PhD Position: Riverine Carbon Dynamics and Fluxes in the Congo Basin KU Leuven in Belgium

The Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at KU Leuven offers a PhD position focused on riverine carbon dynamics and fluxes in the Congo Basin. The department is renowned for its research on geo- and ecosystems, human-environment interactions, and sustainable management of natural resources. With a team of 38 full-time professors and over 240 researchers, the department provides high-quality education and research opportunities in bioengineering, geography, geology, and tourism.

This PhD project is based within the Division of Soil and Water Management, which investigates physical, chemical, and biological processes in the environment. Research topics include element cycling, water and solute transport, risk analysis, speciation of metals and phosphorus, and greenhouse gas fluxes across terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. The group also studies soil fertility, land surface processes, remote sensing, environmental microbiology, and the adaptation of microbial communities to anthropogenic changes.

The Congo River, draining the world’s second largest river basin, plays a significant role in the global carbon cycle. Despite recent advances, many aspects of organic matter transport and processing, as well as the Cuvette Centrale's contribution to the carbon and greenhouse gas budget, remain unresolved. This PhD project aims to combine long-term monitoring data with new field sampling campaigns to improve quantitative understanding of carbon fluxes in the Congo Basin.

The successful candidate will manage ongoing sample collection near Kisangani in collaboration with Université de Kisangani, interpret data, publish scientific results, and initiate new sampling campaigns to address knowledge gaps. Responsibilities include organizing logistics for river sampling, establishing collaborations, conducting field measurements of river discharge and greenhouse gas concentrations, collecting biogeochemical samples, preserving samples for analysis in Belgium, and performing laboratory analyses (including stable isotope and nutrient analysis). The candidate will disseminate results at scientific conferences and in peer-reviewed journals, contribute to educational tasks, and assist in coaching MSc thesis students.

Applicants must hold a MSc degree (with distinction) in a relevant scientific field (Bioscience, Water Resources Engineering, Earth or Environmental Sciences, Hydrology) by the time of appointment. Excellent English proficiency is required; French language skills are a strong asset for fieldwork. Candidates should be willing to work intensively in the Congo basin region with local scientists and possess strong interpersonal and problem-solving skills. Field sampling and analytical laboratory experience are highly valued.

KU Leuven offers a competitive full-time PhD scholarship for 1 year, renewable for up to 3 additional years, in accordance with the university's doctoral salary scale. Additional benefits include health insurance, reduced public transport rates, free bicycle use, access to university sports facilities, and childcare opportunities. The work environment is dynamic and multicultural, with opportunities for academic, skills, and career training. The starting date is possible from August 2026.

KU Leuven is committed to diversity, inclusion, and equal opportunity. For more information, contact Prof. dr. ir. Steven Bouillon at [email protected]. To apply, submit a detailed CV and motivation letter via the KU Leuven application portal before the deadline of April 3, 2026.