PhD fellowship in Sustainability Assessment and Life Cycle Inventory Modelling of Food Systems

The Department of Food Science at the University of Copenhagen invites applications for 2 PhD fellowships for 3 years each in sustainability assessment of food production and processing. Are you passionate about contributing to a more sustainable food system by developing innovative assessment models for food production technologies, dietary patterns, and consumer-driven market transitions? This PhD position focuses on integrating environmental and nutritional life cycle assessments (LCA) into food system sustainability analysis, ensuring resource-efficient and circular food production within planetary boundaries. The research applies advanced modelling techniques to evaluate environmental and health impacts of food production and consumption. It also explores the use of LCA to inform nudging strategies for promoting sustainable food choices and integrates consumer survey data to model market entry scenarios for emerging food innovations, such as plant-based foods.

Start date is 1. April 2025 or as soon as possible thereafter.

The project

The PhD project focuses on bridging microscale and macroscale sustainability assessments in food systems through a multi-level life cycle analysis (LCA) approach:

1. Microscale LCA of food processing technologies
   • Addressing critical data gaps by developing detailed life cycle inventories (LCI) of food processing technologies.
   • Ensuring that environmental impacts are accurately quantified at the process level.
   • Providing granular datasets that serve as essential inputs for process-based LCAs of food products and ingredients.

1. Integrating LCA-derived environmental footprints into dietary modelling and nudging strategies
   • Applying LCA results of food products and ingredients to assess the environmental impacts of whole dietary profiles, including meals and plates.
   • Evaluating how LCA-informed nudging interventions can shift consumer choices toward more sustainable diets in real-world settings, such as university canteens, restaurants, and retail markets.
   • Testing multi-criteria food labelling and nudging strategies as tools for bridging the intention-behaviour gap in sustainable food consumption.

1. Enhancing EE-MRIO models with process-based LCA and consumer-driven scenarios
   • Using LCA-derived environmental footprints of food products and ingredients to improve EE-MRIO modelling.
   • Assessing large-scale food system transitions by integrating consumer survey data on emerging food trends, such as plant-based diets, alternative proteins, and upcycled ingredients.
   • Modelling ‘what-if’ scenarios to explore the potential environmental benefits and trade-offs of dietary shifts and forecasting market entry opportunities for novel sustainable foods.

Who are we looking for?

We are looking for candidates with a background in sustainability/food/environmental science, industrial ecology, life cycle assessment (LCA), environmental engineering, or a related field. Applicants should have 1-3 of the skills:

• Experience with life cycle assessment (LCA), particularly in LCI development and impact modelling.
• Proficiency in LCA software such as Brightway, SimaPro, or OpenLCA.
• Familiarity with EE-MRIO modelling (e.g., EXIOBASE) and data integration.
• Computational skills (e.g., Python, R, or MATLAB) for sustainability modelling.
• Interest in absolute sustainability assessments, circular economy strategies, and food system sustainability.
• Experience with consumer behavior research, such as survey design, behavioural experiments, or nudging interventions in food systems.

A strong analytical mindset, problem-solving skills, and interdisciplinary thinking are essential for this position.

Our group and research- and what do we offer?

The PhD student will be part of the Food Design and Sustainability (FDS) Group at the Department of Food Science, Faculty of SCIENCE, University of Copenhagen. Our group conducts interdisciplinary research at the intersection of food science, sustainability assessment, and consumer behavior, with the goal of developing sustainable, circular food systems that align with planetary boundaries.

• We specialize in integrating life cycle assessment (LCA) with food processing technologies, combining environmental sustainability assessments, green chemistry principles, and ingredient functionality to support the development of health-promoting, resource-efficient foods. Our research focuses on:

• Process-based LCA of food processing technologies, with an emphasis on non-thermal processing, digestibility of proteins, and gentle food processing approaches.
• Life cycle inventory (LCI) development for food ingredients and products.
• Integration of environmental and nutritional LCA to assess whole dietary patterns, meals, and consumer-driven food choices.
• Application of EE-MRIO modelling to evaluate large-scale food system transitions.
• Consumer behavior research, including survey-based market entry projection models and LCA-informed nudging interventions.
• Product innovation, prototyping, and functional food design, leveraging gastrophysics and sensory science.

