Doctoral Student

Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM); Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta; On-site; IDR 100.000.000 - 200.000.000; Full time

Job summary

A leading Indonesian university is offering a fully funded Ph.D. position in Mechanical and Industrial Engineering focusing on recycling solar panels. Candidates with a Master degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related field are invited to apply. The research will utilize AI and simulation techniques to enhance recycling processes, contributing to sustainability in renewable energy. Collaboration with international institutions is part of the project.

Qualifications

• Finished Master degree in Mechanical Engineering or other engineering field that related to recycle Electronic Waste is preferable.

Responsibilities

• Research on advanced recycling technologies for end-of-life solar panels using AI and simulation.
• Develop predictive models for optimizing the recycling process.
• Collaborate with international teams on innovative recycling solutions.

Education

Master degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field

Job description

Doctoral Student for Master Graduated from Indonesia.

We open a position for a Master degree graduated that want to pursuing Ph.D in Mechanical and Industrial Engineering Department, Gadjah Mada University. Specifically, the candidate will stay at the Advanced Manufacturing Technology Laboratory, Mechanical and Industrial Engineering Department, Gadjah Mada University, Indonesia.

This 3 years program is fully funded, and the lumpsum are covered.

Optimizing Photovoltaic Waste Recycling Through Mechanical Crushing, Simulation, and AI-Driven Analysis

This Ph.D vacancy research focuses on developing advanced recycling technologies for end-of-life solar panels (photovoltaic modules/PVCs) through a mechanical crushing-based approach, combined with numerical simulation to understand material behavior, component separation patterns, and the efficiency of valuable material recovery. The study will analyze the physical and structural characteristics of crushed materials in detail to design a more effective, energy-efficient recycling process that supports the implementation of a circular economy within the renewable energy industry. In this project, artificial intelligence (AI) becomes an integral component, with the application of one method such as Machine Learning, CNN, ANN, or LSTM to process and interpret data obtained from experiments and simulations. The AI approach will be employed to develop predictive models, identify damage patterns, and optimize the recycling process based on actual material performance. The integration of crushing techniques, simulation, and AI is expected to deliver a more precise, rapid, and sustainable recycling strategy for PVCs, addressing the growing challenges of global solar panel waste.

Team Collaboration

Australia (Swinburne), India (IIT Hyderabad), Indonesia (Gadjah Mada University and BRIN, the country’s national research agency), and the USA (Sadoway Labs Foundation)

Program name

Zero-Carbon and Circular Solar PV Recycling (Si-Zero)

UGM Team

• Prof. Himawan Tri Bayu Murti Petrus
• Dr. Muhammad Akhsin Muflikhun

References

• https://www.swinburne.edu.au/news/2025/10/Finding-new-life-in-dead-solar-panels.html/
• https://www.pv-magazine-australia.com/2025/10/17/australia-leads-international-zero-carbon-silicon-recovery-research/
• https://wastemanagementreview.com.au/swinburne-university-leads-global-solar-panel-recycling-research-project/
• https://www.circularbusinessreview.com/global-initiative-aims-to-automate-solar-panel-recycling/

Send your application included your master degree certificate, CV, and the recommendation letter to my email: [e-mail].

Qualifications

Finished Master degree in Mechanical Engineering or other engineering field that related to the recycle Electronic Waste is preferebale.