Summary: The Department of Molecular Sciences at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) is seeking two highly motivated PhD students to contribute to cutting-edge research in biogas production. These positions offer a unique opportunity to work on optimizing biogas processes and understanding the underlying microbial communities, playing a vital role in advancing renewable energy systems and circular economy principles.
PhD Positions in Biogas Process Development and Microbiology at SLU Uppsala, Sweden
Designation: PhD Student
Research Area: Biogas Process Development and Microbiology
Location: Uppsala, Sweden
Eligibility/Qualification:
- Master’s degree in Biology, Microbiology, Biotechnology, Molecular Biotechnology, Bioinformatics, or a closely related field.
- Excellent written and spoken English proficiency (equivalent to Swedish upper secondary school English B/English 6).
- Strong motivation, commitment to renewable energy, and keen interest in biotechnology and industrial microbiology.
- Ability to critically evaluate scientific literature and communicate effectively in English.
- Excellent communication and teamwork skills.
Meritorious Qualifications (Advantageous):
- Knowledge and experience in biogas processes.
- Experience with modeling and/or programming.
- Proficiency in statistics.
- Swedish language skills.
Job Description:
Two distinct PhD projects are available:
- Biogas production from agricultural feedstocks – Process optimisation:
- Operate and evaluate laboratory-scale biogas processes.
- Optimize biogas production and biofertilizer quality.
- Conduct chemical and microbiological analyses.
- Potential for work with process modeling.
- This project is linked to the Interreg project BEAR and involves collaboration with Luleå University of Technology and the University of Oulu.
- Process microbiology:
- Investigate the microbiology of various biogas processes.
- Analyze how microbial activity is influenced by operational conditions.
- Relate microbial changes to process function and stability.
- Utilize molecular biological methods and bioinformatics to analyze microbial communities in laboratory and full-scale processes.
- Identify microorganisms and microbial markers for predicting process disturbances.
Both projects will be conducted within the Microbial Biotechnology research group under the supervision of Professor Anna Schnürer, with additional support from researchers within the group and potentially external supervisors from industry. The positions are connected to the Biogas Solutions Research Center (BSRC).
How to Apply:
Applications should be submitted online via the provided link. Applicants are welcome to apply for one or both positions. The application must clearly state which project(s) are being applied for, indicate the applicant’s first priority, and provide reasons for this choice. Refer to the SLU website for required application attachments.
Last Date for Apply: August 31, 2026
