Doctoral fellow

ABOUT GHENT UNIVERSITY

Ghent University is a world of its own. Employing more than 15.000 people, it is actively involved in education and research, management and administration, as well as technical and social service provision on a daily basis. It is one of the largest, most exciting employers in the area and offers great career opportunities.
With its 11 faculties and more than 85 departments offering state-of-the-art study programmes grounded in research in a wide range of academic fields, Ghent University is a logical choice for its staff and students.

YOUR TASKS

The Sustainable Systems Engineering (STEN) group of Ghent University welcomes a candidate for a full time PhD position on sustainability assessment and value chain optimisation of novel cellulose-based flexible packaging materials, within the framework of an EU-funded project. 
The project addresses the urgent need to replace conventional fossil-based flexible packaging with sustainable, bio-based alternatives. At the heart of the project is the development of regenerated cellulose films produced using novel enzymatic processes and the integration of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and digital twin technologies across the entire value chain. As part of a large international consortium, Ghent University leads the value chain assessment work package, tasked with evaluating the environmental sustainability, economic feasibility, and circularity of the developed packaging solutions, and with embedding these assessments within the technology’s digital twin.
As a PhD researcher, you will support the project’s Value Chain Assessment, which sits at the intersection of sustainability science, process engineering, and AI-powered decision support. You will work in close collaboration with your promotors, other STEN colleagues and partners of the project consortium. The work covers three interconnected research tasks:

• Scenario development & process modelling: You will define and model a set of representative value chain scenarios for the upscaled production of cellulose-based films, covering both open- and closed-loop systems. Rather than relying solely on conventional process simulation, you will explore and apply data-driven and machine learning-based modelling approaches to generate detailed mass and energy balances. 
• Prospective LCA & circularity evaluation: You will conduct a prospective Life Cycle Assessment of the identified value chain scenarios, evaluating environmental impacts across production and end-of-life stages. In parallel, you will develop and apply circularity-assessment methodologies. 
• Techno-economic assessment & multi-objective optimisation: You will perform a comprehensive TEA and conduct sensitivity analyses. You will develop a dedicated Python module for multi-objective optimisation integrated with the project’s digital twin platform. 

The scientific findings should lead to publications in international peer reviewed journals and should be presented at international conferences. The final goal is a PhD thesis in which the scientific findings will be combined.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

Candidates are expected to have an engineering background and/or affinity with assessment methodologies such as life cycle assessment, techno-economic assessment and circularity assessment. We are looking for candidates with a critical and analytical attitude and a sense of initiative.
Other profile requirements:

• You hold a master's degree in chemical engineering, bioscience engineering, civil engineering or equivalent. 
• The degree requirements must be met at the start of the appointment. 
• You have an interest in scientific research. 
• You can operate both independently and in a multidisciplinary team. 
• You have organizational/managerial skills and are highly motivated. 
• You have good writing and presentation skills. 
• You master the English language, written and orally, in an academic context. 
• Having experience with quantitative and/or qualitative research is essential. 

Additional plus points: 

• You have experience with LCA software such as SimaPro, openLCA, etc. 
• You have experience with process modelling software (e.g., Aspen Plus, SuperPro Designer). 
• You have experience with the development and comparison of different value chain scenarios. 
• Basic programming skills in Python, MATLAB, or R, particularly for data processing, modelling purposes or multi-objective optimisation. 
• Knowledge of bio-based materials, cellulose chemistry, or sustainable packaging.

WHAT WE CAN OFFER YOU

• We offer a full-time position as a doctoral fellow, consisting of an initial period of 12 months, which - after a positive evaluation, will be extended to a total maximum of 48 months. 
• Your contract will start on 01/09/2026 at the earliest. 
• The fellowship amount is 100% of the net salary of an AAP member in equal family circumstances. The individual fellowship amount is determined by Team Personnel Administration based on family status and seniority. A grant that meets the conditions and criteria of the regulations for doctoral fellowships is considered free of personal income tax. Click here for more information about our salary scales 
• All Ghent University staff members enjoy a number of benefits, such as a wide range of training and education opportunities, 36 days of holiday leave (on an annual basis for a full-time job) supplemented by annual fixed bridge days, bicycle allowance and eco vouchers. Click here for a complete overview of all the staff benefits.

INTERESTED?

Send your cv, copy of your diploma (if already in your possession), a motivation letter and the contact details of at least one reference person (phone number and/or email address) to Pieter.Nachtergaele@ugent.be before 31 May 2026. Please mention PhD Application Cellullose-Based Packaging in the email title. The file names must have the following format: Type of document_First Name_Last Name.docx (e.g., CV_Jordy_Motte.docx).

We do not accept late applications. 

As Ghent University maintains an equal opportunities and diversity policy, everyone is encouraged to apply for this position. 

For more information about this vacancy, please contact Prof. Pieter Nachtergaele (Pieter.Nachtergaele@ugent.be)