R&D Data Science

The Waste Recycling Technologies (ART) team of VITO is looking for a creative and motivated researcher to develop breakthrough technologies in the waste processing industry, combining material physics and artificial intelligence (AI).

Sensor-based characterization of waste materials (metal scrap, batteries, WEEE, MSWI-bottom ashes) is a key requirement for the transition towards a circular economy with increased resource efficiency. To this end, VITO's ART team has developed an industrial prototype, named Characterise-to-Sort, that captures dual energy x-ray transmission, RGB and 3D image data by scanning the materials on a conveyor belt. The team is expanding to broaden the scope of this technology.

Further development of this technology towards industrial implementation requires research in the field of:

• Designing, training, testing and deploying state-of-the-art machine learning models for various clients in the waste recycling industry
• Development and optimization of image processing and data pipelines, leveraging GPU & CPU parallelization
• Integrate mathematical methods, physical modelling, and intelligent algorithms to create novel concepts for material characterization
• Explore the physics behind X-ray imaging, hyperspectral sensing, and material interactions to extract meaningful properties rapidly and accurately
• Leverage active learning and unsupervised learning to minimize labelling effort and maximize model performance

As a researcher you will be part of an experienced and well-equipped research team aiming to develop the sorting and recycling technologies of the future (https://vito.be/en/product/advanced-characterisation-waste).

VITO's ART team provides a clear view on how to recover resources to both industry and government. Using innovative approaches and expertise, we strive towards a circular economy by transforming waste into high-quality products.

• You have a Master in physics, engineering, mathematics (PhD degree is considered an added value)
• You have advanced programming skills (e.g. Python)
• You have experience with:
• developing and implementing technology in an industrial context
• data analysis and statistics (experience with image processing and machine vision is a bonus)
• Integrate industrial needs and scientific results into smart AI-based solutions
• You have a creative mind, ambitious and eager to turn new concepts into practice and you have excellent writing, presentation and communications skills

• A competitive salary with a range of benefits, including allowances, insurance and a modular package of holidays.
• Innovation is our asset, so it goes without saying that we give our employees the opportunity to take additional training courses and stay up-to-date in their field. You will always have the opportunity to broaden your knowledge and discover new technologies.
• You will have the opportunity to be part of an organization with an international reputation, known for its cutting-edge technological research and scientific consultancy.
• With us, you will contribute directly to sustainable developments at local, national and global level through your innovative applications. You provide answers to contemporary societal challenges.
• Moreover, we highly value a good work-life balance at VITO! This is achieved by adopting a flexible attitude depending on your specific needs.