Bio Base Europe Pilot Plant was founded in 2008 and currently employs more than 170 staff members. It is a unique and open innovation pilot and demonstration facility for process development, scale-up and custom manufacturing of biobased products and processes from lab to multi ton scale. A wide and flexible spectrum of modular unit operations combined with a team of highly trained and experienced engineers and bioprocess technicians facilitates the translation of biobased laboratory processes into viable industrial processes.
To date, Bio Base Europe Pilot Plant has successfully performed 500+ projects on a bilateral basis with 200+ companies from all over the world. It was/is also involved in more than 50 consortium-based public projects.
PhD Candidate in Bioscience Engineering
This PhD position presents a unique opportunity to conduct pioneering research at Bio Base Europe Pilot Plant in the context of our strategic research lines on gas fermentation, innovative DSP technologies, and novel microbial proteins. As a PhD Candidate at BBEPP, you will be building the foundation for next-generation industrial bioprocesses with improved sustainability and cost-effectiveness. These processes are situated in the fields of gas fermentation, downstream separation, microbial proteins, or a combination thereof.
Through gas fermentation, a game-changing biotechnological process, bacteria are able to convert CO2 in industrial off-gasses into valuable products. While avoiding carbon emissions that contribute to global warming, this approach also upgrades the carbon in these off-gasses to generate renewable ingredients, chemicals, materials, and fuels. To tackle the challenging downstream separation of key biobased platform chemicals, an out-of-the-box approach is needed. At BBEPP, we aim to design entirely new concepts of purification which allow sustainable bioproducts to compete with their current, petrochemical counterparts. In the light of the sustainability goals set for 2050 by the EU and Flanders, novel microbial proteins will be crucial to help transform our food systems towards healthy, nutritional, and economical protein sources with low environmental footprints.
You will be based at Bio Base Europe Pilot Plant, situated in the port of Ghent in Belgium. As a PhD Candidate in our lab and pilot facility, you engage in an out-of-the-ordinary job. By performing high-quality research in an industrial environment, you will be able to design break-through production technologies and help to shape the future bioeconomy. Through engaging with both academic and industrial partners across the world, you will gain first insights in key technological developments, the industry landscape, and evolving value chains and markets.
For this challenging position, we are looking for a highly motivated and excelling PhD Candidate with a strong background and interest in the field of industrial biotechnology. Creative thinking with a hands-on, problem-solving approach, alongside strong project management and communication skills, are key prerequisites.
Candidates should hold, or be close to completing, a Master’s degree in Bioscience Engineering, Biotechnology, Chemical Engineering, or a related field, and have previous research experience in bioprocess development, analytical techniques, bibliographical review, and scientific writing. Experience in experimental design, parameter optimisation, and statistical analysis is valued.
An outstanding candidate can start anywhere between January 2026 and October 2026.
Applications must include a curriculum vitae (CV) with relevant education and research experience (including professional experience), a cover letter explaining motivation to apply and relevance of the position for the candidate, and other relevant documentation to illustrate your excellence such as degrees and transcripts of record.
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