PhD Student in Membrane Filtration for Dairy Processes

Lund University was founded in 1666 and is consistently ranked as one of the world's leading universities. There are around 47,000 students and more than 8,800 employees in Lund, Helsingborg, and Malmö. We are united in our effort to understand, explain, and improve our world and the conditions of people.

Lund University welcomes applicants with diverse backgrounds and experiences. Gender equality, equal opportunities, and diversity are fundamental principles for all parts of our operations.

The Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Biosciences (PLE) at Lund University is located at Kemicentrum, one of the largest centers for education and research in the field of chemistry in the Nordic region. PLE has about 150 employees, of which approximately 65 are PhD students. The department offers a wide range of expertise in areas such as chemical engineering, food technology, biotechnology, and technical microbiology. Research and education at PLE cover the entire chemistry subject and include both undergraduate and doctoral education.

The Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Biosciences (PLE) at Lund University actively works to ensure a good work environment through several initiatives and routines. PLE encourages open communication and collaboration between employees, students, and management to continuously improve the work environment. This includes regular meetings and dialogues to discuss work environment issues and find common solutions.

Description of the Operations

The Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Biosciences (PLE) conducts a wide range of industrially relevant research.

The activities include dairy processes, processing of plant-based alternative proteins, advanced membrane technology, upgrading processes for biomass conversion, and purification of biopharmaceutical products.

The position is a joint assignment between the Membrane Group and the Dairy Group at the Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Biosciences. The Dairy Group works with technological and process engineering aspects of milk and dairy systems, with main research areas including milk quality and genomics, composition and structure of milk and dairy products, dairy processes, as well as nutrition and health.

The Membrane Group is the most established research group in membrane technology in Sweden and has, with MemLab – a center for industrial research and development of membrane processes – an excellent infrastructure to develop and optimize membrane processes from lab to pilot scale.

The project is part of 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.

Being a PhD Student

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

As a doctoral student, you are trained in a scientific approach. This can be briefly described as gaining practice in critical and analytical thinking, solving problems independently using the right methodological choices, and developing research ethical awareness. Additionally, you will have the opportunity to work on projects, develop your leadership skills, and enhance your pedagogical abilities. Throughout your studies, you will be guided by supervisors. Doctoral studies conclude with a dissertation and a doctoral degree.

More about being a PhD student at LTH can be found at lth.se (https://www.lth.se/forskning/forskarutbildning).

Subject and Project Description

You will be part of a project with the overarching goal of developing and optimizing strategies for membrane filtration for concentrating dairy process streams, with a particular focus on valorizing whey protein. The work involves identifying the optimal transition point between membrane filtration, evaporation, and spray drying to minimize energy consumption while maintaining product quality. The project also aims to expand the concentration range achievable through membrane processes, reducing reliance on thermal methods. In addition to process optimization, the project will explore new module designs using simulations based on computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and advanced manufacturing techniques such as 3D printing. These innovations aim to improve mass transport, reduce membrane fouling, and increase energy efficiency. The long-term goal is to develop next-generation membrane systems tailored to the specific needs of the dairy industry.

Job Responsibilities

You will primarily focus on your doctoral education, which includes participation in research projects as well as doctoral courses, seminars, and conferences. As part of the project, you will participate in exchanges totaling 18 months at Alfa Laval (Denmark), NOVA University in Lisbon (Portugal), and Arla Foods Ingredients (Denmark). The project also includes week-long doctoral courses in various EU countries, approximately two courses per year. We welcome your application!

LTH – Lund University of Technology – is the technical faculty at Lund University. At LTH, we educate people, build knowledge for the future, and work hard to develop society. We create space for brilliant research and inspire creative development in technology, architecture, and design. Nearly 10,000 students study here. Each year, our researchers – many of whom work in world-leading profile areas – publish around 100 dissertations and 2,000 scientific findings. A number of research results and student projects are refined into innovations. Together, we explore and create – for the benefit of the world.

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