Postdoc in High-Speed Production of Biodegradable Packaging in Natural Fiber Materials - DTU Construct

<p>The Department of Civil and Mechanical Engineering of the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) has an open Postdoc position on the topic of “High speed production of biodegradable packaging in natural fiber materials”. <br/><br/> The position is funded in the context of the project HiProBio co-funded by the Innovation Fund Denmark. You will be working in the framework of the ongoing collaboration between DTU Construct, DTU Chemical Engineering and Danish as well as international companies with the goal of implementing solutions for the development of compostable, recyclable and renewable natural fiber-based packaging. This position offers unique opportunities with respect to high level research, training and innovation within manufacturing engineering, sustainability and circularity, in an exciting combination of academic and industrial environments. You will be working in close collaboration with the scientific staff at the Section and with academic and industry partners.<br/><br/><strong>Responsibilities and qualifications</strong><br/> Your overall focus will be to strengthen the Department’s competences within natural materials dry thermoforming processes and related machinery for sustainable production of biodegradable packaging. The postdoc activities will be supporting the efficient and sustainable production of natural-fiber-based packaging components suitable for food and beverage applications.<br/><br/> The successful candidate will contribute to multiple aspects of the HiProBio project including the design and implementation of a dry thermoforming process and associated lab-scale machinery for natural fiber network materials, implementation of in-line sensing for robust process control, ML algorithms for process adaptation to fluctuating material properties and application of functional barriers. <br/><br/> The activities will be based on a combination of existing and newly developed equipment to achieve targeted part properties while minimizing cycle time. Industrial validation will be conducted in collaboration with partner companies.<br/><br/> The position involves both theoretical and experimental work, with responsibilities spanning project execution and academic dissemination. You are expected to:</p> <ul> <li>Position the scientific work within the context of current literature</li> <li>Publish findings in peer-reviewed journals and present at international conferences</li> </ul> <p>We are looking for candidates with:</p> <ul> <li>An excellent academic background in production engineering or related fields</li> <li>Strong knowledge of manufacturing systems, machine elements, press systems, and process monitoring</li> <li>Experience with manufacturing metrology and programming tools such as MATLAB</li> <li>Familiarity with Machine Learning techniques is a strong asset</li> <li>Experience with thermoforming of natural fiber materials is an asset</li> <li>Good analytical skills and communication abilities in English</li> </ul> <p>As a formal qualification, you must hold a PhD degree (or equivalent) in Mechanical, Production, Materials, Industrial or Robotics Engineering, Paper and wood fiber engineering or related fields.<br/><br/><strong>We offer</strong><br/> DTU is a leading technical university globally recognized for the excellence of its research, education, innovation and scientific advice. We offer a rewarding and challenging job in an international environment. We strive for academic excellence in an environment characterized by collegial respect and academic freedom tempered by responsibility. <br/><br/><strong>Salary and terms of employment</strong><br/> The appointment will be based on the collective agreement with the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations. The allowance will be agreed upon with the relevant union.<br/><br/> The period of employment is 2 years.<i><strong> </strong></i>It is expected that the selected candidate will start in the position in February 2026 or according to mutual agreement.<br/><br/> You can read more about <a href="http://www.dtu.dk/english/about/job-and-career/working-at-dtu/career-paths" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">career paths at DTU here</a>.<br/><br/><strong>Further information </strong><br/> Further information may be obtained from Associate Professor Giuliano Bissacco (<a href="mailto:gibi@dtu.dk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">gibi@dtu.dk</a> +45 45254895).<br/><br/> You can read more about Department of Civil and Mechanical Engineering at <a href="http://www.construct.dtu.dk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.construct.dtu.dk</a>.<br/><br/> If you are applying from abroad, you may find useful information on working in Denmark and at DTU at <a href="https://www.dtu.dk/english/about/job-and-career/moving-to-denmark" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">DTU – Moving to Denmark</a>.<br/><br/><strong>Application procedure </strong><br/> Your complete online application must be submitted no later than<strong