Environmental and circularity modelling methods for sustainable business models

KU Leuven; Belgique; On-site; EUR 32,000 - 42,000; Part time

Job summary

KU Leuven invites applications for a PhD researcher position within the SAM team at the KU Leuven Materials Engineering Department in Leuven, Belgium. The project focuses on developing a method to assess environmental impact and circularity of future sustainable business models, including servitization and product life cycles, with collaboration across academia and industry.

The successful candidate will pursue a PhD under Arenberg Doctoral School rules, participate in related research

Qualifications

• Master of Science in Engineering with cum laude grade.
• Knowledge of LCA and modeling in Python mandatory; expertise in business models, stock-flow models or manufacturing industry is a plus.
• Strong interest in sustainability issues and global challenges like circular economy.
• Scientific, critical mindset and interest in interdisciplinary research.
• Good communication and presentation skills; proficient in English; Dutch is an asset.

Responsibilities

• Conduct research towards developing a robust method to assess environmental impact and circularity of sustainable business models.
• Collaborate with KU Leuven researchers and industry partners; contribute to the DPP data system and circular thread concept.
• Possibly engage in limited educational tasks and collaborate on related SAM team projects.

Skills

LCA knowledge

Python modeling

Sustainability focus

Interdisciplinary research

Team collaboration

English proficiency

Education

Master of Science in Engineering (Engineering Science or Bioscience Engineering)

Job description

Organisation/Company KU LEUVEN Research Field Engineering » Materials engineering Engineering » Mechanical engineering Engineering » Other Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1) Application Deadline 25 Nov 2026 - 23:59 (UTC) Country Belgium Type of Contract To be defined Job Status Full-time Offer Starting Date 1 Jan 2027 Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme Reference Number BAP-2026-645 Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

The primary objective of the research is to develop a comprehensive, robust and feasible method to assess the environmental impact and circularity of (prospective) sustainable business models. The targeted applications are business models for long-living, high-value, connected mechatronic products, with a particular focus on the downstream value chain. The developed method should allow companies and their downstream value chain partners to qualitatively and quantitatively explore and model the environmental impact of new sustainable business models, such as servitization, remanufacturing, upgrading and repairing products. Data needs for implementing the assessments method(s) developed will also be addressed, based on a conceptual analysis of data needs in the circular economy, as well as robustness of the developed method. The research will build further on the vast experience of the SAM team in life cycle (sustainability) assessments, stock-flow analyses and the development of circularity indicators and will be ultimately used to give manufacturing companies the tools to assess and guide to the implementation of more sustainable business models.
The research is embedded in a larger Flanders make project “New Sustainable Business Models for High-value Mechatronic Products enabled by Digital Product Passports”. This position gives you the opportunity to collaborate intensively with high level researchers and companies in this field. The PhD researcher will more specifically closely collaborate with another KU Leuven based PhD researcher who will focus more on the development of methods to assess the economic impacts and viability of sustainable business models. Furthermore, other researchers in the project will develop a Digital Product Passport (DPP) system for capturing and sharing product related data in order to unlock new business opportunities or significantly reduce costs. The DPP system integrates necessary data sources and knowledge from multiple stakeholders, spanning the full product lifecycle through a knowledge graph-based “circular thread”, resulting in a Data Spaces-based DPP. The methods developed in the PhD position of this job offer will be made apt to the DPP data and interact with data spaces developed by other researchers within the project. The outcomes of this project will allow manufacturers, that often have a leading role in the value chain, to together with their downstream value chain partners, co-explore new business opportunities that not only reduce the environmental impact but also create value for all actors participating in the value chain.
The position should eventually lead to a PhD following the rules of the Arenberg Doctoral School ( https://set.kuleuven.be/phd ). You will also be involved in (limited) educational tasks and to collaborate in similar projects within the SAM team.

• You have a Master of Science in Engineering (Engineering Science or Bioscience Engineering). You have obtained this degree with at least cum laude as a grade.
• Knowledge of LCA and modeling in python is mandatory as well as specific expertise in one or more of the following areas: business models, stock-flow models, manufacturing industry.
• You should show a strong interest in sustainability issues and global challenges like circular economy.
• You have a scientific, critical attitude and you are interested in interdisciplinary research
• You should be a team player, taking initiative in the research, and having a strong interest and motivation to pursue academic and applied research. Experience as a researcher is welcome but not mandatory.
• You have good communication and presentation skills, proficient in English. Knowledge of Dutch is an asset.

We offer a research position for initially one year, extendable to a 4 year funded PhD after the first year given a positive evaluation, in a very attractive international research environment, with an excellent track record in sustainable materials management and environmental economics.The position is promoted by Prof. Karel Van Acker (Faculty of Engineering Science, Department Materials Engineering and Faculty of Economics and Business, Centre for Economics and Corporate Sustainability). The research work will be carried out within the KU Leuven materials engineering department in Leuven. The job will include collaboration and information exchange with researchers from different disciplines and from industry. The project the researcher will work on is a granted Flanders Make project.

Eligibility criteria

• You have a Master of Science in Engineering (Engineering Science or Bioscience Engineering). You have obtained this degree with at least cum laude as a grade.
• Knowledge of LCA and modeling in python is mandatory as well as specific expertise in one or more of the following areas: business models, stock-flow models, manufacturing industry.
• You should show a strong interest in sustainability issues and global challenges like circular economy.
• You have a scientific, critical attitude and you are interested in interdisciplinary research
• You should be a team player, taking initiative in the research, and having a strong interest and motivation to pursue academic and applied research. Experience as a researcher is welcome but not mandatory.
• You have good communication and presentation skills, proficient in English. Knowledge of Dutch is an asset.