Doctoral Student In Food And Formulation Engineering With Focus On Membrane Concepts For Plant - based Drinks

Doctoral Student in Food and Formulation Engineering with Focus on Membrane Concepts for Plant-Based Drinks

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.

The Department of Process and Life Science Engineering (PLE) at Lund University is located at Kemicentrum, one of the Nordics' largest centers for education and research in the field of chemistry. PLE has around 150 employees, of which around 65 are PhD students. The department offers a broad competence in areas such as chemical engineering, food technology, biotechnology, and technical microbiology. The research and education at PLE spans the entire subject of chemistry and includes both undergraduate and graduate education. The Department of Process Engineering and Applied Biosciences (PLE) at Lund University works actively to ensure a good working environment through several initiatives and routines. PLE encourages open communication and collaboration between employees, students, and management to continuously improve and have regular meetings and dialogues to discuss workplace safety.

Description of the Workplace

The Department of Process and Life Science Engineering (PLE) covers a wide range of industrially relevant research, including e.g., processing of plant-based alternative proteins, advanced membrane technology, refining processes for biomass conversion, and purification of biopharmaceuticals. The position is a joint position between the Food Bioprocess group and the Membrane group in the Department of Process and Life Science Engineering. The Food Bioprocess group is one of the leading groups in Sweden and the valorisation of plant-based proteins is one of the group's key research areas, while the Membrane Group is the most established membrane research group in Sweden and has with MemLab – the Industrial membrane process research and development centre – an excellent infrastructure to develop and optimize membrane processes from lab to pilot scale.

The project is part of the Horizon Europe MSCA Doctoral Networks 2024 UP2MEM - Materials UP-cycling TO fabricate advanced MEMbrane technologies for water and food industries: towards zero waste and a circular economy. UP2MEM is a wide consortium involving 11-degree awarding universities, 1 national research centre, and 13 companies.

Being a Doctoral Student

As a doctoral student, you are both admitted as a student and employed at Lund University.

As a doctoral student, you will be trained in a scientific approach to think critically and analytically, to solve problems independently using the right methods, and to develop an awareness of research ethics. In addition, you will have the opportunity to work on projects, to develop your leadership and pedagogical skills. Throughout your studies, you will be guided by supervisors. Doctoral studies end with a thesis and a doctoral degree.

More about being a doctoral student at LTH on lth.se. https://www.lth.se/english/study-at-lth/phd-studies/

Subject and Project Description

You will be part of a project with the overall aim to develop and optimize membrane processes for the production of plant-based beverages, with a particular focus on oat-based products. The work involves developing an effective membrane process for concentrating oat base, enabling precise control of protein content and dry matter. Furthermore, the project will contribute to reducing membrane fouling and improving cleaning protocols, which will extend the life and improve the performance of the membrane system. By adjusting the protein and dry matter content through membrane processing, the oat base will be tested in high-value applications such as plant-based yogurt and ice cream mix in the later phase of the project.

Work Duties

You will primarily devote yourself to your doctoral programme, which includes participation in research projects as well as third cycle courses, seminars, and conferences. As part of the project, you will spend 18 months of secondments at companies and another university. The project also includes week-long doctoral courses in various EU countries, approximately two courses per year.

The work duties include:

• Review of available scientific literature on the research topic and presentation in a report/article.
• Define the process parameters for concentration of protein and total solids in oat base.
• Optimization of the membrane conditions and cleaning protocols.
• Evaluate the performance in high-value products such as plant-based yoghurt and ice cream mixes.
• Participation in teaching and other departmental work (maximum of 20% of working hours).

Qualifications

To be eligible for admission and employment as a doctoral student, you must fulfil the requirements below.

Admission Requirements

A person meets the general admission requirements for third-cycle courses and study programmes if the applicant:

• 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 (TEKLFF01) if the applicant has:

• at least 30 credits awarded in the second cycle relevant to the subject area

Additional Requirements

In order to complete the doctoral program in question, the following are also required:

• Applicants must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the host country for more than 12 months in the 36 months before recruitment
• Candidates must not already hold a doctoral degree at the date of recruitment
• Ability to work in an international environment
• Good ability to work independently and to formulate and tackle research problems
• Good written and oral communication skills
• Excellent collaboration skill
• Very good knowledge of English, spoken and written

Other Qualifications

For the doctoral program in question, the following are considered as other qualifications:

• Knowledge of food processing and analytical techniques related to food, especially macronutrient analysis, rheology, DSC, viscosity analysis, RVA, gelling capacity, and water-holding capacity
• Experience working with membranes or other separation processes
• Experience of practical work on the pilot scale, e.g., decanters, high-speed separators, extruders, drying processes, etc.
• Experience in building/assembling equipment on the lab/pilot scale
• Previous experience of publishing in scientific journals
• Driver's license, as the project involves travel to the company (approx. 1.5 hours from the university), where materials need to be transported

We Offer

Lund University is a public authority, which means that employees get particular benefits, generous annual leave and an advantageous occupational pension scheme.

More about working at Lund University on lu.se. https://www.lunduniversity.lu.se/about-university/work-lund-university

About the Employment

The employment is a fixed-term employment at full time, starting 1st March 2026 or as agreed. Third cycle studies at LTH consist of full-time studies for 4 years. In the case of teaching and other departmental duties, the employment is extended accordingly. Doctoral studentships are regulated in the Higher Education Ordinance (1993:100), chapter 5, 1-7 §§.

More about terms of employment for doctoral students on Lund University's Staffpages. https://www.staff.lu.se/research-and-education/research-support/doctoral-education/terms-employment-doctoral-students

Other

Interviews will be held online.

How to Apply

Applications shall be written in English and include:

• CV and a cover letter (max 2 pages) stating the reasons why you are interested in the doctoral programme/employment and in what way the research project corresponds to your interests and educational background.
• Copies of issued study certificates and/or awarded degree certificates. These must confirm that you meet the general and specific admission