PhD scholarship in Prospective Life cycle Assessment of new innovative Membranes from Recycled

DTU Sustain - Department of Environmental and Resource Engineering Organisation/Company Technical University Of Denmark Department DTU Sustain - Department of Environmental and Resource Engineering Research Field Engineering > Materials engineering Environmental science Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1) Positions PhD Positions Country Denmark Application Deadline 15 Dec 2025 - 23:59 (Europe/Copenhagen) Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Hours Per Week 37 Offer Starting Date 1 Apr 2026 Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Horizon Europe - MSCA Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No Offer Description Are you passionate about tackling the impact of membrane solutions and their production and use impacts? At the Technical University of Denmark (DTU), we are offering a fully funded PhD position focused on understanding and mitigating the environmental and health impacts of advanced membranes for water and food industries. This research sits at the cutting edge ofsustainable materials design, prospective life cycle assessment, and industrial innovation . This PhD opportunity is part of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Doctoral Network UP2MEM, a European training network committed to advanced MEMbrane technologies for water and food industries.Through prospective LCA (pLCA), you will identify environmental hotspots and potential improvements, which will guide the choice of materials and energy sources as the project evolves. Application of the SIMPL approach ensures a discussion of how assumptions and key factors are considered when forecasting lab scale results, into full scale futures. Through inclusion of PESTLE and casual loop diagrams (CLD), non-engineering factors are included in the potential futures. The adoption of SIMPL will ensure that the full value chain of a future use of the membranes will be considered. Your research will directly support the transformation of the membrane sector toward safer, more sustainable practices, while equipping you with advanced interdisciplinary skills and international research experience. Responsibilities and qualifications As a PhD candidate, your work will support the adaptation the EU's SSbD methodology to the specific challenges posed by membrane materials. This will involve close collaboration with both academic researchers and industry experts across Europe. Your key responsibilities will include: Conduct a Prospective Life Cycle Assessment (pLCA) to evaluate the environmental sustainability of new membrane solutions. Assess the environmental impact of membrane materials and processes throughout their life cycle, from production to End-of-Life, using approaches for future scenario integration. Evaluation of AQUAPORIN membranes as part of the industrial collaboration while extending environmental screening to more membranes considered within the consortium. Provide data driven insights to guide the development of eco-friendly membrane technologies. Collaborating with fellow researchers across the UP2MEM network Participating in secondments at industry partners and conducting a research stay at partner University. As a PhD candidate, your work will carry out prospective Life Cycle Assessment with consideration of the specific challenges posed by membranes and their production processes. This will involve close collaboration with both academic researchers and industry experts across Europe. We consider the following qualifications advantageous: Familiarity with LCA modelling, with consideration of mass and substance balances, data quality assessment, sensitivity and uncertainty assessment applied to membranes or similar products. Experience with membranes and waste materials. Prior experience in EU-funded or other international research collaborations. As a person, you are creative, open-minded and can work independently, while also being pragmatic, curious and driven in your research. Collaboration is central to your work, and you bring strong social and team skills. You can communicate scientific topics clearly and effectively to both experts and non-specialists. Proficiency in English is required. You must be compliant with MSCA mobility rule: not have resided or carried out your main activity (work/study) in Denmark for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately prior to recruitment. You must have a two-year master's degree (120 ECTS points) or a similar degree with an academic level equivalent to a two-year master's degree. Approval and Enrolment The scholarship for the PhD degree is subject to academic approval, and the candidate will be enrolled in one of the general degree programmes at DTU. For information about our enrolment requirements and the general planning of the PhD study programme, please see DTU's rules for the PhD education. We offer DTU is a leading technical university globally recognized for the excellence of its research, education, innovation and scientific advice. We offer a rewarding and challenging job in an international environment. We strive for academic excellence in an environment characterized by collegial respect and academic freedom tempered by responsibility. Salary and appointment terms The appointment will be based on the collective agreement with the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations. The allowance will be agreed upon with the relevant union. The period of employment is 3 years.Starting date is preferably 1 April 2026 or according to mutual agreement. The position is a full-time position. Further information Further information may be obtained from Anders Damgaard ( ) (main-supervisor, DTU), Wenjing (Angela) Zhang ( ) (co-supervisor, DTU Sustain).You can read more about DTU Sustain at . Application procedure Your complete online application must be submitted no later than 15 December 2025 (23:59 Danish time) . Applications must be submitted as one PDF file containing all materials to be given consideration. To apply, please open the link "Apply now", fill out the online application form, and attach all your materials in English in one PDF file . The file must include: A letter motivating the application (cover letter) Grade transcripts and BSc/MSc diploma (in English) including official description of grading scale You may apply prior to obtaining your master's degree but cannot begin before having received it. Applications received after the deadline will not be considered. All interested candidates irrespective of age, gender, disability, race, religion or ethnic background are encouraged to apply. As DTU works with research in critical technology, which is subject to special rules for security and export control, open-source background checks may be conducted on qualified candidates for the position. Number of offers available 1 Company/Institute DTU Sustain - Department of Environmental and Resource Engineering Country Denmark State/Province Copenhagen City Copenhagen Postal Code 2800 Street Bygningstorvet, Bygning 115 #J-18808-Ljbffr