Postdoc in Environmental, safety, and socio-economic assessment

The Center for Life Cycle Engineering (SDU LCE) at the University of Southern Denmark (SDU) is seeking applications for a 3-year post-doctoral position within Life Cycle Engineering. SDU LCE is part of the Department of Green Technology (IGT) at the Faculty of Engineering at SDU. The position is available from January 1^st 2025, or as soon as possible thereafter.

Job Description

The Center of Life Cycle Engineering at the Department of Green Technology invites applications for a post-doctoral position within the life cycle assessment (LCA) discipline. This position will be part of the AGRO4AGRI project, which focuses on “Fostering the Advanced Use of Agrochemicals for Sustainable Agriculture.” The successful candidate will contribute to the following key areas:

• Framework development for Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) principles with Agrochemical industry
• Applying SSbD aligned sustainability assessment for advanced agrochemicals
• Developing advanced tools facilitating SSbD aligned sustainability assessment for advanced agrochemicals
• Implementing dynamic sustainability assessment within the context of the Agro4Agri.

AGRO4AGRI is a research and innovation project aimed at reducing the use and (eco)toxicity of harmful agrochemicals in agriculture, aligning with the EU’s Farm to Fork Strategy and European Green Deal. The project seeks to develop safe, sustainable, and cost-effective agrochemical alternatives by applying the Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) framework, along with promoting social readiness for the adoption of these solutions.

SDU LCE’s major objectives of the project include:

• Perform Safety and toxicity assessments using the SSbD approach
• Conduct early environmental sustainability assessments and post-ante analyses
• Evaluate social and economic impacts of the proposed solutions

Candidates are required to have a proven track record in several of the following fields:

• Dynamic life cycle assessment
• Future scenario modeling
• Early environmental sustainability guidance for low TRL technologies
• Socio-economic sustainability assessment
• Tools and methods development for dynamic sustainability assessment
• Expertise in program-based LCA software, such as Brightway

SDU Life Cycle Engineering

SDU Life Cycle Engineering (SDU LCE) conducts unique research in system analysis and systems integration. The research at SDU LCE focuses on Environmental System Analysis, including Material Flow Analysis (MFA), Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), Energy System Analysis (ESA), Industrial Ecology (IE), and Economic and Socio-Economic Assessment (SEA). By applying and further developing these methods, SDU LCE aims to understand and characterize the sustainability of socio-economic development, including societal infrastructure development, urban development, and the technological development of industrial and agricultural products and systems. SDU LCE actively participates in international research communities related to Quantitative Sustainability Assessment and Industrial Ecology and contributes to international sustainable development agendas such as bio-economy and circular economy.

SDU LCE is primarily externally funded and engaged in numerous strategic research projects supported by various sources, including EU projects, national strategic research and innovation projects, privately funded projects, and NGO projects.

The education and teaching portfolio at SDU LCE covers a broad range of technology and science courses related to these research areas. SDU LCE is responsible for SDU's Master's program in Environmental Engineering and is involved in both the Bachelor's and Master's programs in Energy Technology and Integrated Design and Sustainable Product Development. For more information about LCE, please visit www.sdu.dk/lifecycle.

Qualifications

The successful applicant must hold a PhD degree or similar qualifications in the field of Life Cycle Engineering. A good track record of research and scientific publications, and if applicable a record of attracting research funding, are required. Experience in conducting project funded research and well-developed communication skills are considered core competencies. Fluency in English is required for this position, and the ability to communicate in Danish is an advantage, but not a precondition.

Conditions of Employment

Employment will be based on the terms specified in the labor market agreement, and the salary is negotiable. For further information regarding the position, please contact the Head of SDU LCE, Professor Morten Birkved, at tel.: +45 6550 7636 or email: morbigt.sdu.dk.

The project is partly funded by the AGRO4AGRI project.

Application deadline: Nov 30^th, 2024.

Application, Salary, etc.

Each applicant's qualifications will be assessed by a committee of experts, and the outcome of this assessment will be communicated to each applicant. Qualified applicants may be called for an interview as part of the final selection process. Applications must be submitted electronically using the link provided below. Attached files must be in Adobe PDF or Word format, and each box can only contain a single file with a maximum size of 10 Mb.

An application must include:

• An application letter including a statement of motivation.
• Curriculum Vitae.
• Evidence of research experience and research ideas (see below).
• List of publications, including examples of the most relevant publications (3-4 publications). These publications should be marked in the list of publications and enclosed.
• Certificates/Diplomas (any relevant Master's degree, PhD degree, or other relevant certificates) – Danish or English transcripts.

If applicable, an application may further include

• Evidence of experience in teaching/student supervision (i.e. teaching portfolio).

Since not all members of the appointment committee are Danish speaking, it is recommended that all documents are submitted in English. Further information for international applicants about entering and working in Denmark can be found at

The position is limited to 36 months.

The University aims to reflect the diversity of society in its staff and thus welcomes applications from all qualified candidates regardless of personal background.