6 PhD positions (TV-L E13, 4 years) for the PhD Graduate School WERA on the topic “Phosphorus Recovery from Wastewater“
Would you like to learn the basics of efficient recycling methods as part of a PhD study, with a focus on the sustainable use of natural resources? If so, the PhD Graduate School WERA ‘Wertstoff Abwasser’ (Valuable Wastewater) could be the right place for you. RPTU University Kaiserslautern-Landau is looking for 6 motivated PhD students to start on 01.07.2026 (or earlier).
In WERA, 13 cooperative research projects focusing on the recovery of the vital raw material phosphorus (P) from wastewater are being carried out, combining novel natural scientific and engineering approaches with technical implementation. In WERA, various processes, such as the synthesis of tailor-made adsorbers and innovative separation units for phosphorus recovery will be developed, combined in process chains and validated on a wastewater recycling pilot plant. Suitable methods for process analysis and characterization will be extended and the chemical-physical relationships will be studied using molecular and thermodynamic simulations. The research findings of WERA can be transferred to many other fields of the circular economy.
PhD study in WERA takes 4 years in a close cooperation between PhD students and interdisciplinary professors team. WERA’s study concept includes summer schools, keynote lectures given by internationally renowned scientists, topic-specific courses and interdisciplinary workshops as well as offers for visit of international research institutes. Due to a comprehensive scientific education of WERA you will obtain a highly qualified expertise in the promising fields of resource recovery and environmental technology.
The following PhD topics are available, which are explained in more detail by clicking on the topics (on rptu.de/wera):
In Chemistry:
A3: Development of a flow process for P removal from wastewater using polymeric adsorbers
Supervisor: Prof. Stefan Kubik
In Process Engineering:
B1: Thermodynamic modeling of the recovery of phosphorus from wastewater
Supervisor: Prof. Fabian Jirasek
B4: Investigation of precipitation and crystallization processes in phosphorus recovery using experimental and numerical methods
Supervisor: Prof. Sergiy Antonyuk
C2: Experimental investigation and modeling of an adsorption/desorption process for the separation of P from wastewater
Supervisor: Prof. Erik von Harbou
In Wastewater Engineering:
D1: Adsorption and ion-exchange for combined phosphorus elimination and recovery
Supervisor: Prof. Heidrun Steinmetz
D3: Iron removal and recovery from sewage sludge using zeolites and integrated resource recovery
Supervisor: Jun.-Prof. Carlo Morandi
Application:
Please send by 31.01.2026 complete application documents:
- Letter of motivation that prioritizes one of the PhD topics of WERA
- Curriculum Vitae
- Copy of your degree certificate (Bachelor, Master or equivalent) with full academic transcripts
directly to the supervisors of PhD topics (contact see rptu.de/wera/team). You can contact the spokesperson Prof. Sergiy Antonyuk (sergiy.antonyuk[at]mv.rptu.de) for general questions about PhD Graduate School.
Prerequisite for the PhD position is an Master’s degree (or equivalent) in engineering, chemistry or physics.
Postdoc position (TV-L E13, 3 years) „Advanced Particle Technology for Wastewater Phosphorus Recovery“
Are you interested in the sustainable use of natural resources and would you like to research and develop new, efficient recycling methods as part of your scientific career? Then the Research Training Group WERA „Valuable Wastewater“ at the RPTU University Kaiserslautern-Landau is a good place for you. The Institute of Particle Process Engineering of RPTU involved in WERA is looking for a postdoctoral researcher.
The WERA Research Training Group develops innovative processes for phosphorus recovery from wastewater (website: rptu.de/wera). These include adsorption with newly synthesized adsorbents followed by desorption, as well as crystallization and precipitation of Magnesium Ammonium Phosphate (MAP). These processes are tested and optimized on a pilot-scale wastewater treatment plant using real wastewater.
Your Tasks:
As a postdoctoral researcher at WERA, you will address two central scientific challenges:
1. Research Focus
- Scale-up of processes: Transfer particle formulation and crystallization from lab to pilot scale. Large adsorbents with defined microstructures will be produced via agglomeration, and a pilot-scale crystallization/precipitation reactor will be developed and studied experimentally and numerically.
- Particle stability analysis: Investigate mechanical stability of crystals and adsorbents under process conditions. Mechanical stress often causes abrasion and breakage, limiting particle lifetime. You will combine experiments and simulations (CFD-DEM, population balance modeling) to study breakage behavior, supported by mechanical testing and in-situ micro-computed tomography (µCT) of particles. These insights will guide optimization of agglomeration and crystallization processes to extend particle durability.
2. Scientific Coordination
As a link between the WERA research areas, you will coordinate operations at the wastewater treatment and recycling plant, aligning colleagues with diverse experimental needs and enabling joint research. This role provides insight into the scientific details of individual projects, while allowing you to contribute your expertise and broaden your scientific and engineering knowledge.
Benefits:
As a postdoctoral researcher at WERA, you will benefit from:
- Interdisciplinary collaboration with PhD students and professors across multiple disciplines.
- Structured training through summer schools, keynote lectures by leading international scientists, and specialized courses.
- International visibility of your research via conferences, research stays abroad, trade fairs, and publications.
- Career development in mechanical process engineering, resource recovery, and environmental technology.
Application:
Please send your complete application documents by 31.01.2026:
- Letter of motivation
- Curriculum vitae
- Copies of certificates: Doctoral certificate, Master’s degree or equivalent with complete lists of grades
to the spokesperson of the Research Training Group Prof. Sergiy Antonyuk ( sergiy.antonyuk@mv.rptu.de ).
Prerequisites:
Applicants must hold a doctoral degree in process engineering or a closely related discipline. Experience in mechanical process engineering, wastewater treatment, particle measurement techniques, and DEM-CFD simulation is advantageous but not mandatory.
About RPTU University Kaiserslautern-Landau:
The RPTU University Kaiserslautern-Landau is the technical university of the federal state of Rhineland-Palatinate with over 20,000 students, more than 300 professors and around 160 degree programmes. As a place of top-level international research, it offers excellent working conditions and career opportunities. Those who study, research or work at RPTU experience a welcoming and globally-oriented environment and shape the future.
The PhD Graduate School GRK 2908 is supported financially by the German Research Foundation (DFG) with funds from the German states and the federal government of Germany.
