🔬 About Phosphorus Recovery from Wastewater:
Phosphorus is a vital nutrient essential for all life forms and critical for global agriculture as a key component of fertilizers. However, phosphorus is a finite natural resource primarily obtained through mining, and its reserves are depleting rapidly. At the same time, wastewater from municipal and industrial sources contains significant amounts of phosphorus that often ends up polluting water bodies, causing harmful algal blooms and ecosystem damage. Phosphorus recovery from wastewater represents an innovative solution that addresses both environmental protection and resource sustainability. This emerging field combines chemistry, process engineering, and environmental technology to develop advanced methods like struvite crystallization, adsorption processes, and enhanced biological phosphorus removal. By recovering phosphorus from wastewater, we can create a circular economy approach that transforms waste into valuable resources, producing sustainable fertilizers while protecting our water ecosystems. This field is at the forefront of environmental engineering innovation, tackling one of the most pressing challenges in sustainable resource management.
📌 Position Overview:
The PhD Graduate School WERA at RPTU University Kaiserslautern-Landau, Germany, is offering exciting opportunities for researchers passionate about sustainable environmental technology and resource recovery. This program focuses on developing innovative approaches to recover phosphorus from wastewater through interdisciplinary research combining chemistry, process engineering, and wastewater engineering.
✅ Key Highlights:
✅ 6 PhD Positions Available (TV-L E13 salary scale, 4 years duration)
✅ 1 Postdoc Position Available (TV-L E13 salary scale, 3 years duration)
✅ Start Date: July 1, 2026 or earlier
✅ Location: RPTU Kaiserslautern-Landau, Germany
✅ Funding: Supported by German Research Foundation (DFG)
✅ Application Deadline: January 31, 2026
📚 Research Topics:
🔬 Chemistry:
- Development of flow process for P removal using polymeric adsorbers (Supervisor: Prof. Stefan Kubik)
⚙️ Process Engineering:
- Thermodynamic modeling of phosphorus recovery (Supervisor: Prof. Fabian Jirasek)
- Investigation of precipitation and crystallization processes (Supervisor: Prof. Sergiy Antonyuk)
- Experimental investigation and modeling of adsorption/desorption processes (Supervisor: Prof. Erik von Harbou)
💧 Wastewater Engineering:
- Adsorption and ion-exchange for combined phosphorus elimination and recovery (Supervisor: Prof. Heidrun Steinmetz)
- Iron removal and recovery from sewage sludge using zeolites (Supervisor: Jun.-Prof. Carlo Morandi)
🎯 Requirements:
✅ Master’s degree (or equivalent) in engineering, chemistry, or physics
✅ Strong interest in sustainable resource recovery and environmental technology
✅ Motivation to work in interdisciplinary research teams
📝 Required Application Documents:
✅ Letter of motivation (prioritizing one of the PhD topics of WERA)
✅ Curriculum Vitae
✅ Copy of degree certificate (Bachelor, Master or equivalent) with full academic transcripts
🎓 What WERA Offers:
✅ Comprehensive 4-year PhD program with close supervision
✅ International summer schools and keynote lectures
✅ Topic-specific courses and interdisciplinary workshops
✅ Opportunities to visit international research institutes
✅ Highly qualified expertise in resource recovery and environmental technology
✅ Work on cutting-edge wastewater recycling pilot plant
📍 Step-by-Step Application Guide:
Step 1: Review the available PhD topics and choose the one that best matches your interests and background. Visit the WERA team page at rptu.de/wera/team to learn more about each research project and supervisor.
Step 2: Prepare your letter of motivation that clearly prioritizes one of the six PhD topics. Explain why this specific research area interests you and how your background makes you a suitable candidate.
Step 3: Update your Curriculum Vitae to highlight relevant academic achievements, research experience, and skills related to the chosen PhD topic.
Step 4: Gather copies of your degree certificates (Bachelor and Master or equivalent) along with complete academic transcripts showing all courses and grades.
Step 5: Send your complete application package directly to the supervisor of your chosen PhD topic. Contact information for all supervisors can be found at rptu.de/wera/team
Step 6: For general questions about the PhD Graduate School, contact the spokesperson Prof. Sergiy Antonyuk at sergiy.antonyuk(at)mv.rptu.de
Step 7: Submit your application before the deadline of January 31, 2026.
🔗 Application Link:
https://rptu.de/wera
📧 Contact for General Questions:
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Sergiy Antonyuk
Email: sergiy.antonyuk@mv.rptu.de
🏢 Institution:
Rheinland-Pfälzische Technische Universität Kaiserslautern-Landau (RPTU)
Gottlieb-Daimler-Straße
67663 Kaiserslautern, Germany
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