, vacuum/temperature swing adsorption technologies or similar separation methods.

•    You have extensive experience in the development and design of structured and hybrid adsorption materials, for example based on porous materials such as MOFs, zeolites or functionally modified sorbents used in CO₂ or other gas adsorption systems and electrified processes; 
•    You dispose of significant experience in process design and process optimization, including model development and numerical simulation (Matlab, Aspen etc.) of advanced adsorption processes such as TVSA and ESA (joule heating, inductive heating, microwave heating);  
•    You link strong know-how in models to the design of validation experiments;
•    You have a proven capacity to design, build and operationally validate test setups, both in laboratory and pilot scale contexts; 
•    You are experienced in publishing peer-reviewed articles, presentations at international conferences, and participation in valorisation projects in collaboration with research or industrial partners; 
•    You have relevant competences in research-driven education and supervision of master's and doctoral students within adsorption and separation technologies.

• You subscribe to the university’s vision of education. The full text in relation to this is available on the university website.

• Every first appointment is dependent upon the successful delivery of a teaching session.  

• Language regulations:

A member of the academic staff who is entrusted with a teaching assignment must also be able to demonstrate that the language of instruction is known at ERK level C1 through a qualification certificate or through an adequate diploma. The VUB also provides courses in, for example, academic English.

The administrative language of the VUB is Dutch. In case of insufficient knowledge of Dutch, the VUB will provide an integration course. After a maximum of five years, a member of the academic staff must demonstrate adequate knowledge of the administrative language (ERK level B2).

For a complete overview, please consult the complete language regulations on https://jobs.vub.be/content/Regulations-concerning-language-proficiency/. 

Certificates demonstrating knowledge of the language can already be added to the application. 

• As a (non-)EEA national, meet the conditions for obtaining a valid permit for VUB and comply with the VUB residence requirements. More info here.

The VUB wants to be a reflection of the society where everyone's talent is valued, regardless of gender, age, religion, skin color, migration background, disability and neurodiversity.

4 - Offer

Are you going to be our new colleague?

You’ll be offered an appointment as professor, for an assignment of 0.1 FTE, for 3 years (renewable, on condition of the positive evaluation of the activities), with planned starting date 01/02/2026. 

You’ll receive a salary linked to one of the scales set by the government.

At the VUB, you’re guaranteed an open, involved and diverse workplace where you are offered opportunities to (further) build on your career.

As well as this, you will also enjoy various other benefits:

• Extensive homeworking options, a telework allowance of 50 euros per month OR an internet fee of 20 euros per month;
• An open and informal working environment where attention is paid to work-life balance, and exceptional holiday arrangements with 35 days of leave (based on a fulltime contract), closure between Christmas and New Year and 3 extra leave days;
• Cost-free hospitalisation insurance;
• Full reimbursement of your home-to-work commute with public transport according to VUB-policy, and/or compensation if you come by bike; 
• A wide selection of meals in our campus restaurants at attractive prices;
• Excellent and affordable facilities for sport and exercise, a range of discounts via Benefits@Work (in  all kinds of shops, on flights, in petrol stations, amusement parks...) and Ecocheques; 
• Nursery near campus, discount on holiday camps; 
• The space to form your job content and to continuously learn through our VUB learning platforms and training courses;
• And finally: great colleagues with a healthy drive.

5 - Interested?

Is this the job you’ve been dreaming of?

Then apply, at the latest on 30/11/2025, via jobs.vub.be, and upload the following documents:

• your motivation letter, including your vision on education and research, and an explanation about the development of your future research;
• your curriculum vitae, including you academic dossier; 
• your diploma (not applicable for VUB alumni) and language certificates.

Our application process is as follows (subject to change):

• step 1: an initial selection based on your application file; 
• step 2: on the basis of a trial lesson, a presentation and a selection interview, the selection committee identifies your competences;
• step 3: a final interview with the dean for the first ranked candidate.

Do you have questions about the job content? Contact Prof. Joeri Denayer at [email protected] or on 0032-2-629 17 98.

Would you like to know what it’s like to work at the VUB? Go to jobs.vub.be, and find all there is to know about our campuses, benefits, strategic goals and your future colleagues.

Would you like more information about EUTOPIA? Go to eutopia-university.eu, and read more about the role of the VUB in the development of the EUTOPIA alliance.