PhD research project: Ultra weak photon emission of water; Assessing ultra-weak photon emission as a marker of treatment-induced changes in water Wetsus in Netherlands

Wetsus, the European centre of excellence for sustainable water technology, is offering a PhD research project on ultra-weak photon emission of water and its potential as a marker of treatment-induced changes in water.

This project explores the origins of ultra-weak photon emission (UPE) in water and examines whether these signals are related to physical, chemical, or microbiological parameters. The research also investigates whether UPE can be used as a detection tool for non-chemical water treatment methods. The work combines photonics, water technology, and microbiological analysis in a carefully controlled experimental framework.

Measurements in the project will include ultra-sensitive photon counting, delayed luminescence, dynamic light scattering, zeta potential, flow cytometry, and microbiological profiling. The experimental challenge is significant: photon signals are extremely weak and may be affected by detector background, impurities, dissolved gases, microbial activity, bubbles, or container effects. The project therefore emphasizes strict dark conditions, matched controls, orthogonal analytical methods, and reproducible workflows.

The successful candidate will help develop and apply a multidisciplinary experimental workflow to investigate UPE from water. Duties include optical measurements using photon-counting systems, assistance with delayed luminescence experiments, analysis of treatment-induced changes, and physicochemical measurements such as pH, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, dynamic light scattering, and zeta potential. In collaboration with project partners, the candidate will also support microbiological analyses, including flow cytometry and advanced microbial profiling.

The project is highly interdisciplinary and is well suited to candidates with a background or strong interest in physics, chemistry, photonics, water technology, biotechnology, or microbiology. The post is research-intensive, laboratory-based, and data-driven, with a strong emphasis on independent work and international collaboration.

Supervisor information listed in the announcement includes Prof. dr. Aard Nederveen (promotor), Prof. Dr. Astrid Paulitsch-Fuchs (co-promotor), Prof. Dr. from the Institute of Photonics and Electronics of the Czech Academy of Sciences (co-promotor), and Wetsus supervisors Elmar C. Fuchs and Xiaoxia Liu. The position is based at Wetsus in Leeuwarden, Friesland, the Netherlands.

Applicants must hold a Master degree or equivalent and have excellent English. Applications must be complete, in English, and submitted via the application webpage before the deadline. The deadline is 16 October 2026 at 15:00 Europe/Amsterdam, and the expected starting date is 1 March 2027.