(Junior) researcher in Safe Design for New Fuels (0,5 – 1,0 fte)

At HRT Centre of Expertise HRTech, you will help shape the future of sustainable shipping as a (junior) researcher in Safe Design for New Fuels by contributing to a four-year, practice-oriented research project on the safe application of new fuels and supporting the transition towards zero-emission maritime transport.

What are you going to do?

As a (junior) researcher, you will work alongside experienced researchers, lecturers, students and project partners on current challenges that support the transition towards sustainable shipping. In this role, you combine research, knowledge sharing and collaboration with industry partners. You will have the opportunity to further develop your research skills while making a tangible contribution to innovative solutions for the maritime sector.

You will also be responsible for:

• Conducting literature reviews and collecting, processing and analysing research data;
• Supporting research activities within ongoing research projects;
• Translating practical challenges into research questions in collaboration with researchers and project partners;
• Sharing research insights with project partners, lecturers and other involved parties;
• Connecting research activities to educational projects;
• Collaborating with researchers from the Smart Logistics and Maritime Innovation (SLMI) research cluster, lecturers from various study programmes, and partners from other universities of applied sciences and vocational education institutions;
• Contributing to knowledge development within the maritime sector.

The research

The transition to zero-emission shipping brings new challenges. Alternative fuels and energy carriers introduce different safety risks that affect vessel design, shipbuilding, operations and maintenance. At the same time, the maritime sector is developing new regulations and standards to ensure these fuels can be used safely and responsibly.

In this research, you will investigate how safety can be achieved while remaining practical and feasible for the industry. You will explore questions related to regulations, safety assessments, the role of sensors and alarm systems, and alternative approaches to risk mitigation. The insights generated will contribute to the development of future maritime vessels, operations and safety practices.

Centre of Expertise HRTech (CoE Tech)

For this project, you will become part of CoE HRTech, one of the research organisations within Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences. As part of CoE HRTech, you will collaborate with various researchers, lecturers, and professors on the challenges of the greater Rotterdam port area. Within the theme of smart logistics and maritime innovation, we work closely with the Rotterdam Mainport Institute, as well as with the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science. Several major projects are underway within this theme, in which PhD candidates, professional doctorates, and lecturers conduct research into smart and sustainable transport and port activities.

You will be part of the Maritime Masterplan, a national growth fund project for shipbuilding, within which 30 zero-emission vessels are being realised.

Within the Human Capital Project, researchers, lecturers and students from maritime universities of applied sciences (HBOs) and secondary vocational schools (MBOs) collaborate to explore how technological innovations are changing the skills, knowledge and ways of working required in the maritime sector. Together, we help prepare both current and future professionals for the transition to sustainable shipping. This part of the project will start September 2026.

Are we looking for you?

You are curious, analytical and eager to contribute to practice-oriented research. You communicate effectively and enjoy working in a collaborative environment. Affinity with coaching and involving students in research is a strong asset. With your organised way of working and eye for detail, you know how to keep track of multiple activities and deliver high-quality results.

You also bring:

• A completed MSc degree;
• Experience with conducting research;
• An affinity for practice-oriented research in collaboration with students;
• Knowledge of at least one of the following areas: Ship design, safety analyses, or how professionals deal with safety.

What do we offer you?

• A four-year contract (D4 CAO HBO)
• 8% holiday allowance + 8,3% year-end bonus
• Up to 9 weeks of vacation (based on full-time)
• 45 sustainable employability hours
• Hybrid working with attention to work-life balance
• Excellent pension scheme (ABP)
• Bicycle scheme with tax benefits
• Compensation for internet, commuting, and working from home
• Laptop, phone, and home office facilities
• Extensive training and development opportunities

Being able to provide a Certificate of Good Conduct (Verklaring Omtrent het Gedrag (VOG)) is a condition of employment, as well as a valid EU work permit if you are from outside the EU.