PhD fellowship in Wood Science
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PhD fellowship in Wood Science
PhD Project in hyperlignification of wood
Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management
Faculty of Science
University of Copenhagen
The Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management invites applicants for a PhD fellowship in the hyperlignification of wood. The project is part of a larger research project on using lignin fluids to hyperlignify wood through impregnation, which is financed by the Evergreen Prize for Innovation, granted by HS Timber Group GmbH.
Expected start date is April 1st, 2026 or as soon as possible thereafter.
The project
Lignin is the second most abundant biopolymer on Earth, produced in vast amounts as a by-product of pulping and biorefining. Despite its abundance and aromatic functionality, lignin remains underutilized and is mostly incinerated. A key barrier has been its limited solubility in industrially relevant solvent systems, which restricts processability and performance in material applications.
Attempts to impregnate wood with lignin for improving durability date back decades, but poor solubility and uncontrolled deposition hampered progress. This was recently overcome with alcohol–water mixtures that enable full solubilization of lignin with concentrations >30%.
Building on this breakthrough, researchers from the Bioresource Chemistry and Technology group at the University of Copenhagen developed ‘hyperlignification’, where impregnation of wood with lignin solutions yield record-breaking retentions, even after leaching in water. Hyperlignified wood exhibits remarkable resistance to moisture uptake and fungal decay, while avoiding toxic biocides. The industrial relevance of hyperlignification has already been internationally recognized as the most innovative breakthrough in European wood research. Innovation projects and major industrial interest are already emerging. Still, the fundamental mechanisms are unresolved, including: why lignin solubilizes better at high lignin concentration, how lignin interacts with wood microstructures, and which processes govern decay resistance.
This PhD project will investigate the fundamentals of the novel lignin fluids and how interactions in the wood-solvent-lignin system affect fluid dynamics and transport mechanisms. This is crucial for advancing both scientific understanding and technological development of hyperlignification.
Who are we looking for?
We are looking for candidates within the field(s) of materials science, biotechnology, plant sciences, organic chemistry, and chemical engineering. Previous experience with lignin, lignin solutions, and wood materials science is seen as an advantage. Applicants should have laboratory experience, data handling skills, a collaborative approach, and be scientifically curious.
Our group and research - and what do we offer?
Our research group, Bioresource Chemistry and Technology, contributes to both fundamental and applied aspects of the sustainable utilization of biomass for materials, chemicals, and bioenergy by the creation of knowledge and development of technologies within this subject area. This includes a fundamental understanding of the chemistry and physical properties of the cell walls in plants, and how this intricate biocomposite interacts with external factors (e.g. biological agents, chemicals, catalysts, and water) during processing or use. It also includes studies of molecular level interactions, between plant cell wall polymers and fungi, enzymes, water, and chemical reagents, as well as attention to sustainability aspects, as technologies are transferred from laboratory scale to industrial scale biomass utilization.
The group is imbedded in the section for Forest and Bioresources, and in the Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen. We are located in Copenhagen. We offer creative and stimulating working conditions in dynamic and international research environment.
Principal supervisor is Associate Professor Sune T. Thomsen, Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management, stt@ign.ku.dk, Direct phone: +45 35 33 62 62
The PhD programme
Depending of your level of education, you can undertake the PhD programme as a three year full-time study within the framework of the regular PhD programme if you already have an education equivalent to a relevant Danish master’s degree.
Qualifications needed
To be eligible for the PhD programme, you must have completed a degree programme, equivalent to a Danish master’s degree (180 ECTS/3 FTE BSc + 120 ECTS/2 FTE MSc) related to the subject area of the project, e.g. materials science, biotechnology, chemical engineering. For information of eligibility of completed programmes, see General assessments for specific countries and Assessment database.
Terms of employment
Employment as PhD fellow is full time and for maximum 3 years.
Employment is conditional upon your successful enrolment as a PhD student at the PhD School at the Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen. This requires submission and acceptance of an application for the specific project formulated by the applicant.
Terms of appointment and payment accord to the agreement between the Danish Ministry of Taxation and The Danish Confederation of Professional Associations on Academics in the State. The position is covered by the Protocol on Job Structure.
Responsibilities and tasks
Your application including all attachments must be in English and submitted electronically by clicking APPLY NOW below.
Please include:
The deadline for applications is December 15, 2025, 23:59 CET.
We reserve the right not to consider material received after the deadline, and not to consider applications that do not live up to the abovementioned requirements.
The further process
After deadline, a number of applicants will be selected for academic assessment by an unbiased expert assessor. You are notified, whether you will be passed for assessment.
The assessor will assess the qualifications and experience of the shortlisted applicants with respect to the above mentioned research area, techniques, skills and other requirements. The assessor will conclude whether each applicant is qualified and, if so, for which of the two models. The assessed applicants will have the opportunity to comment on their assessment. You can read about the recruitment process at http://employment.ku.dk/faculty/recruitment-process/.
Interviews with selected candidates are expected to be held in Medio March.
Questions
For specific information about the PhD fellowship, please contact the principal supervisor.
General information about PhD study at the Faculty of SCIENCE is available at the PhD School’s website: https://www.science.ku.dk/phd/.
The University of Copenhagen wishes to reflect the surrounding community and invites all regardless of personal background to apply for the position.
Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management
Faculty of Science
University of Copenhagen
The Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management invites applicants for a PhD fellowship in the hyperlignification of wood. The project is part of a larger research project on using lignin fluids to hyperlignify wood through impregnation, which is financed by the Evergreen Prize for Innovation, granted by HS Timber Group GmbH.
Expected start date is April 1st, 2026 or as soon as possible thereafter.
