PhD scholarship in Absolute Sustainability Transformation in Energy Systems - DTU Construct

If you are looking to establish yourself as a researcher at the intersection of sustainability, innovation, and the energy transition, this PhD position offers a unique opportunity. At DTU's Centre for Absolute Sustainability, you will help develop new approaches that enable companies, technology developers, and policy makers to transform energy systems within planetary boundaries while maintaining innovation capacity and industrial competitiveness.

Working closely with leading researchers from DTU Construct, DTU Sustain, DTU Energy and DTU Wind, you will contribute to the next generation of methods and tools that support sustainability transformation in practice.

Responsibilities and qualifications
Your overall focus will be to investigate how principles of Absolute Sustainability can support transformation of energy technologies and energy systems. The project will contribute to the development of methods that help organisations move beyond sustainability assessment towards actionable transition pathways, transformation strategies, and implementation approaches that enable operation within planetary boundaries.

You will work as part of DTU's Centre for Absolute Sustainability (CfAS), a cross-disciplinary centre bringing together international experts in sustainability assessment, engineering design, innovation, and implementation research. Your work will involve close collaboration with researchers and industrial stakeholders within the energy sector.

Your primary tasks will be to:

• Explore how organisations navigate trade-offs in the transition towards operation within planetary boundaries
• Develop methods for translating Absolute Sustainability goals into transformation strategies for energy technologies and energy systems
• Investigate how sustainability targets can be integrated into early development, scenario modelling, and decision-making processes
• Translate outputs from energy system models to actionable targets at the organisational level.
• Develop approaches for sustainability-oriented road mapping and transition planning
• Develop and analyse transformation pathways for selected energy technology domains (i.e. wind energy, battery technology)
• Collaborate with industrial and academic partners in workshops, case studies and co-development activities
• Disseminate research results through scientific publications and conference presentations
• Contribute to teaching, supervision and student activities within the Centre and participating departments

Qualifications
We are looking for a highly motivated candidate with:

• A master's degree in engineering, sustainability, industrial ecology, energy systems, design engineering, innovation management, transition studies, socio-technical systems, or a related field
• Interest in sustainability transitions and implementation of sustainability strategies in practice
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively in interdisciplinary teams
• Excellent written and spoken English
• Experience with sustainability assessment, innovation management, transition studies, systems thinking, or related approaches will be considered an advantage, as would energy systems modelling and wind energy technology

You must have a two-year master's degree (120 ECTS points) or a similar degree with an academic level equivalent to a two-year master's degree.

Approval and Enrolment
The scholarship for the PhD degree is subject to academic approval, and the candidate will be enrolled in one of the general degree programmes at DTU. For information about our enrolment requirements and the general planning of the PhD study programme, please see DTU's rules for the PhD education .

Assessment
The assessment of applicants will be made by a committee consisting of representatives from DTU Construct, DTU Sustain, DTU Energy, DTU Wind and the Centre for Absolute Sustainability.

Particular emphasis will be placed on the candidate's academic qualifications, research experience, motivation for pursuing doctoral research, demonstrated interest in sustainability and transition challenges, and ability to conduct interdisciplinary research.

We offer
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.

Salary and appointment terms
The appointment will be based on the collective agreement with the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations. In addition, supplements can be negotiated in accordance with DTU’s salary structure for scientific staff: .

The period of employment is 3 years. Starting date is as soon as possible or according to mutual agreement. The position is full-time.

The position will be based primarily at DTU Lyngby Campus within DTU Construct. The PhD will be jointly supervised by researchers from DTU Lyngby and DTU Risø, and some project activities will therefore take place at DTU Risø Campus.

You can read more about career paths at DTU here .

Further information
Further information may be obtained from Professor Tim C. McAloone, DTU Construct, Se e-mailadresse på studerendeonline.dk .

You can read more about the DTU Centre for Absolute Sustainability at .

If you are applying from abroad, you may find useful information on working in Denmark and at DTU at DTU – Moving to Denmark . Furthermore, you have the option of joining our monthly free seminar “ PhD relocation to Denmark and startup “Zoom” seminar ” for all questions regarding the practical matters of moving to Denmark and working as a PhD at DTU.

Application procedure
Your complete online application must be submitted no later than 21 September 2026 (23:59 Danish time) . Applications will be evaluated continuously, and qualified candidates may be invited for interview before the deadline.

Applications must be submitted as one PDF file containing all materials to be given consideration. To apply, please open the link "Apply now", fill out the online application form, and attach all your materials in English in one PDF file . The file must include:

• A letter motivating the application (cover letter)
• Curriculum vitae
• Grade transcripts and BSc/MSc diploma (in English) including official description of grading scale
• A brief statement (maximum 2 pages) describing your research interests and motivation for undertaking the PhD project
• Documentation of any relevant scientific publications, project work, thesis work, or professional experience

You may apply prior to ob­tai­ning your master's degree but cannot begin before having received it.

Applications received after the deadline will not be considered.

All interested candidates irrespective of age, gender, disability, race, religion or ethnic background are encouraged to apply. As DTU works with research in critical technology, which is subject to special rules for security and export control, open-source background checks may be conducted on qualified candidates for the position.

The DTU Centre for Absolute Sustainability is a cross-departmental initiative at DTU with the mission of enabling societies, organisations and technologies to operate within planetary boundaries. The Centre develops methods, tools and scientific knowledge that support fact-based sustainability decision-making and sustainability transformation across sectors. By bringing together leading researchers in sustainability assessment, engineering design, systems modelling, innovation and implementation, the Centre bridges the gap between sustainability science and real-world transformation. Through close collaboration with industry and public stakeholders, the Centre seeks to translate sustainability ambitions into measurable action and long-term societal impact.

DTU – For the benefit of society since 1829
DTU is one of Europe's leading elite technical universities. Through research and education at an international top level, we create solutions to the major societal challenges of our time and help secure Europe's global leadership in sustainable technological development. Since Hans Christian Ørsted founded DTU almost 200 years ago, our mission has remained the same: We develop and create value through the natural and technical sciences for the benefit of society. DTU has 13,800 students, 1,600 PhD students, and 6,500 employees. We work in an international environment and have an inclusive, stimulating, and informal work culture. DTU has campuses in all parts of Denmark and in Greenland and collaborates with the best universities around the world.

Location
Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark

Apply Before
2026-09-21T21:59:00+00:00