A key advantage of joining our group is the opportunity to collaborate closely with food chemists and food processing experts, ensuring access to high-quality data on processing technologies, ingredient performance, and environmental impact assessments.

We offer creative and stimulating working conditions in a dynamic and international research environment. Our research facilities include state-of-the-art laboratories for food processing, sustainability modelling, and sensory analysis. The University of Copenhagen provides an excellent academic setting with strong interdisciplinary collaboration opportunities and engagement with industry and policy stakeholders.

The group is based in Copenhagen, a leading hub for food innovation and sustainability research, offering a vibrant academic and professional ecosystem for tackling the future challenges of sustainable food production and consumption.

Principal supervisor is Professor Marianne Thomsen, Department of Food Science, [email protected] - Phone: +45 22292627.

Qualifications needed for the regular programme
To be eligible for the regular PhD programme, you must have completed a degree programme, equivalent to a Danish master’s degree (180 ECTS/3 FTE BSc + 120 ECTS/2 FTE MSc) related to the subject area of the project, e.g. food science, e.g. Integratede Food Studies, Biotechnology, environmental science, sustaninability science, industrial ecology or a related field. For information of eligibility of completed programmes, see General assessments for specific countries and Assessment database.

Terms of employment in the regular programme
Employment as PhD fellow is full time and for maximum 3 years.

Employment is conditional upon your successful enrolment as a PhD student at the PhD School at the Faculty of SCIENCE, University of Copenhagen. This requires submission and acceptance of an application for the specific project formulated by the applicant.

Terms of appointment and payment accord to the agreement between the Danish Ministry of Taxation and The Danish Confederation of Professional Associations on Academics in the State. The position is covered by the Protocol on Job Structure.

Responsibilities and tasks in the PhD programme

• Carry through an independent research project under supervision
• Complete PhD courses corresponding to approx. 30 ECTS / ½ FTE
• Participate in active research environments, including a stay at another research institution, preferably abroad
• Teaching and knowledge dissemination activities
• Write scientific papers aimed at high-impact journals
• Write and defend a PhD thesis on the basis of your project

We are looking for the following qualifications:

• Professional qualifications relevant to the PhD project
• Relevant publications
• Relevant work experience
• Other relevant professional activities
• Curious mind-set with a strong interest in LCA
• Good language skills

Application and Assessment Procedure

 Your application including all attachments must be in English and submitted electronically by clicking APPLY NOW below.

Please include: 

1. Motivated letter of application (max. one page)
2. Your motivation for applying for the specific PhD project/State and which PhD project you are applying for
3. Curriculum vitae including information about your education, experience, language skills and other skills relevant for the position
4. Original diplomas for Bachelor of Science or Master of Science and transcript of records in the original language, including an authorized English translation if issued in another language than English or Danish. If not completed, a certified/signed copy of a recent transcript of records or a written statement from the institution or supervisor is accepted.
5. Publication list (if possible)
6. Reference letters (if available)

Application deadline:

The deadline for applications is 23 February, 23:59 GMT+1.

We reserve the right not to consider material received after the deadline, and not to consider applications that do not live up to the abovementioned requirements.

The further process
After deadline, a number of applicants will be selected for academic assessment by an unbiased expert assessor. You are notified, whether you will be passed for assessment.

The assessor will assess the qualifications and experience of the shortlisted applicants with respect to the above mentioned research area, techniques, skills and other requirements. The assessor will conclude whether each applicant is qualified and, if so, for which of the two models. The assessed applicants will have the opportunity to comment on their assessment. You can read about the recruitment process at http://employment.ku.dk/faculty/recruitment-process/.

Interviews with selected candidates are expected to be held in week 9

Questions
For specific information about the PhD fellowship, please contact the principal supervisor.

General information about PhD study at the Faculty of SCIENCE is available at the PhD School’s website: https://www.science.ku.dk/phd/.

The University of Copenhagen wishes to reflect the surrounding community and invites all regardless of personal background to apply for the position.