PhD fellowship in Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage

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 March 2026, 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 quantitative modelling and data analysis.
• Experience with Python is an advantage and interest in learning and working with Python is a requirement.

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, , Phone:

The PhD programme

A three year full-time study within the framework of the regular PhD programme (5+3 scheme), for candidates with an education equivalent to a relevant Danish master's degree.

Qualifications needed for the regular programme

To be eligible for the regular PhD programme, you must have completed a degree programme or otherwise acquired competences, 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.

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 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 23 November 2025, 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. The assessed applicants will have the opportunity to comment on their assessment. You can read about the recruitment process at

Interviews with selected candidates are expected to be held in week

Applicants must be prepared for further security screening related to international research collaborations as part of the recruitment process, when UCPH considers it appropriate from a holistic consideration

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:

Københavns Universitet giver sine knap medarbejdere muligheder for at udnytte deres talent fuldt ud i et ambitiøst, uformelt miljø. Vi sikrer traditionsrige og moderne rammer om uddannelser og fri forskning på højt internationalt niveau. Vi søger svar og løsninger på fælles problemer og gør ny viden tilgængelig og nyttig for andre.

Niclas Scott Bentsen

E-mail:

Ansøgningsfrist:

Ansættelsesdato:

Afdeling/Sted: Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management

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