Doctoral student in Chemical Engineering - Membrane process for storm and rainwater harvesting

Lund University was founded in 1666 and is repeatedly ranked among the world’s top 100 universities. The University has 40 000 students and more than 8 000 staff based in Lund, Helsingborg and Malmö. We are united in our efforts to understand, explain and improve our world and the human condition.

LTH forms the Faculty of Engineering at Lund University, with approximately 9 000 students. The research carried out at LTH is of a high international standard and we are continuously developing our teaching methods and adapting our courses to current needs.

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 cancerns 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.

Project description
Membrane filtration is a separation process which is well-established for drinking water preparation and wastewater treatment. In this project membrane technology will be used for urban storm water, rainwater from residential houses, and mixed rain- and storm water from a parking garage. By using Direct Membrane Filtration with ultrafiltration membranes it is aimed to remove micro-plastics and - pollutants from the collected water and polish it for re-use. In this concept, water will pass through the membrane for re-use, while pollutants and bacteria are accumulated, and collected. The quality of the water collected will be monitored to evaluate its use for non-potable purposes. The Membrane Group at Lund University has many years of experience in membrane processes and is now looking for a new coworker to extend this work into membrane processes for rain and storm water harvesting and upgrading. The PhD student position will include the integration and optimization of Direct Membrane Filtration on pilot scale in a housing area. The aim is to operate a pilot, maintain and improve its performance and analyze the water recovered by the membrane unit. 

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 on the research topic and presentation in a report/article.
• Active participation in the design and construction of pilot unit in a housing area.
• Evaluation and optimization of the pilot unit.
• Analysis of the water streams related to the pilot unit.
• Communication of obtained results in the form of publication of scientific articles.
• Participation in project meeting and contributing to status reports.

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 ad mission requirements for third cycle studies in Chemical Engineering if he or she has:

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

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 with membrane processes.
• Experience with drinking water and/or wastewater treatment.
• Experience in building/assembling lab/pilot-scale equipment.
• Experience in microbiology.
• Experience with micro pollutants and/or microplastic analysis.
• Basic knowledge in electronics.
• 30 CAD (such as Autodesk Fusion 360, OpenSCAD or similar).

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 §§.

lnstructions on how to apply
Application shall be written in English and include a cover letter stating the reasons why you are interested in the position and in which 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.).

Lund University welcomes applicants with diverse backgrounds and experiences. We regard gender equality and diversity as a strength and an asset. We kindly decline all sales and marketing contacts.

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