Scientist - Liquid-state NMR & Optical Spectroscopy

Brightlands

Chemelot Campus

Scientist - Liquid-State NMR & Optical Spectroscopy (40 hrs/ week -fulltime)

Brightlands Chemelot Campus

Kruimelpad

1. Scientist - Liquid-State NMR & Optical Spectroscopy (40 hrs/ week -fulltime)

Brightlands Chemelot Campus, located in Sittard-Geleen, is one of Europe's largest research and industrial hubs. As a national innovation campus, it is a leading hotspot for advanced materials, sustainable chemistry, and biomedical innovation. The campus brings together businesses, researchers, and students in an open innovation ecosystem, aiming to grow into a community of 5,000 knowledge workers and 2,000 students. With state-of-the-art facilities and close ties to Chemelot Industrial Park, Brightlands accelerates innovation by supporting companies from startup to corporate in scaling up sustainable solutions.

About Sustainable Analytics Group (SusAn)

Since January 2023, the Sustainable Analytics Group has been part of Brightlands Chemelot Campus, operating within the Brightlands Circular Space program. SusAn plays a key role in advancing circular materials innovation through deep analytical expertise.

SusAn supports both scientific and commercial projects by developing methods to assess quality issues in waste feedstock and enabling product development, especially in the context of design for recycling and design from recycling. It collaborates with knowledge institutions and companies in research programs and provides high-end analytical infrastructure and services to campus tenants and regional SMEs.

In addition to a diverse portfolio of contract research projects for companies within and beyond the campus, SusAn actively contributes to Brightlands Circular Space's mission: accelerating circularity and supporting a sustainable society through the development of technologies for recycling polymer-based materials. Participation in public and private funded R&D projects is a core part of SusAn's activities.

SusAn (Sustainable Analytics), embedded within SusAn and rooted in the legacy of the former DSM labs, transforms complex materials questions into clear, decision-ready answers. Integrated into the Brightlands Circular Space ecosystem, SusAn combines advanced instrumentation with industrial pragmatism to help partners move from data to action fast.

radar BCC

The role

We're hiring a Scientist with hands-on, operational expertise in solution-state (liquid) NMR and a solid background in optical spectroscopy (e.g., FT-IR/ATR, Raman, UV-Vis/fluorescence). You'll design and run experiments, translate results into actionable insights for industrial customers, and help develop new methods that support circular materials development and quality assurance. Expect a mix of contract research for companies, as well as contributions to public-private R&D within Brightlands Circular Space.

What you'll do

• Own the liquid-state NMR capability end-to-end: instrument operation (setup, tuning, cryogens, basic maintenance), method development, automation/throughput, QA/QC, and data interpretation for polymers, additives, recyclates, monomers and complex mixtures.

• Design and execute multi-nuclear 1D/2D NMR (e.g., quantitative ^1H/^13C, DOSY, relaxation/kinetics) to answer structural, compositional and diffusion questions relevant to product development and troubleshooting.

• Lead/execute optical spectroscopy studies (FT-IR/ATR, Raman, UV-Vis) for identification, compositional tracking, degradation/yellowing assessments, and process/quality investigations; integrate with complementary chromatography-MS and thermal techniques through our team.

• Translate business questions into scientifically sound analytical strategies ; plan experiments, evaluate data critically, and deliver concise reports and presentations that drive decisions for industrial stakeholders.

• Scout and implement new methods (including in our extended network, e.g., solid-state NMR access) to strengthen SusAn's analytical toolbox.

• Contribute to public/private R&D proposals and projects aligned with circularity, and collaborate closely with colleagues across disciplines.

What you bring

• PhD in (Analytical) Chemistry, Physical Chemistry, Polymer/Materials Science, or a related field. Industrial experience is strongly preferred.

• Demonstrable track record in designing and performing solution NMR for structural elucidation, quantification, kinetics/relaxation/diffusion that delivers business value.

• Practical proficiency in optical spectroscopy (FT-IR/ATR, Raman, UV-Vis/fluorescence), including method setup, calibration, data analysis and troubleshooting for polymers and additives.

• Broad analytical literacy (e.g., chromatography-MS, thermal analysis) and enthusiasm for linking techniques to solve real industrial problems within circular materials.

• Entrepreneurial, flexible mindset suited to a growing environment; strong communication skills; fluent in English.

Nice to have

• Experience with automation (e.g., autosamplers/queuing), TopSpin/IconNMR workflows, advanced quantitation, and method validation for regulated contexts.

• Familiarity with degradation/yellowing diagnostics (linking optical signatures with chemical root causes) and with recyclates /circular feedstock analytics.

• Network in the polymer/NMR community and comfort collaborating with external partners.

What we offer

A dynamic environment within Brightlands Chemelot Campus, access to high-end analytics (and an extended network for specialized capabilities), and the chance to create real impact in circular materials. We offer a competitive salary, a healthy work-life balance, and the energy of an open, collaborative culture where initiative is valued.

Please note: The application deadline for this position has passed. The recruitment process is currently continuing with the candidates who have already applied.

Center CourtKaart Limburg met campussen, waarop de locatie van Brightlands Chemelot Campus is uitgelicht

Hey, all you talented people!

Embrace the boundless future of circularity and sustainability. Brightlands Chemelot Campus stands for a sustainable, circular and healthy future for everyone. The world of chemistry and materials plays a major role in this. Our campus offers the jobs of the future. Talent is nurtured here. Pioneers feel at home. And new knowledge is used to establish innovative companies with real impact.

BCC center court

Brightlands Chemelot Campus

Urmonderbaan 22

Center Court

6167 RD Sittard-Geleen