Doctoral student in Battery Recycling Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden

Doctoral student in Battery Recycling at Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden.

This PhD position is part of the EU Horizon project ReBel, focused on sustainable battery materials processing and recycling. The project aims to develop feedstock-flexible, low-emission, near-zero-waste refining technologies for critical battery materials and to reduce Europe’s dependence on imported battery-grade raw materials. The doctoral research will concentrate on extracting and recovering critical raw materials from lithium-ion battery black mass using supercritical CO2 technologies.

The work is situated in the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, within a broad and international research environment spanning materials chemistry, renewable energy, chemical engineering processing, industrial materials recycling, nuclear chemistry, theory and modelling. The project combines experimental process development, advanced materials characterization, chemical process simulation, and sustainability-oriented resource recovery. The successful candidate will work with academic and industrial partners across Europe in a multidisciplinary consortium.

Research topics include recovery of strategic battery elements such as lithium, nickel, cobalt, manganese, phosphorus, and graphite. The position is well suited to applicants interested in circular battery value chains, critical raw materials, sustainable materials processing, and recycling technologies.

Applicants must hold a relevant Master’s degree in Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Chemistry, Metallurgical Engineering, or a related field. For those educated outside Sweden, a 4-year Bachelor’s degree is accepted. Strong English communication skills are required, as well as experience or familiarity with laboratory work and materials characterization. Helpful experience includes high-pressure systems, hydrometallurgy or extractive metallurgy, battery materials and recycling, supercritical fluid technologies, and techniques such as elemental analysis, XRD, and SEM.

The position is fully funded from the start and offered as a fixed-term appointment for four years, with teaching duties of up to 20% extending the position. The starting salary is 35,725 SEK per month (valid from May 1, 2026). Doctoral studies require physical presence throughout the study period.

Applications must be submitted in English via the online application form by 2026-10-18. Required documents include a CV, personal letter, a brief introduction and motivation, and bachelor’s and, if available, master’s thesis/research papers with transcripts. Incomplete applications and applications sent by email will not be considered.