PhD scholarship in Safe and Sustainable by Design: Environmental Assessment of Footwear - DTU Sustain

Are you passionate about tackling plastic pollution and advancing chemical safety? At the Technical University of Denmark (DTU), we are offering a fully funded PhD position focused on understanding and mitigating the environmental and health impacts of footwear materials. This research sits at the cutting edge of microplastic pollution, chemical safety, and sustainable materials design.

This PhD opportunity is part of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Doctoral Network SCARPA, a European training network committed to circularity and sustainability in the footwear industry. Through advanced experimental work and risk modeling, you will help uncover how chemicals and microplastics are released from consumer products and contribute to the development of Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) strategies. Your research will directly support the transformation of the footwear sector toward safer, more sustainable practices, while equipping you with advanced interdisciplinary skills and international research experience.

Responsibilities and qualifications
As a PhD Candidate (Doctoral Candidate 15 (DC15) of the SCARPA Doctoral Network) you will investigate the release of chemicals and microplastics from footwear materials through advanced experimental work and risk modeling. The goal is to contribute to the development of Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) strategies for the footwear sector.

The research will support the transition to safer and more sustainable footwear production, while providing the candidate with interdisciplinary skills and international research experience. Your key responsibilities will include:

• Characterizing emissions and modeling the environmental fate of chemicals and microplastics from footwear materials under relevant life-cycle and end-of-life scenarios.
• Conducting laboratory experiments to analyze microplastic release and chemical leaching.
• Performing hazard and risk assessments based on experimental findings.
• Contributing to the development of an SSbD strategy in collaboration with a major European footwear brand.
• Collaborating with fellow doctoral researchers across the SCARPA network, including those focused on life cycle assessment (LCA).
• Participating in secondments at industry partners and conducting a research stay at the University of Bologna (UNIBO), which is the double degree partner.

We consider the following qualifications advantageous:

• You have a solid understanding of environmental assessment and are comfortable working in a laboratory environment. 
• A background in chemical risk assessment (including exposure analysis, analytical chemistry, ecotoxicology, and/or human health aspects) will be seen as a clear advantage. 
• You will benefit from bringing experience in microplastics analysis and release, and familiarity with Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) frameworks - though these are not strict requirement. 
• Most importantly, we are looking for someone eager to translate fundamental scientific knowledge into solutions with real societal impact. 

As a person, you are creative, open-minded and can work independently, while also being pragmatic, curious and driven in your research. Collaboration is central to your work, and you bring strong social and team skills. You can communicate scientific topics clearly and effectively to both experts and non-specialists. Proficiency in English is required. 

You must be compliant with MSCA mobility rule: not have resided or carried out your main activity (work/study) in Denmark for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately prior to recruitment.

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. 

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. The allowance will be agreed upon with the relevant union. 

The period of employment is 3 years. Starting date is preferably 1 February 2026. The position is a full-time position.

You can read more about career paths at DTU here.

Further information 
Further information may be obtained from Nanna B. Hartmann (nibh@dtu.dk) (main supervisor, DTU Sustain), Anders Damgaard (adam@dtu.dk) (co-supervisor DTU Sustain), Martino Colonna (martino.colonna@unibo.it)  (main supervisor, Unibo) 

You can read more about DTU Sustain at www.sustain.dtu.dk. 

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 31 October 2025 (23:59 Danish time). 

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

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.

DTU Sustain - Department of Environmental and Resource Engineering - is one of the largest university departments specializing in environmental and resource engineering in Europe. The department conducts research, development & scientific advice and provides educational programs and service to society. We are working to develop new environmentally friendly and sustainable technologies, methods and solutions, and to disseminate this knowledge to society and future generations of engineers. The Department has approximately 300 staff from more than 30 nationalities.

Technology for people
DTU develops technology for people. With our international elite research and study programmes, we are helping to create a better world and to solve the global challenges formulated in the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Hans Christian Ørsted founded DTU in 1829 with a clear mission to develop and create value using science and engineering to benefit society. That mission lives on today. DTU has 13,500 students and 6,000 employees. We work in an international atmosphere and have an inclusive, evolving, and informal working environment. DTU has campuses in all parts of Denmark and in Greenland, and we collaborate with the best universities around the world.