Postdoc in Absolute Sustainability Transformation - DTU Construct

Danmarks Tekniske Universitet; Ørsted; On-site; DKK 420,000 - 540,000; Full time

Job summary

DTU Centre for Absolute Sustainability in Lyngby, Denmark, invites applications for a 26‑month postdoctoral position at the intersection of sustainability, innovation, and systems transformation. You will coordinate research across energy and food systems, supervise a PhD candidate, and contribute to method development for actionable sustainability pathways.

You will collaborate with DTU Construct, Sustain, Energy, Wind, and Food, disseminate findings, and support project management while

Qualifications

• PhD in engineering, sustainability, industrial ecology, energy systems, food systems, design engineering, innovation management, transition studies, socio-technical systems, or related field.
• Strong research record with peer-reviewed publications relevant to the position.
• Excellent written and spoken English.
• Experience with sustainability assessment, energy systems, or food systems is advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Lead and coordinate research activities within the project, ensuring scientific progress and integration across work packages.
• Supervise the associated PhD candidate and collaborate with senior academic staff.
• Explore how organisations navigate trade-offs in sustainable transitions within planetary boundaries.
• Develop methods translating Absolute Sustainability goals into transformation strategies for energy and food systems.
• Translate systems model outputs into actionable targets at the organizational level.
• Coordinate collaboration with industrial and academic partners through workshops and case studies.
• Disseminate results via publications and conferences; engage stakeholders.
• Support teaching, supervision, and student activities within the Centre and participating departments.

Skills

Analytical skills

Problem solving

Independent work

Interdisciplinary collaboration

English proficiency

Supervision experience

Sustainability assessment

Education

PhD in engineering or sustainability

Tools

Systems modelling

Scenario modelling

Engineering design

Job description

If you are looking to advance your research career while taking a leading role in a major interdisciplinary research project at the intersection of sustainability, innovation, and systems transformation, this postdoctoral position offers a unique opportunity.

At DTU's Centre for Absolute Sustainability, you will help develop new approaches that enable organisations, technology developers, and policy makers to transform energy and food systems within planetary boundaries while maintaining innovation capacity and competitiveness.

Working closely with leading researchers from DTU Construct, DTU Sustain, DTU Energy, DTU Wind, and DTU Food, you will play a central role in coordinating and driving the project forward. In addition to conducting high-impact research, you will contribute to project management activities, facilitate collaboration across disciplines and stakeholders, and provide scientific supervision and day-to-day guidance to an associated PhD candidate. Together, 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 the transformation of energy and food 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 across the energy and food sectors.

As the postdoctoral researcher, you will take a leading role in the scientific coordination and management of the project. You will work closely with an associated PhD candidate, providing day-to-day scientific guidance and supervision while helping to ensure integration and progress across the project's research activities.

Your primary tasks will be to:

• Lead and coordinate research activities within the project, ensuring scientific progress and integration across work packages
• Supervise and mentor the associated PhD candidate in collaboration with the project's senior academic staff
• 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 and food systems
• Investigate how sustainability targets can be integrated into early-stage technology development, scenario modelling, and decision-making processes
• Translate outputs from systems models into actionable targets at the organisational level
• Develop approaches for sustainability-oriented road mapping and transition planning
• Develop and analyse transformation pathways for selected sustainability challenges within energy and food systems
• Coordinate and facilitate collaboration with industrial and academic partners through workshops, case studies, and co-development activities
• Disseminate research results through scientific publications, conference presentations, and stakeholder engagement activities
• Contribute to teaching, supervision, and student activities within the Centre and participating departments
• Support project reporting, stakeholder communication, and other project management activities

Qualifications
We are looking for a highly motivated candidate with:

• A PhD degree in engineering, sustainability, industrial ecology, energy systems, food systems, design engineering, innovation management, transition studies, socio-technical systems, or a related field
• A strong research record demonstrated through peer-reviewed publications relevant to the position
• Interest in sustainability transitions and the implementation of sustainability strategies in practice
• Strong analytical, conceptual, and problem-solving skills
• Ability to work independently and proactively while contributing effectively to interdisciplinary teams
• Demonstrated ability to coordinate research activities and collaborate with multiple stakeholders
• Interest in supervising students and early-career researchers
• Excellent written and spoken English
• Experience with sustainability assessment, innovation management, transition studies, systems thinking, or related approaches will be considered an advantage, as will experience with energy systems, food systems, sustainability modelling, or technology development in sectors undergoing sustainability transitions.

This project offers an opportunity to contribute to the development of a new generation of sustainability methods and their application to some of society's most pressing transformation challenges, while working in a highly interdisciplinary environment at DTU's Centre for Absolute Sustainability.

As a formal qualification, you must hold a PhD degree (or equivalent).

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 terms of employment
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: www.inside.dtu.dk/en/human-resources/during-employment/salary/salary-structures.

The period of employment is 26 months. Starting date is as soon as possible or according to mutual agreement.

You can read more about career paths at DTU here.

Further information
Further information may be obtained from Professor Tim C. McAloone, DTU Construct, [e-mail].

You can read more about The DTU Centre for Absolute Sustainability at www.sustainability.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.

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 a 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