Internship Assignment

Background Sustainability and innovation are core values at The Kingfish Company. As we expand our production capacity at our Zeeland facility, effective wastewater treatment is crucial to minimize environmental impact and comply with future discharge requirements.

To support sustainable growth, we are implementing a full-scale wastewater treatment plant with various treatment technologies selected in collaboration with specialized engineering partners. However, key questions remain regarding process configuration, operational settings, treatment efficiency, sludge production, and nutrient removal performance.

Research Objective The goal of this internship is to investigate and optimize the performance of the wastewater treatment system by analyzing operational data and evaluating treatment efficiencies for nitrogen, phosphorus, and organic matter removal.

Main Research Question How can the wastewater treatment process at The Kingfish Company be optimized to maximize nutrient removal efficiency while ensuring stable operation and minimizing operational costs?

Possible Sub-Questions

• What is the removal efficiency of each treatment step for nitrogen, phosphorus, and suspended solids?
• Which operational parameters significantly impact treatment performance?
• What are the bottlenecks limiting nutrient removal?
• How does sludge production relate to treatment efficiency?
• Which process modifications or operational strategies could enhance overall system performance?

Internship Activities The student will:

• Develop a monitoring and data collection plan.
• Collect and analyze water and sludge samples from different treatment stages.
• Perform laboratory analyses and interpret results.
• Process and statistically analyze operational and laboratory data.
• Evaluate the performance of individual treatment technologies.
• Identify bottlenecks and inefficiencies in the treatment process.
• Compare observed performance with design specifications and literature values.
• Investigate opportunities for process optimization.
• Develop engineering recommendations for operational improvements.
• Present findings to the wastewater treatment and sustainability teams.

Expected Deliverables At the end of the internship, the student will deliver:

• A research report detailing methodology, results, and analysis.
• A performance assessment of the wastewater treatment system.
• Identification of key process bottlenecks.
• Data-driven recommendations for process optimization and future plant operation.
• A final presentation to company stakeholders.

Student Profile We are seeking a student pursuing a bachelor's degree (HBO/WO) in:

• Environmental Engineering
• Water Management
• Wastewater Technology
• Chemical Engineering
• Laboratory Technology
• Environmental Sciences
• Or a related technical/scientific discipline.

Requirements

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Interest in process engineering and environmental technology.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively.
• Comfortable working both in the laboratory and on-site installations.
• Seeking an internship of at least 4 months.

What We Offer About The Kingfish Company The Kingfish Company is a leader in sustainable land-based aquaculture, producing premium Dutch Yellowtail Kingfish using advanced Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS). Sustainability, fish welfare, and environmental responsibility are central to our operations. Through innovation and continuous improvement, we aim to set the benchmark for sustainable seafood production worldwide.

We may utilize artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses to identify potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.