Post Doc: Assistance in the Assessment of Biofuels/bioenergy Sustainability

Project Description  The candidate will work in the Renewable Energy Unit, in support to
the Biofuels Thematic Programme.  He/she will work in close cooperation with a team of experts, being involved in the studies related to the assessment of biofuels/bioenergy sustainability. The work in particular will be devoted to the analysis of the agroenvironmental impacts of biofuels/bioenergy and of direct and indirect
Green House Gases (GHG) emissions from biofuels/bioenergy production and use.  
Activities will focus on:  

- Improving the understanding of direct and indirect land use change impacts associated with overall policy and individual biofuel feedstocks, in particular including the impact of advanced (second and third generation) biofuels and crops for 1st generation biofuels in addition to those already included in Commission’s reference studies

- Assessment of GHG emissions related to the production and use of biofuels/bio-liquids/biomass not only for transport, but also for bioheat and bio-electricity. This work will consist in establishing reference input data on growing/converting crops and wastes/residues for biofuels/bioenergy calculation of default GHG emissions, in consultation with EU national experts.   

The candidate will be also encouraged to contribute to international conferences and workshop, and to publish results of the studies in peer-reviewed journals

IE 2011 Selection procedure for Grantholders

Qualifications/Expertise needed

The ideal candidate has a PhD in e.g. engineering/science or agronomy, or has a university degree in one of the above mentioned disciplines and 5 years relevant experience. Proven experience in assessing sustainability of biofuels/bioenergy, (e.g. environmental impacts, land use, sustainable  resources management) is an asset.  
Experience and ability in data analysis is a requirement.  Moreover, the selection of candidates will be also based on satisfying one or more of the following criteria:  
- Experience in quantitative estimation of GHG emissions from biofuels
- Experience in Land Use Change analysis  
- Knowledge of modeling tools for the assessment of indirect land use change  
Good knowledge of spoken and written English is required, as this is the main working language. The candidate should be  able to work within a dynamic team and be capable of self-initiative.