International PhD Positionsin Clean Water Technologies

We seek highly motivated applicants to join our ambitious and multi-disciplinary and multi-institutional research programme. In collaboration with our Māori partners, we will engineer novel biomaterials for sustainable water treatment. We will take advantage of recent advances in 3-D printing (and other biofabrication methods) to create bespoke treatment media from biological wastes. We will then use these sustainable products to clean-up wastewater and stormwater in Aotearoa NZ.

Fields of research:
1- Environmental Engineering

2- Environmental Chemistry

3- Materials Science

The deterioration of freshwater quality is a critical global environmental challenge that is already driving a multi-billion dollar industry. While there are a plethora of wastewater treatment technologies available, the materials used by these technologies have significant shortcomings, such as being non-biodegradable. Recent advances in 3D printing can help overcome these limitations. Our research team will develop novel composite biomaterials for use as biodegradable adsorbents and/or bio-carriers during wastewater treatment. These novel materials will be designed to minimise environmental impacts through their entire life cycle, be easy to regenerate, and/or valorise to support a regenerative (circular) economy.

• Excellent academic record (Bachelor of Hons, 1st in Eng/Science for domestic students and a Masters for International students)
• Strong written skills
• Outstanding ability in either materials science, synthetic chemistry, lab-based microbiology, water quality engineering or Life Cycle Assessment Modelling applied to engineering.
• Skills in Additive Manufacturing such as 3D printing an advantage for the material science position.
• Candidates who can start within New Zealand by mid 2021.

$27,500 per year for three years. Funding also covers tuition fees, research project consumable costs and related research funding for conferences/workshops. You can also earn additional income for teaching assistance opportunities.