PhD in Chemical Engineering-Membrane filtration techniques for biorefinery applications - Hiring in process/Finished, not possible to apply

PhD student in Chemical Engineering- 

The Department of Chemical Engineering at Lund University provides teaching for primarily engineering students at the programmes of Chemical Engineering, Biotechnology, Environmental Engineering and Civil Engineering at the Faculty of Engineering. The research subject of Chemical Engineering concerns reaction engineering, separation engineering and catalysis, pharmaceutical processes, biorefineries and other applications. The department has around 60 employees out of which half are PhD students.

Subject description
Membrane filtration is a separation process which utilizes the size difference of solutes to achieve a separation without the need for phase transition or the use of chemicals. This makes membrane filtration an energy efficient separation process with low environmental impact. The use of membrane processes in the industry is increasing as the knowledge of membrane processes is increasing and it can be foreseen that membrane processes are going to be a key technology in future biorefineries. Successful application of membrane processes requires good knowledge in a number of subjects, including: process design, transport phenomena, properties of the feed and the chemistry of the membrane materials.

The larges users of lignocellulosic biomass in Sweden are pulp mills, which are continuously striving to increase the value of the wood feedstock. Lignin is an attractive substance to recover from the side streams of the pulp mill due to the large quantity available and for its potential use as biofuel and source for aromatic compounds. The recovery and utilization of lignin has an large potential in reducing the dependence on fossil fuels and aid in the transition to an sustainable biobased society, as lignin make up as much as 20% of the wood feedstock.

The membrane group at Lund University has many years of experience in separation and purification of lignin from streams in biomass processing and is now looking for a new coworker to continue the work to unlock the potential of lignin. The PhD student position will include the study of membrane filtration of side streams that are produced during lignin recovery from black liquor. The aim is to obtain energy savings at the pulp mills due to reduced need for evaporation of the side streams before the recovery of pulping chemicals in the recovery boiler.

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

The research contains the following subtasks:

• Review of available scientific literature of the research topic.
• Establishment of techniques to integrate all important processing steps on one experimental setup.
• Application and optimization of membrane processes in biorefinery applications
• Up-scaling of the process and conducting on-site pilot trials.
• Communication of obtained results in the form of publication of scientific articles.

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

• a specialised project of at least 30 second-cycle credits in the subject.

Additional requirements:

• 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:

• Experience of downstream processing, such as membrane processes. 

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. 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 one is interested in the position and in which way the research project corresponds to one’s 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.).