JUNIOR/INTERMEDIATE RESEARCHER IN SUSTAINABILITY & CIRCULAR ECONOMY

Overview

Fraunhofer Italia, headquartered in Bolzano (Italy), is looking for a junior or intermediate researcher to join its Bioeconomy & Sustainability research group. The group focuses on projects and initiatives that integrate and promote sustainability in industrial processes, business strategies, and territorial development. Research activities address circular economy, sustainability assessment, and bioeconomy at micro, meso, and macro scales.

Responsibilities

• Support the design and development of applied research projects in sustainability and circular economy.
• Contribute to eco-design and sustainability assessment, including performing and improving LCA models and developing tools to support decision-making.
• Assist in drafting reports, project deliverables, and scientific writing and publication of research outputs.
• Contribute to monitoring EU and international regulatory frameworks (e.g., SSbD, ESPR, CSR, Green Deal).
• Support EU project management activities, including reporting and partner coordination.
• Participate in working groups and dissemination events on sustainability and regulatory topics.
• (Optional) Develop data-driven models, dashboards, or visualizations to support sustainability decisions.

Qualifications

• You hold a master’s degree in Environmental Engineering, Management Engineering, Environmental Sciences, Circular Economy and Sustainability, or related disciplines.
• You have 1–3 years of relevant experience in applied research, consultancy, or sustainability management.
• You have practical experience with Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) tools such as OpenLCA or SimaPro.
• You are familiar with EU sustainability policies and regulatory instruments, including the Safe and Sustainable-by-Design framework and the Digital Product Passport.
• You have basic knowledge of environmental and energy management standards (ISO 14001, ISO 50001).
• You work independently, systematically, and demonstrate commitment, curiosity, and team spirit.
• Willingness to relocate to Bolzano/Bozen.

Nice to have

• Experience in quantifying socio-economic sustainability through SLCA, and/or LCC, or related methods.
• Familiarity with data science tools (Python, R, SQL) applied to environmental datasets.
• Knowledge of GIS or network analysis for territorial or supply-chain sustainability.
• Project management experience, preferably in EU-funded research or consultancy contexts.
• Understanding of manufacturing or industrial processes and how sustainability can be integrated into them.
• Interest in interdisciplinary approaches, including social sciences and policy aspects of sustainability.

Languages

• English: B2 or C1 level (spoken and written)
• Italian and/or German: working proficiency (native or near-native would be appreciated)
• Other European languages could be an asset.

Entry date: immediately

Contact person: Davide Don

E-mail address: davide.don@fraunhofer.it

Entry is open for applicants who are eligible to work in Italy.