PhD position in Smart Manufacturing / Industry 4.0 for Power-to-X equipment production

INTRODUCTION:
The Department of Technology and Innovation, University of Southern Denmark in Odense (SDU), invites for applications to a three-year PhD position on the topic of Smart Manufacturing / Industry 4.0 for Power-to-X equipment (PtX) production. The starting time of the position is 1st January 2023 or as soon as possible thereafter, and the location is at SDU’s main campus in Odense.

WHAT WE OFFER:
There is a double urgency to transform Europe's energy system: ending the dependence on fossil fuels and tackling the climate crisis. Green PtX solutions are seen as a cornerstone of Europe’s green transition and as main building block for reaching carbon neutrality by 2050. The PhD candidate will work actively in the project “Green H2 and MeOH in DK - realizing cost leadership and scalability (GREMEOH)” funded by Innovation Fund Denmark’s InnoMission2 Partnership. The aim of the GREMEOH project is to bring Denmark and EU a step closer to leveling the cost of green hydrogen and methanol to fossil parity to serve a rapid increase in demand for these green fuels. The accelerate cost-efficient scaling of manufacturing and assembly of H2O-electrolysis and H2- and CO2-based methanol processing units is a key building block of the GREMEOH project.

The PhD project will focus on scaling up the smart manufacturing and assembly of green PtX production units, i.e., electrolysers for the green hydrogen production and H2- and CO2-based methanol processing units. For this purpose, the PhD project will address the following research activities:

1. Design and selection of Industry 4.0 production strategies based on exploration of existing practices at the industry partners sites.
2. Development and simulation of strategies for sourcing, conceptualizing (global) supply chain solutions, solutions for in‐ and outbound logistics, and for the layout and production and control of the manufacturing and assembly systems.
3. Development of a roadmap for automation, digitalization of information and manufacturing flow, considering the use of IoT, Robotics, Industrial Digital Twin standards and tools in collaboration with technology vendors and innovation partners.
4. Development of a plan for the stepwise implementation and integration of potentially relevant ICT‐solutions for automation and decision support.

The PhD candidate will...

• ...conduct research in the corresponding research area, covering the before-mentioned research activities (1 to 4).
• ...work closely with key stakeholders in the PtX sector.
• ...publish and present your work both at international conferences and in scientific journals with high impact.
• ...assist in teaching and supervision activities in the field of Smart Manufacturing / Industry 4.0.

This PhD position is fully funded.

WHAT WE EXPECT:
The successful candidate will conduct application-oriented research with a team of industry partners and equipment vendors in the PtX production sector. The desired candidate should hold a MSc degree in Operations Management, Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing, Systems Engineering, Engineering Management, or equivalent (equivalent to a Danish master's degree) and should demonstrate:

• Knowledge about production and operation management theory, methods, and tools such as Material Flow Simulation or the Industrial Digital Twin.
• Willingness to do applied science and support project team, industrial partners, and overall research project progress.
• Interest in longer term commitment to a growing research group.
• Passion to work with students and to contribute to teaching / supervision of (master) students.
• Comfortability with working both independently and within an international team.
• Very good written and oral communication skills.
• Fluency in English, both spoken and written.

Familiarity with or dedicated interest in exploring the domain of green PtX as well as experience with creating qualitative and/or quantitative models in business / industrial settings will be considered as an advantage.

WORKPLACE DESCRIPTION:
SDU offers an interdisciplinary research environment with other PhD students and where research programs are developed in close collaboration with industry. The department contributes to the sustainable development within the focus area of manufacturing, circular economy, and industrial and supply chain engineering management.

The Department of Technology and Innovation is located at SDU’s main campus in Odense. As the 3rd largest city in Denmark, Odense provides the perfect combination of a historic city center with an urban field yet a close proximity to beaches and recreational areas. Its location on the beautiful island of Funen is ideal with easy access by train or highway to the bigger cities of Aarhus and Copenhagen; direct trains can take you straight to Copenhagen airport in less than 2 hours. Since 1966 the city has been a university town, and strong collaborative ties are in place between the University of Southern Denmark and the many Danish and International corporations in the region. As the birthplace of Hans Christian Andersen, Denmark’s famous fairytale author, the city is home to a vibrant and creative population that hosts numerous festivals and markets throughout the year.

FURTHER INFORMATION:
Further information is available from Assistant Professor Tim van Erp, phone: +45 93 50 70 81, email: [email protected] or Head of Section Niels Gorm Maly Rytter, phone: +45 29 10 37 29 email: [email protected].

If you experience technical problems you must contact [email protected].

Conditions of employment:
Applicants are required to have a master’s degree (equivalent to a Danish master's degree) at the time of enrollment and employment. Employment as a PhD fellow is a 3-year salaried position (start salary amounts to approx. 3.378,- EURO per month incl. supplements).

Employment of a PhD fellow can only happen after the Head of the PhD School has approved the candidate for admission to the PhD school. Employment and enrollment will cease without further notice at the end of the period.

A PhD fellow is not allowed to have any kind of sideline employment, while enrolled as PhD fellow at the faculty.

Employment is governed by the Protocol on PhD Research Fellows signed by the Danish Ministry of Finance and the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations. Please check links for more information on salary and taxation.

The successful candidate will be enrolled at SDU in accordance with Faculty regulations and the Danish Ministerial Order on the PhD Programme at the Universities (PhD order), read more here.

The assessment process
Read about the Assessment and selection process. Shortlisting may be used.

Application procedure
The Faculty expects applicants to read the Faculty information for prospective PhD students and the SDU information on How to apply before applying.

The application deadline is 2nd October 2022.

The application must be in English and must include the following - the required forms must be found at the Faculty website:

• Completed TEK PhD application form for 5+3 applicants. Find the form at the Faculty website.
• Motivation letter stating your specific interest, motivation and qualifications for the project in question (max. 2 pages). Upload in the field called “Project description”.
• Detailed Curriculum Vitae.
• Verified copies of the official bachelor diploma and master's diploma and transcripts of exams, both the original documents and in professional English translation.
• Completed TEK PhD form for calculation grade point average. Find the form at the Faculty website. Upload in one of the fields called “Publication”.
• An official document describing the grading scheme of the awarding universities (if not Danish). Upload in one of the fields called “Publication”.
• An official and verified written assessment of the thesis or dissertation project from the grade giving institution, if the thesis/examination project is evaluated by approved/passed. The statement must clearly state that the candidate has been among the top 30 pct. in the graduation class for the study programme.

The University wishes our staff to reflect the diversity of society and thus welcomes applications from all qualified candidates regardless of personal background.