Faculty of Engineering, LTH, the Department of Food Technology and Nutrition

Lund University was founded in 1666 and is repeatedly ranked among the world’s top universities. The University has around 47 000 students and more than 8 800 staff based in Lund, Helsingborg and Malmö. We are united in our efforts to understand, explain and improve our world and the human condition.

Lund University welcomes applicants with diverse backgrounds and experiences. We regard gender equality and diversity as a strength and an asset.

The Department of Food Technology, Engineering, and Nutrition reimagines and improves both products and processes in the food supply chain.
Our work has a clear connection to Agenda 2030 through a research focus on sustainable and nutritious food for the future.
Collaboration with industry, farmers, and other research groups both inside and out of Sweden is an important component of our strategy.
Several well-known food innovations have come out of the Department, e.g. Oatly and Proviva.

Subject description
Many foods can be classified as emulsions, and emulsion formation is an important part in liquid and semi-liquid food processing. Principles for forming emulsions using intense turbulence has been available for well over 100 years and modern version of these processes are widely utilized in food, pharmaceutical and related fields. However, the thermodynamic efficiency is still rather low. This makes emulsification unnecessary expensive and gives an unnecessarily high carbon footprint. We are convinced that an increased fundamental understanding of emulsion formation in turbulent fields will allow the design of more efficient processing equipment.

Our research group have conducted fundamental research on emulsion formation in turbulent flow for 20 years, and have presented many influential studies in the field. As a PhD student in this project you will work close to the research front, collaborate with experts at other departments/universities and in close collaboration with processing industry.

Work duties
The research project will be focused on further enhancing our fundamental understanding of emulsification and establish new links between the fundamental research in the field and applied emulsification processing, with special emphasis on food processing. The work will include building and optimizing experimental equipment, performing and analysing drop breakup experiments, and fluid dynamics simulations (both using DNS and commercial code). Since the project will be a cooperation between Food Engineering at Lund University and KTH Mechanics in Stockholm, the PhD-student will spend most time in Lund but also some extended stays in Stockholm.

The main duties of doctoral students are to devote themselves to their research studies which includes participating in research projects and third cycle courses. The work duties will also include teaching and other departmental duties (no more than 20%).

Admission requirements
A person meets the general admission requirements for third-cycle courses and study programmes if he or she:

  • has been awarded a second-cycle qualification, or
  • has satisfied the requirements for courses comprising at least 240 credits of which at least 60 credits were awarded in the second cycle, or
  • has acquired substantially equivalent knowledge in some other way in Sweden or abroad.

A person meets the specific admission requirements for third cycle studies in Food and Formulation Engineering if he or she has:

  • at least 60 credits in the subject of the third-cycle programme, of which at least 30 credits are from second-cycle courses of relevance to the subject and 30 credits from a second-cycle degree project of relevance to the subject, or,
  • an MSc in Engineering, a one-year Master’s degree or other comparable degree of relevance to the field.
  • very good oral and written proficiency in English.

Assessment criteria
Selection for third-cycle studies is based on the student’s potential to profit from such studies. The assessment of potential is made primarily on the basis of academic results from the first and second cycle. Special attention is paid to the following:

1. Knowledge and skills relevant to the thesis project and the subject of study.
2. An assessment of ability to work independently and to formulate and tackle research problems.
3. Written and oral communication skills
4. Other experience relevant to the third-cycle studies, e.g. professional experience.

Other assessment criteria

  • Depth of knowledge within fluid dynamics, transport phenomena, process eingineering or other similar fields.
  • Knowledge and experience in fluid dynamic simulations at an advanced level.
  • Interest in conducting experimental work and solving practical problems in relation to experimental design, preferably in fields related to fluid dynamics or process engineering.
  • Interest in theoretical analysis and mathematical model development.

Consideration will also be given to good collaborative skills, drive and independence, and how the applicant, through his or her experience and skills, is deemed to have the abilities necessary for successfully completing the third cycle programme.

Terms of employment
Only those admitted to third cycle studies may be appointed to a doctoral studentship. Third cycle studies at LTH consist of full-time studies for 4 years. A doctoral studentship is a fixed-term employment of a maximum of 5 years (including 20% departmental duties). Doctoral studentships are regulated in the Higher Education Ordinance (1993:100), chapter 5, 1-7 §§.

Instructions on how to apply
Applications shall be written in English and include a cover letter stating the reasons why you are interested in the position and in what way the research project corresponds to your interests and educational background. The application must also contain a CV, degree certificate or equivalent, and other documents you wish to be considered (grade transcripts, contact information for your references, letters of recommendation, etc.).

Type of employment Temporary position
First day of employment As soon as possible
Salary Monthly salary
Number of positions 1
Full-time equivalent 100 %
City Lund
County Skåne län
Country Sweden
Reference number PA2018/650
Contact
  • Andreas Håkansson, universitetslektor, 046-222 68 86, andreas.hakansson@food.lth.se
Published 05.Mar.2018
Last application date 03.Apr.2018 11:59 PM CEST

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