PhD scholarship on Cross-Regional Quantitative Modelling for Sustainable Plant-based Protein Value Chains - DTU Chemical Engineering

A PhD position is available in the Process and Systems Engineering Centre (PROSYS) at DTU Chemical Engineering, within a strategic partnership with Senior Researcher Sara M. Pires at DTU FOOD and with Prof. William Chen’s group at Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore.

At PROSYS, we have dedicated our work towards the creation of more sustainable future bio-based processes. Our philosophy is that experimentation and modelling are both of prime importance and should preferably complement each other in our research projects. By combining systematic model-based methods and tools (PSE) with experimental validation of novel production processes, our objective is to address the necessary process technology and engineering required to develop and implement sustainable industrial production processes of the future.

As a PhD student on this project, you will be based at PROSYS at DTU Chemical Engineering and will work in close collaboration with Senior Researcher Sara M. Pires’ group (DTU FOOD) and Prof. Chen’s group at NTU, including a research stay of 3-6 months in Singapore.

Responsibilities and qualifications Shifting global food systems towards sustainable, plant-based proteins is urgent, but the complexity of real-world value chains makes them difficult to reason about: agronomic variability, diverse processing routes, and competing sustainability objectives interact in ways that existing tools capture poorly. In this project, you will develop a modular, scalable process modelling and simulation strategy for plant-based protein value chains, supporting integrated assessment of the trade-offs between nutritional quality, environmental impact, and process efficiency. This approach couples mass and energy balances across processing operations, kinetic models of the biochemical transformations governing protein quality, models of sensory and functional properties, nutritional tracking, and data-driven surrogate models, integrated with life cycle assessment. It is grounded in the Danish organic plant-based protein sector and extended, together with NTU, towards tropical crops and alternative processing pathways relevant to Southeast Asia.

Your primary tasks will be to

• Identify and summarize the state of the art and relevant literature on plant-based protein processing and value-chain modelling
• Develop mass and energy balances and kinetic models across processing operations such as fractionation, fermentation, and extrusion
• Build models of sensory, functional, and nutritional properties, and data-driven surrogate models for real-world plant-based value-chain data
• Integrate the strategy with life cycle assessment to support scenario analysis and decision-making across the value chain
• Disseminate your results through internal presentations, conference participation and the writing of scientific articles

Ideally, you have an education in chemical, biochemical, or food/process engineering, combining a good process understanding with an interest in mathematical modelling, data-driven methods, and sustainability assessment.

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 .

Assessment The assessment of the applicant will be made by Carina L. Gargalo (PROSYS, DTU Kemiteknik).

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. The employment is expected to start 1 September 2026 or according to mutual agreement. The position is a full-time position.

The workplace is DTU Lyngby Campus.

You can read more about career paths at DTU here .

Further information Further information may be obtained from Senior Researcher Carina Lira Gargalo ( carlour@kt.dtu.dk ) at the Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering.

You can read more about DTU Chemical Engineering at www.kt.dtu.dk .

If you are applying from abroad, you may find useful information on working in Denmark and at DTU at DTU – Moving to Denmark . Furthermore, you have the option of joining our monthly free seminar “ PhD relocation to Denmark and startup “Zoom” seminar ” for all questions regarding the practical matters of moving to Denmark and working as a PhD at DTU.

Application procedure Your complete online application must be submitted no later than 22 July 2026 (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)
• Curriculum vitae
• 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.

The Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering at DTU is a leader in innovative teaching and research, built on core technical subjects and engineering scientific disciplines. The teaching and research cover separation processes, (bio)reaction engineering, dynamics and process regulation, process and facility planning, unit operations, heat transmission, fluid mechanics and applied thermodynamics. The Department enjoys very close relations with international partners, and especially a wide range of industrial companies.

DTU – For the benefit of society since 1829 DTU is one of Europe's leading elite technical universities. Through research and education at an international top level, we create solutions to the major societal challenges of our time and help secure Europe's global leadership in sustainable technological development. Since Hans Christian Ørsted founded DTU almost 200 years ago, our mission has remained the same: We develop and create value through the natural and technical sciences for the benefit of society. DTU has 13,800 students, 1,600 PhD students, and 6,500 employees. We work in an international environment and have an inclusive, stimulating, and informal work culture. DTU has campuses in all parts of Denmark and in Greenland and collaborates with the best universities around the world.