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Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management, Section for Forest and Bioresources, invites applicants for a PhD fellowship in Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage. The project is part of the project “BECCS as a tool to achieve net-negative GHG emissions in Europe”, which is financed by the Novo Nordisk Foundation.

Start date is 1 January 2027, or as soon as possible thereafter.

The project

Carbon dioxide removal (CDR) is considered a requirement to meet the temperature targets of the Paris Agreement, by compensating hard to abate GHG emissions and by removing already emitted CO2 from the atmosphere. To achieve negative emissions, CDR must be based on non-fossil carbon sources, e.g., carbon in biomass. Bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) offers a potentially low-cost opportunity for CDR, which is already developed to a comparably high technology readiness level enabling rapid implementation. While the use of biomass for heat and electricity (BE) production is well established in several European countries only few BECCS facilities operate on commercial scale.

Biogenic carbon is a limited resource and considerate use of it is paramount for sustainable development. Furthermore, biomass production is connected to land use, with land use change being a potential driver of GHG emissions and climate change. Deploying BECCS in large regionwide scales consequently raises a number of unanswered questions. Do we achieve most climate benefits with temporary carbon storage in ecosystems managed for storage or with BECCS?

The complex interactions between ecosystems and surrounding technoeconomic systems raise significant scientific questions about the climate effect of BECCS. The scientific challenge is to develop a deeper understanding of the carbon dynamics in time and space of the system-complex comprising, ecosystems, e.g., forests, and the surrounding techno-economic systems (harvest, processing, and consumption of goods and services).

Who are we looking for?

We are looking for a highly motivated candidate with strong interdisciplinary qualifications and interests in ecology, forestry and energy systems analysis. Requirements for the candidates are:

• Experience and interest in systems thinking and systems analysis.

• Good understanding of ecosphere-technosphere interactions with focus on carbon and greenhouse gases.

• Experience in techno-economic assessment.

• Qualifications in spatial analysis and GIS.

• Experience in quantitative, predictive or stochastic modelling, data analysis, and machine learning.

• Experience with Python and advanced AI frameworks applied to bioresources.

Our group and research – and what do we offer?

The position is located within the Silviculture, Trees and Bioresources research group. The research group is highly diverse, encompassing expertise in systems analysis, forestry, growth modelling, and ecological restoration. Together, these areas aim to advance the understanding, development, and management of forest ecosystems to support a wide range of ecosystem services, including carbon storage, material and energy provision, groundwater regulation, and biodiversity conservation. The group is a part of the Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management, Faculty of SCIENCE, University of Copenhagen.

We are located on Frederiksberg Campus in Copenhagen and offer creative and stimulating working conditions in a dynamic and international research environment.

The department is planning to increase its focus on the climate change mitigation potential of forests in upcoming projects. We therefore welcome applications from candidates with a broader interest in the intersection of forests, forest-based climate solutions, biosphere-atmosphere interaction, climate policy, and related themes.

Principal supervisor is Associate Professor Niclas Scott Bentsen, Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management, nb@ign.ku.dk, Phone: +45 20206318.

The PhD programme

Depending on your level of education, you can undertake the PhD programme as either:

A three-year full-time study within the framework of the regular PhD programme (5+3 scheme), if you already have an education equivalent to a relevant Danish master’s degree.

An up to five-year full-time study programme within the framework of the integrated MSc and PhD programme (the 3+5 scheme), if you do not have an education equivalent to a relevant Danish master´s degree – but you have an education equivalent to a Danish bachelors´s degree.

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. 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.

Qualifications needed for the integrated MSc and PhD programme

If you do not have an education equivalent to a relevant Danish master´s degree, you might be qualified for the integrated MSc and PhD programme, if you have an education equivalent to a relevant Danish bachelor´s degree. Here you can find out, if that is relevant for you: General assessments for specific countries and Assessment database.

Terms of the integrated programme

To be eligible for the integrated scholarship, you are (or are eligible to be) enrolled at one of the faculty’s master programmes in Climate Change, Environmental Science, Environment and Development, or Biosolutions.

Students on the integrated programme will enroll as PhD students simultaneously completing their enrollment in this MSc degree programme.

The duration of the integrated programme is up to five years and depends on the amount of credits that you have passed on your MSc programme. For further information about the study programme, please see: www.science.ku.dk/phd, “Study Structures”

Until the MSc degree is obtained, (when exactly two years of the full 3+5 programme remains), the grant will be paid partly in the form of 48 state education grant portions (in Danish: “Ph.d.-SU-klip”) plus salary for work (teaching, supervision etc.) totaling a workload of 150 working hours per year.

A PhD grant portion is currently DKK 7.426 before tax.

When you have obtained the MSc degree, you will transfer to the salary-earning part of the scholarship for a period of two years. At that point, the terms of employment and payment will be according to the agreement between the Ministry of Finance and The Danish Confederation of Professional Associations on Academics in the State (AC). The position is covered by the Protocol on Job Structure.

Responsibilities and tasks in both PhD programmes:

• Complete and pass the MSc education in accordance with the curriculum of the MSc programme (ONLY when you are attending the integrated MSc and 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 work experience

• Other relevant professional activities

• Curious mind-set with a strong interest in ecosystem services and green transition

• Good language skills

Physical presence at IGN is considered a natural part of being an employee to contribute to a welcoming, socially pleasant, creative and innovative work environment. IGN offers the possibility for flexibility and working from home, but an employee is expected to regularly be present.

Application and Assessment Procedure

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

Please include:

• Motivated letter of application (max. one page)

• Curriculum vitae including information about your education, experience, language skills and other skills relevant for the position

• Original diplomas for Bachelor’s or Master’s degrees 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.

• Publication list (if possible)

• Reference letters (if available)

Application deadline:

The deadline for applications is 14 September 2026, 23:59 GMT +2.

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 https://employment.ku.dk/faculty/recruitment-process/.

Interviews with selected candidates are expected to be held in week 44.

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.

Part of the International Alliance of Research Universities (IARU), and among Europe’s top-ranking universities, the University of Copenhagen promotes research and teaching of the highest international standard. Rich in tradition and modern in outlook, the University gives students and staff the opportunity to cultivate their talent in an ambitious and informal environment. An effective organisation – with good working conditions and a collaborative work culture – creates the ideal framework for a successful academic career.