Hybrid Research Associate – Sustainable Product Development, Ecodesign

at VDI Technologiezentrum GmbH

• Job title: Research Associate – Sustainable Product Development, Ecodesign
• Job type: Full Time
• Experience level: Junior, Mid level
• Salary: Not specified
• Degree requirement: No Education Requirement
• Location requirements: Hybrid, Dusseldorf, Germany

About the role

• Developing sustainable solutions in Ecodesign and resource-efficient products for industries. Researching methods and supporting product development in collaboration with science and industry.

Responsibilities

• You will independently advance the field of ecodesign and the development of resource-efficient and environmentally appropriate products, with the goal of strengthening sustainable solutions for industry.
• You research and structure knowledge on methods, digital development processes, and product-service systems.
• You develop and implement methods and tools to support product development in industrial practice, particularly in small and medium-sized enterprises.
• You research and evaluate innovations, practical examples, and solutions for increasing resource efficiency through product development measures.
• On this basis, you review and process applications for national funding programmes in the area of research and development as well as for investment projects.
• In close collaboration with academia and industry, you advance topics such as circular economy, resource conservation, product development, and climate protection, while independently building your own network.

Requirements

• A completed university degree (Master's or Diplom) in mechanical engineering, product development, or a comparable technical field.
• A PhD is an advantage.
• You have initial knowledge of, or interest in, the circular economy, material- or energy-efficiency, or the motivation to work into these topics.
• Experience in industrial product development, ideally with insight into commercial production projects, is a plus.
• You are characterised by analytical thinking, a good understanding of technical processes, and the ability to grasp complex interrelationships.
• You can prepare content on sustainable product development so that it reaches different target groups: understandable, practice-oriented and clear.
• Excellent German and English skills, both written and spoken, complete your profile.

Benefits

• Entitlement to 30 days of vacation based on a 5-day week, including company holidays on bridge days and between Christmas and New Year
• Flexible working hours between 07:00 and 21:00 with a 40-hour work week
• Individual onboarding and personal mentoring to support your professional and personal integration, as well as diverse training and development opportunities
• A company culture characterised by appreciation, cohesion and openness, with flat hierarchies
• Work–family compatibility: a solution-oriented approach to family-related challenges
• We live teamwork and rely on a flexible mix of on-site collaboration and remote work