Postdoctoral researcher on phasing out non-essential uses of PFAS in healthcare

Wat ga je onderzoeken?

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are heavy environmental polluters due to their minimal environmental degradation. Phasing out these ‘forever chemicals’ is therefore a key priority for human and planetary health. It is estimated that around one-third (~37%) of total PFAS load to the environment originates from the medical sector. This is at odds with the (public) health goals that the healthcare system pursues. Therefore, reducing PFAS in healthcare should be a top priority, despite regulatory pressure targeting primarily other sectors.

Given the widespread use in healthcare, but lack of precise knowledge about the where, when and how, this co-created and interdisciplinary project will use the Amsterdam University Medical Center (UMC) as a ‘living lab’ to identify PFAS-containing products/applications, assess (non-)essential uses, and substitutability by safe-and-sustainable by design (SSbD) alternatives. It also explores the effect of such replacements on lowering the environmental burden, and sketch implications beyond Amsterdam UMC, such as other healthcare organizations and actors in the medical sector and supply chains.

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Wat ga je doen?

Sustainability is a major focal area within the Amsterdam UMC. We are at the beginning of a transition towards a sustainable and circular healthcare system. In this context, in the offered research position will fill key knowledge gaps on PFAS use in a hospital setting and identify pathways towards PFAS alternatives.

The main responsibilities of this position entail:

• Inventorization of PFAS use in healthcare delivery at the Amsterdam UMC using a combination of desk-research and interviews within different hospital departments
• In-depth assessment of selected case studies to identify viable non-PFAS alternatives and exploring trade-offs between environmental/health benefits of substitution and costs/ease/acceptance of a transition
• Engage with an interdisciplinary project team and participate in research meetings and seminars across different University of Amsterdam Faculties (Faculty of Medicine, Amsterdam Business School, Faculty of Science, Faculty of Dentistry)
• Disseminate results through scientific publications, reports and presentations at (inter)national conferences
• Explore future funding opportunities

Wat neem je mee?

• A PhD degree (or a master degree AND several years of professional experience) in a field relevant to the project. This can be in the direction of healthcare (e.g. medicine, healthcare management, heath economics, healthcare innovation) or sustainability (e.g. industrial ecology, environmental sciences, green chemistry, earth sciences, sustainable business, environmental economics)
• A strong affinity for and experience in working in interdisciplinary projects
• A strong interest in sustainability and healthcare
• Experience in performing literature reviews, working with databases, preferably related to chemical/safety data.
• Strong analytical skills to understand complex issues and their interconnectedness (systems thinking)
• Ability and willingness to work independently, but with regular exchanges with a team of supervisors and external advisory board;
• Strong English skills (written and spoken) and the ability to write and present scientific results to different audiences. Dutch skills are an asset but not a requirement.

Wat bieden we jou?

• Een vliegende start van jouw carrière in het onderzoekswerk.
• Alle ruimte voor jouw drive om de zorg van morgen vorm te geven.
• Werken aan grootschalig én eigen onderzoek, met gemotiveerde collega’s uit alle hoeken van de wereld.
• Je treedt in dienst bij Amsterdam UMC Research BV.
• Een contract voor de duur van 12 maanden, met de intentie te verlengen tot een totaal van 2 jaar.
• Inschaling in salarisschaal 10: € 3.493 tot € 5.504 bruto bij een fulltime dienstverband (afhankelijk van opleiding en ervaring) en een eindejaarsuitkering van 8,3%
• Vakantie-uren: 190,4 uur per jaar bij een fulltime dienstverband en een mogelijkheid om uren bij te sparen.
• Pensioenopbouw bij BeFrank, een modern, begrijpelijk en eerlijk geprijsd pensioen.
• Bij 7 km of meer (enkele reis) 100% OV-vergoeding en bij eigen vervoer €0,18 per km tot maximaal 40 km enkele reis.
• Kom je liever lopend of op de fiets? Maak gebruik van onze goede fietsregeling. Je ontvangt een vergoeding à €0,18 per km.

Waar ga je werken?

Amsterdam UMC Research BV ondersteunt wetenschappelijk onderzoek zonder winstoogmerk. Hiermee voorzien we onderzoekers in alles wat ze nodig hebben om te kunnen excelleren. Zo bieden onze principal investigators (PI's) en projectleiders begeleiding op het gebied van projectbeheer, finance en human resources. Bij medisch-wetenschappelijke onderzoeksprojecten wordt daarnaast ook ondersteuning op juridisch vlak geboden.

The Centre for Sustainable Healthcare (CSH) is the driver of the sustainable transformation in Amsterdam UMC, comprising both researchers and implementation experts. Our team consists of medical professionals, researchers, PhD students, LCA-experts, a community manager and Green Team coordianator.

On our regular team day (Thursday at VUmc), we all come together and create a friendly atmosphere where collaboration and the exchange of ideas are central. We foster a non-hierarchical, inclusive, and open culture, where everyone is encouraged to speak up and share their voice.

Your primary supervisors are Dr. Gonnie Alkemade (internal medicine specialist) and Dr. Niek Sperna Weiland (anaesthesiologist and CSH founder/co-director). Additionally, you will be working closely with co-supervisors from different faculties of the University of Amsterdam, particularly Prof. Ans Kolk (Amsterdam Business School, expert in corporate social responsibility and sustainability) and Dr. Antonia Praetorius (Faculty of Science, expert in emerging chemical contaminants, incl. PFAS). You will have the opportunity to interact regularly with the research groups at the different faculties and may spend more extended periods of time in these research groups during selected phases of the project.