Project Assistant (Pre-Doc)

The Vienna University of Technology (TU Wien) is Austria’s largest research and educational institution in the technical and natural sciences sector and has been making an indispensable contribution for over 200 years to securing the international competitiveness and innovative strength of Austria’s research landscape. Under the motto "Technology for People," around 26,000 students and more than 4,000 researchers conduct research, teaching, and innovation in this spirit at TU Wien.

At the Institute for Water Quality and Resource Management, Research Area Waste Management and Resource Management, there is a position for a Project Assistant, expected to start on 01.12.2025 (30 hours per week), for a duration of 1 year (with a potential extension to 4 years).

Your tasks:

• Work on a research project to create national material flow balances for critical raw materials. This project is funded by the European Commission and commissioned by the Federal Ministry of Finance (BMF), Department of Raw Materials Policy. You will collaborate in an established and interesting consortium.
• Your task is to create a material balance for two critical raw materials in Austria.
• Based on this material balance, optimization measures will be derived to reduce Austria’s dependency on imports of these materials.
• Independent research, processing, modeling, and optimization of data.
• Active participation in project meetings with external partners.
• Writing technical reports and international publications in English.

Your profile:

• Completion of a technical or natural sciences Master’s degree (e.g., Environmental Engineering, Civil Engineering, Water Resources Management, Process Engineering, or similar).
• Good knowledge of anthropogenic material cycles and the STAN software is desirable.
• Experience with databases is advantageous.
• Excellent German and English language skills.
• Interest in research areas such as resource management, circular economy, and critical raw materials.
• Good communication skills.
• Teamwork, problem-solving skills, and innovative thinking.

We offer:

• The opportunity to write a dissertation based on the publications of this project.
• A diverse and exciting field of work, a springboard for a future career as an expert in a potential future raw materials agency.
• A motivated, diverse project team with expert support – embedded in an interdisciplinary research area with strong partners.
• Broad internal and external training opportunities as well as flexible working hours.
• Central location and good accessibility (U1/U2/U4 Karlsplatz).

TU Wien is committed to increasing the proportion of women in research and explicitly encourages qualified women to apply. Female candidates who are equally qualified as the best candidate will be given priority, unless there are overriding reasons related to other candidates.

We are also committed to employing individuals with disabilities with appropriate qualifications and therefore encourage them to apply. For inquiries, please contact the TU Wien Disability Officer, Mr. Gerhard Neustätter.

The salary is according to the minimum salary for salary group B1 and amounts to EUR 2,786.10 gross/month (14 payments per year) for a 30-hour work week.

We look forward to receiving your application via email to kimia.behbahani@tuwien.ac.at.

Applicants are not entitled to reimbursement for any travel and accommodation costs incurred due to the recruitment process.

Research Area Waste Management and Resource Management:
https://www.tuwien.at/cee/iwr/ressourcen

Research Area Waste Management and Resource Management Contacts:
Oliver Cencic
Senior Scientist
+43 1 58801 22657
oliver.cencic@tuwien.ac.at

Daniel C. Rosenfeld
University Assistant
+43 1 58801 22655
daniel.rosenfeld@tuwien.ac.at