Master Thesis - Raw material demand and criticality assessment of an innovative process chain to ...

Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres; Deutschland; Hybrid; EUR 40.000 - 60.000; Vollzeit

Zusammenfassung

A leading research center in Germany offers a Master's thesis opportunity focusing on the production of green hydrogen and methanol. You will analyze material demand, identify critical raw materials, and contribute to innovative research in energy sustainability. This position provides practical experience alongside your studies and the chance to work with an international team on cutting-edge technologies.

Leistungen

Flexible work arrangements, including 100% home office possibility

Supervision by scientific colleagues

Interdisciplinary collaboration on international projects

Practical experience alongside studies

State-of-the-art scientific equipment and technology

Flexible working hours

Competitive remuneration

Qualifikationen

• Studying engineering, energy technology, materials science, or a comparable course.
• Interest in energy transition challenges.
• Some programming knowledge in Python is advantageous.

Aufgaben

• Conducting a systematic literature review on material demand.
• Quantifying total material demand for relevant technologies.
• Developing methodology to assess criticality of raw materials.

Kenntnisse

Independence

Analytical skills

Programming (Python)

Ausbildung

Engineering, energy technology, materials science, or environmental management

Jobbeschreibung

Area of research:

Diploma & Master Thesis

Job description:

Your Job:

The production of green hydrogen and methanol is a promising solution for the transition to a sustainable, greenhouse gas-neutral energy system. In addition to energy sustainability, there is an increasing focus on resource sustainability. Many of the technologies used require specific metals and materials, the global supply of which is increasingly seen as critical due to geopolitical uncertainties, limited resources, and growing demand. The DryHy project (www.dryhy.de/de) is investigating an innovative process chain for the production of green hydrogen and methanol. To evaluate the sustainable scalability of these technologies, a systematic analysis of the material demand and a well-founded assessment of possible raw material bottlenecks are necessary. In your Master’s thesis, you will contribute to the DryHy project by analyzing the material demand along the process chain, identifying critical raw materials, and assessing their criticality. Your tasks include:

• Conducting a systematic literature review on the material demand of the technologies within the DryHy process chain
• Quantifying the total material demand of relevant technologies for a defined target year
• Developing and applying a methodology to assess the criticality of raw materials
• Performing a materials comparison with an alternative process route for green hydrogen and methanol production (e.g., using PEM, seawater desalination, CCU)

Your Profile:

• Studying engineering, energy technology, materials science, resource or environmental management, or a comparable course of study
• Interest in the challenges of the energy transition and its economic consequences
• A high degree of independence and the ability to analyze and address complex issues
• Some knowledge and experience in programming (preferably in Python) is advantageous
• Very good knowledge of German or English

We encourage applicants even if they do not possess all the required skills; training can be provided during induction.

Our Offer:

We work on cutting-edge topics and offer you the chance to actively shape change! You will gain deep knowledge of relevant future technologies in the most critical topic of our century: the energy transition. We support your work and career through:

• Highly motivated, international research team at one of Europe's largest research centers
• Supervision by scientific colleagues
• Interdisciplinary collaboration on international projects
• Practical experience alongside your studies
• Flexible work arrangements, including 100% home office possibility
• State-of-the-art scientific equipment and technology
• Flexible working hours and competitive remuneration

The position is initially for 6 months. Additional details and benefits are available at go.fzj.de/Benefits.

We value diversity and encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds, including age, gender, disability, sexual orientation, ethnicity, and religion. Our inclusive environment aims to enable everyone to reach their potential. More info: go.fzj.de/equality.

This research center is part of the Helmholtz Association of German Research Centers, with over 42,000 employees and an annual budget exceeding €5 billion. It is Germany's largest scientific organization.