Job NÄłhuis did his bachelor and master degrees in Chemical Engineering at TU Eindhoven, with a focus on chemical process technology. âThatâs kind of the die-hard side of chemical engineering. It covers designing distillation columns or reactors, for example. Primarily, you work on process equipment. I did my thesis on how you can approach chemical processes in space without the use of pumps. For instance, how can you make liquids ďŹow in zero gravity?â
 He completed his studies in December 2020, but he was keen to continue learning. âI was still interested in a number of subjects that I hadnât had room for in my master, but I regarded a PhD as being too theoretical. On the TUe website, I noticed this process design programme thatâs much more focused on applying your knowledge in practice.â
 The EngD is a two-year programme. In his ďŹrst year, Job studied around 30 different advanced subjects by focusing very intensively on one subject per week. âSome of those 30 subjects werenât perfectly aligned with my interests, and you donât become an expert in them, of course, but it was a good way to gain exposure to many different aspects of potential career opportunities. And thanks to all those subjects, I have a head start if I ever come into contact with them again in the future.â
Two-year programme
Now in his second year, he is working on a design project related to energy savings on behalf of a large company. âThe project is a combination of saving energy in the short term by identifying the âlow-hanging fruitâ on the one hand, and a research question on the other: how can this factory beneďŹt from heat pumps? How can we design a circular energy network within the factory so that the facility could become gas-free, for example? Iâm tasked with analyzing the water and energy ďŹows in the factory and exploring how a heat pump could be integrated into the process. Itâs not only super interesting but also useful, because itâs an urgent challenge. Thatâs precisely what you do during an EngD: tackle more complex issues and design solutions for them. It combines a creative challenge with technology, and thatâs what makes it so enjoyable. Plus youâre working at the forefront of innovation. If you design something that works well, it might even become the new standard in 20 years time.â
 âThe EngD is a nice interim step. The university provides lots of theory, while at the company thereâs a big chance that youâll be working much more hands-on. So your EngD is a mix of theory and practice.â
 
Benefits
âIn my view, an EngD offers various beneďŹts. Iâm expanding my knowledge in my chosen domain, which makes it easier to gain relevant work experience, and I still have lots of opportunities to do other things outside of my work. Besides being an ambassador for the EngD at TU/e, Iâm also chair of Atmos which is the association for EngD trainees across all nine EngD tracks in Eindhoven. Itâs not all hard work and no play. For example, Atmos organizes fun activities.â
 âThe personal guidance is another important aspect. In addition to the supervisor from within the company where I work, I also have twosupervisors at the university. One of them is focused on my project itself, and the other helps me to develop my skills in presenting, giving feedback and writing reports, for example. So you receive all kinds of support to prepare you for the next step, and I really appreciate that.â
 âIf you still want to continue working on your own development, if youâre keen to explore all the possible options, and if youâre not yet ready to commit to an employer, then an EngD is an ideal opportunity!