Postdoc position in hydrothermal liquefaction of biomass and wastes

Postdoc position in hydrothermal liquefaction of biomass and wastes
The Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering, Aarhus University, invites applications for a two separate fixed term positions offering applicants an exciting opportunity to join a new research project on Hydrothermal Liquefaction. One position is for 2 years and one for 1.5 years.

Expected start date and duration of employment
These are positions from 1 January 2027. There are two positions available, one position is for 2 years and one for 1.5 years.

Job description
The main responsibilities of the candidate will lie in:

• planning and execution of pilot scale HTL campaigns
• carrying out wet-oxidation experiments in pilot scale
• supporting full scale HTL experimental campaigns with sampling, data analysis, process evaluation and product analysis
• developing new solutions and technologies for HTL product separation at pilot scale
• Troubleshooting, modification, maintenance and carrying out improvements and upgrades on existing HTL-WO pilot plant
• chemical analysis of HTL products, data processing and analysis from experimental campaigns to produce scientific publications and reports
• active participation in the project with all it’s partners, attend meetings, compile collaborative reports etc.
• active participation in the supervision and training of MSc, BSc and PhD students

The work will expand on the on-going research using a state of the art, continuous, hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) reactors at the Foulum Campus of Aarhus University. The HTL plant is integrated with Wet Oxidation (WO) plant is currently one of the largest worldwide in academic settings and allows testing of unique and novel ideas at a relevant scale for industry. The work will be carried out as part of a team working in hydrothermal processing and related technologies.

Your profile
Prior experience in operation, design and maintenance of chemical engineering processes at lab or pilot scale is desired. The candidate is required to have a PhD in chemical engineering, process engineering or similar (or about to complete the degree). A strong academic background in applied research and publication record are expected. The candidates must demonstrate ability to conduct basic and applied interdisciplinary research, and experience with technology transfer from university to industry is beneficial.

Experience in analysis of biomass, biofuels and bioproducts using equipment such as elemental analysis, NMR, GC-MS and similar are essential skills for the candidate.

The ideal candidate has all or several of the following qualifications and specific competences:

• A PhD degree in Chemical Engineering or similar (or about to)
• Prior experience in hydrothermal liquefaction, wet oxidation, pyrolysis, hydrotreating or similar
• Prior experience in operating continuous reactors for biomass processing
• A solid background in thermochemical processing of biomass, biorefining, biofuels or related areas.
• The ability to work independently and to generate new ideas and creative approaches.
• The ability to write high impact, peer reviewed academic publications.
• Is passionate about science and engineering and working in a team dedicated to the green transition.

Who we are
At the Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering we focus on living systems, the biology of organisms, efficient production, and transformation of chemicals, materials and energy. We translate knowledge within biotechnology, food technology, environmental technology, chemical engineering, industrial biotechnology, medical biotechnology and electrochemical engineering etc. more into new technologies and value-creating solutions that can also be used in the business community.

Many of our research and development activities are based on companies’ specific innovation needs or specialist application areas. Close collaboration with the public sector and private businesses ensures that the knowledge and technology generated in the department’s research environments has a clear anchoring in reality and benefits the surrounding society. We also provide research-based public sector consultancy and advice on technology in agriculture and food.

At the department, we educate BEng, BSc and MSc graduates in engineering for Danish society.

Read more about the department and sections here:
https://bce.au.dk/en/research/key-areas-in-research-and-development

What we offer
The department/centre offers:

• a well-developed research infrastructure, laboratories and access to shared equipment
• an exciting interdisciplinary environment with many national, international and industrial collaborators
• a research climate encouraging lively, open and critical discussion within and across different fields of research
• a work environment with close working relationships, networking and social activities
• a workplace characterised by professionalism, equality and a healthy work-life balance.

Place of work and area of employment
The position includes two permanent workplace addresses in Foulum and Aarhus respectively. The attendance at each workplace address is by agreement with your immediate supervisor. At the time of employment, the distribution between the workplace addresses is expected equally distributed with place of employment in Aarhus and Foulum. In Aarhus the place of work is Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering, Hangøvej 2, 8200 Aarhus. In Foulum the place of work is Burrehøjvej 43, 8830 Foulum . The area of employment is Aarhus University with affiliated institutions.

Contact information
For further information, please contact: Associate Professor, Patrick Biller, pbiller@bce.au.dk.

Deadline
Applications must be received no later than 25 October 2026.

Application procedure
Shortlisting is used. This means that after the deadline for applications – and with the assistance from the assessment committee chairman, and the appointment committee if necessary, – the head of department selects the candidates to be evaluated. All applicants will be notified whether or not their applications have been sent to an expert assessment committee for evaluation. The selected applicants will be informed about the composition of the committee, and each applicant is given the opportunity to comment on the part of the assessment that concerns him/her self.

Formalities and salary range
Technical Sciences refers to the Ministerial Order on the Appointment of Academic Staff at Danish Universities under the Danish Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation.

The application must be in English and include a curriculum vitae, degree certificate, a complete list of publications, a statement of future research plans and information about research activities, teaching portfolio and verified information on previous teaching experience (if any). Guidelines for applicants can be found here.

Appointment shall be in accordance with the collective labour agreement between the Danish Ministry of Taxation and the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations. Further information on qualification requirements and job content may be found in the Memorandum on Job Structure for Academic Staff at Danish Universities.

Salary and terms as agreed between the Danish Ministry of Taxation and the Confederation of Professional Unions at basic salary steps 4-8.

Aarhus University’s ambition is to be an attractive and inspiring workplace for all and to foster a culture in which each individual has opportunities to thrive, achieve and develop. We view equality and diversity as assets, and we welcome all applicants.

Research activities will be evaluated in relation to actual research time. Thus, we encourage applicants to specify periods of leave without research activities, in order to be able to subtract these periods from the span of the scientific career during the evaluation of scientific productivity.

Aarhus University offers a broad variety of services for international researchers and accompanying families, including relocation service and career counselling to expat partners. Read more here. Please find more information about entering and working in Denmark here.

Aarhus University also offers a Junior Researcher Development Programme targeted at career development for postdocs at AU. You can read more about it here.

The application must be submitted via Aarhus University’s recruitment system, which can be accessed under the job advertisement on Aarhus University’s website.