The project
Lignin is the second most abundant biopolymer on Earth, produced in vast amounts as a by-product of pulping and biorefining. Despite its abundance and aromatic functionality, lignin remains underutilized and is mostly incinerated. A key barrier has been its limited solubility in industrially relevant solvent systems, which restricts processability and performance in material applications.
Attempts to impregnate wood with lignin for improving durability date back decades, but poor solubility and uncontrolled deposition hampered progress. This was recently overcome with alcohol–water mixtures that enable full solubilization of lignin with concentrations >30%.
Building on this breakthrough, researchers from the Bioresource Chemistry and Technology group at the University of Copenhagen developed ‘hyperlignification’, where impregnation of wood with lignin solutions yield record-breaking retentions, even after leaching in water. Hyperlignified wood exhibits remarkable resistance to moisture uptake and fungal decay, while avoiding toxic biocides. The industrial relevance of hyperlignification has already been internationally recognized as the most innovative breakthrough in European wood research. Innovation projects and major industrial interest are already emerging. Still, the fundamental mechanisms are unresolved, including: why lignin solubilizes better at high lignin concentration, how lignin interacts with wood microstructures, and which processes govern decay resistance.
This PhD project will investigate the fundamentals of the novel lignin fluids and how interactions in the wood-solvent-lignin system affect fluid dynamics and transport mechanisms. This is crucial for advancing both scientific understanding and technological development of hyperlignification.
Who are we looking for?
We are looking for candidates within the field(s) of materials science, biotechnology, plant sciences, organic chemistry, and chemical engineering. Previous experience with lignin, lignin solutions, and wood materials science is seen as an advantage. Applicants should have laboratory experience, data handling skills, a collaborative approach, and be scientifically curious.
Our group and research - and what do we offer?
Our research group, Bioresource Chemistry and Technology, contributes to both fundamental and applied aspects of the sustainable utilization of biomass for materials, chemicals, and bioenergy by the creation of knowledge and development of technologies within this subject area. This includes a fundamental understanding of the chemistry and physical properties of the cell walls in plants, and how this intricate biocomposite interacts with external factors (e.g. biological agents, chemicals, catalysts, and water) during processing or use. It also includes studies of molecular level interactions, between plant cell wall polymers and fungi, enzymes, water, and chemical reagents, as well as attention to sustainability aspects, as technologies are transferred from laboratory scale to industrial scale biomass utilization.
The group is imbedded in the section for Forest and Bioresources, and in the Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen. We are located in Copenhagen. We offer creative and stimulating working conditions in dynamic and international research environment.
Principal supervisor is Associate Professor Sune T. Thomsen, Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management, stt@ign.ku.dk, Direct phone: +45 35 33 62 62
The PhD programme
Depending of your level of education, you can undertake the PhD programme as a three year full-time study within the framework of the regular PhD programme if you already have an education equivalent to a relevant Danish master’s degree.
Qualifications needed
To be eligible for the PhD programme, you must have completed a degree programme, equivalent to a Danish master’s degree (180 ECTS/3 FTE BSc + 120 ECTS/2 FTE MSc) related to the subject area of the project, e.g. materials science, biotechnology, chemical engineering. For information of eligibility of completed programmes, see General assessments for specific countries and Assessment database.
Terms of employment
Employment as PhD fellow is full time and for maximum 3 years.
Employment is conditional upon your successful enrolment as a PhD student at the PhD School at the Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen. This requires submission and acceptance of an application for the specific project formulated by the applicant.
Terms of appointment and payment accord to the agreement between the Danish Ministry of Taxation and The Danish Confederation of Professional Associations on Academics in the State. The position is covered by the Protocol on Job Structure.
Responsibilities and tasks
- Carry through an independent research project under supervision
- Complete PhD courses corresponding to approx. 30 ECTS / ½ FTE
- Participate in active research environments, including a stay at another research institution, preferably abroad
- Teaching and knowledge dissemination activities
- Write scientific papers aimed at high-impact journals
- Write and defend a PhD thesis on the basis of your project
- Professional qualifications relevant to the PhD project
- Relevant publications
- Relevant work experience
- Other relevant professional activities
- Curious mind-set with a strong interest in wood materials science
- Good language skills
Your application including all attachments must be in English and submitted electronically by clicking APPLY NOW below.
Please include:
- Motivated letter of application (max. one page)
- Your motivation for applying for the specific PhD project
- Curriculum vitae including information about your education, experience, language skills and other skills relevant for the position
- Original diplomas for Bachelor or Master and transcript of records in the original language, including an authorized English translation if issued in another language than English or Danish. If not completed, a certified/signed copy of a recent transcript of records or a written statement from the institution or supervisor is accepted.
- Publication list (if possible)
- Reference letters (if available)
The deadline for applications is December 15, 2025, 23:59 CET.
We reserve the right not to consider material received after the deadline, and not to consider applications that do not live up to the abovementioned requirements.
The further process
After deadline, a number of applicants will be selected for academic assessment by an unbiased expert assessor. You are notified, whether you will be passed for assessment.
The assessor will assess the qualifications and experience of the shortlisted applicants with respect to the above mentioned research area, techniques, skills and other requirements. The assessor will conclude whether each applicant is qualified and, if so, for which of the two models. The assessed applicants will have the opportunity to comment on their assessment. You can read about the recruitment process at http://employment.ku.dk/faculty/recruitment-process/.
Interviews with selected candidates are expected to be held in Medio March.
Questions
For specific information about the PhD fellowship, please contact the principal supervisor.
General information about PhD study at the Faculty of SCIENCE is available at the PhD School’s website: https://www.science.ku.dk/phd/.
The University of Copenhagen wishes to reflect the surrounding community and invites all regardless of personal background to apply for the position.