Internship Assessment of different lead detection methods in India

What do you like to do? 

At TAUW you can make a real impact. TAUW is a leading European environmental consultancy, we create solutions that make sustainability tangible and feasible for current and future generations. We are shaping a vital living environment together with over 1,200 dedicated employees at offices in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, France, Spain and Italy. TAUW has over 350 experts who tackle contaminated sites in a sustainable, innovative, and cost-efficient way.  

In India, like in much of the developing world, Informal Battery Recycling activities leads to the widespread contamination of the soil with lead. Concentrations of lead in the soil causes severe health effects in the villages with especially children being affected. Together with team Circular Economy and Sustainability and team Digital Transformations, you will work on an innovative and multidisciplinary project, called “Assessing and promoting low-cost methods for detection of lead using Image Analysis and/or Pattern Recognition to support identification of contaminated sites, Tamil Nadu, India”. This project will challenge you to show your ideas and solutions to optimize lead detection methodology at hotspots in India as a result of informal battery recycling activities. The internship will be from 1st of September until 31 st December 2022 (40 hours/week). Exact timing of internship, hours per week, and total duration is open for discussion.  

The TAUW project team consist of: Project Manager International Projects, Consultant Contaminated Sites, Specialist Innovative techniques, Consultant Digital Transformations and Data Innovations and Data Analyst.  

Project members have proudly completed the following projects: 
Environmental Sound Disposal of Obsolete Pesticides and other Crop Products, Bulgaria | TAUW 

Greening Land project, Kosovo | TAUW 

The implementation of an Environmental Risk Management Programme at the Guanapo Landfill in Trinidad | TAUW 

Aside of the TAUW project team, you will work together with different (international) organizations, including Pure Earth (USA), Vellore Institute of Technology (India), and Startup LumatelliX (Netherlands). 

 
What are you going to do? 
Approximately 75% of your time you will be working on the project: “Assessing and promoting low-cost methods for detection of lead using Image Analysis and/or Pattern Recognition to support identification of contaminated sites, Tamil Nadu, India”. The project aims to identify contaminated sites and assess the performance and feasibility of low-cost detection methods for lead in soil and select consumer products, specifically spices. As part of the project, you will evaluate the results of conventional lead detection methods—including an X-ray fluorescence analyser (XRF) and laboratory results—against at least two lower-cost methods. Once the lower-cost methods have been evaluated, it will determined which (if any) is suitable for use among community groups as a screening method for lead contaminated sites and consumer products. This will be done by including the successful technique(s) in a wider Toxic Site Identification Program (TSIP), where India-based Pure Earth staff and a local implementing partner will collect data on additional lead contaminated sites with a variety of characteristics.  

Within the project, you will be responsible for the following activities:  

Desktop study on available technologies for measuring lead and selection of top three technologies, at least the following techniques will be considered: 

• Portable IR/VIS-UV/Laser spectrometry  

• Image analyses: determining presence of lead from digital photography  

• Luminance fluid of LumetalliX  

• Gravimetric test 

• Colorimetric test lead 

Measuring of samples with handheld XRF, chemical analyses, and proposed technologies as part of the consumption products and soil samples in the TAUW laboratory. 

Pre-statistical testing and selection of best technique  

Training of statistical models using image and/or pattern recognition  

Validation of developed tool using for example a confusion matrix.  
Writing a first draft for an article.  

Experience requirements 

• Completing a BSc or MSc in IT, Data Science, Environmental Engineering, Earth Sciences or comparable 

• Affinity with programming and machine learning is a requirement 

• Affinity with geoelectrical and spectral measurement techniques is an asset, but not a requirement  

• Professional level of English (C1) 

• You know one of the following programming languages: Python or R 

In addition, we expect you to be a motivated students that cannot wait to tackle this assignment! 
 

Why this internship at TAUW? 

• You will work on a project with impact  

• Our employees are passionate about what they do, and they are very competent.  

• In an open and participatory culture; everyone is welcome  

• Space for own personal growth and development 

• Last but not least; we will give an internship compensation of 400 euro per month for an internship of 40 hours per week.  

LIVE YOUR AMBITION and apply! 
Enthusiastic? Apply immediately, but certainly before 31st of July via the ‘apply’ button. We are also looking forward to your CV and motivation in case your knowhow is not completely in line with requested experience. We are keen to receive your submission!  
 
Do you have any question about the internship? Please contact Ilona van der Kroef, Consultant International Projects, via +31 65 26 81 41 2 or Ilona.vanderkroef@tauw.com 

Acquisition based on this job posting is not appreciated, but sharing of it is! 

TAUW has an ambition. As a leading European environmental consultancy, we create solutions that make sustainability tangible and feasible for current and future generations. Our core values are Care, Connect & Improve. 

We are shaping a vital living environment together with over 1,200 dedicated employees at offices in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, France, Spain and Italy. 

It’s not just a daily job, it’s…  

… a living ambition