Adriaan Mels

This interdisciplinary PhD position is part of the FLASH project (Facilitating Livelihood through Advancing Smart Habitats in Peri-Urban Bangladesh), which aims to create sustainable, climate-resilient livelihood options for peri-urban populations in Bangladesh. The project addresses complex challenges shaped by environmental change, socio-economic factors, and informal societal processes, using a Living Lab approach for co-creation and collective management. The research is divided into six interlinked work packages, with this PhD vacancy linked to WP4, focusing on water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services and public health. The successful candidate will investigate the connections between WASH infrastructure, public health, and the resilience of peri-urban communities in Khulna and Barisal, Bangladesh, especially in the context of hydro-climatic hazards and man-made stressors. The research will contribute to understanding how the availability and accessibility of WASH infrastructure affect the quality of life among low-income peri-urban communities, and will help select appropriate water and sanitation solutions that improve livelihoods and facilitate resource recovery and safe reuse. The project involves mixed-methods fieldwork, including quantitative and qualitative data collection related to health and WASH services, followed by econometric and spatial analysis, and active engagement with local communities and decision-makers. The PhD will be awarded by Wageningen University, and the candidate will join the Urban Systems Engineering (USE) research group in the ETE department. Supervision will be provided by Prof. Dr. Adriaan Mels (Promotor), Dr. Kamonashish Haldar (Co-promotor & Daily Supervisor), and Dr. Farzana Misha (local supervisor, BRAC University). The project is funded by NWO and involves collaboration with BUET, Utrecht University, and other public-private partners. Applicants should have a background in environmental engineering, a focus on WASH, and fluency in Bengali. Experience with mixed-methods research and community engagement is desirable.

This fully funded PhD position at Wageningen University & Research focuses on the sorption and biodegradation of surface-active chemicals (SACs) in anaerobic granule-based bioreactors, specifically within the recycled cardboard industry. The project aims to understand how commonly used SACs behave at the solid-liquid interface of microbial biofilms, such as anaerobic granular sludge, and to identify which chemicals contribute to process instabilities. By combining expertise in surface rheology, material science, food physics, and environmental process engineering, the research will systematically screen SACs through batch sorption-biodegradation experiments and continuous expanded granular sludge bed (EGSB) investigations. The goal is to assess the accumulation potential and impact of these chemicals on process performance under continuous flow conditions. Key activities include investigating sorption kinetics and isotherms of SACs in solution and when attached to colloids, studying biodegradation kinetics, analyzing sorption and biodegradation in EGSB reactors, and performing particle image velocimetry in shear-controlled experiments. The project will also develop guidelines for controlling negative effects of SACs in anaerobic wastewater treatment. The research is embedded within the chair of Environmental Technology and the group of reusable water, led by Prof. Adriaan Mels, with co-supervision from Dr. Dainis Sudmalis and collaboration with Dr. Mehdi Habibi and Dr. Leonard Sagis. The project is funded by an NWO Open Technology Programme grant and involves close collaboration with industry partners such as Kemira, Paques B.V., DS Smith Kemsley, and Smurfit Westrock Roermond. Candidates should have an MSc in a relevant field, strong background in rheology, fluid dynamics, or bioprocess engineering, and be fluent in English at C1 level. Experience with programming (Python), sorption behavior of surfactants/polymers, and anaerobic bioreactors is a plus. The position offers excellent employment terms, including a competitive salary, pension scheme, year-end bonus, and tailored training opportunities. Wageningen University & Research provides a supportive international environment, assistance with immigration procedures, and a focus on diversity and inclusion. Applications are open until November 25, 2025, with interviews scheduled for December 2, 2025. Applicants must submit a CV, motivation letter, and complete a mandatory qualification form via the university's vacancy page.

This interdisciplinary PhD position is part of the FLASH project (Facilitating Livelihood through Advancing Smart Habitats in Peri-Urban Bangladesh), which aims to develop climate-resilient livelihood options for peri-urban populations in Bangladesh. The project addresses complex challenges at the intersection of environmental change, socio-economic factors, and informal societal processes. FLASH employs a Living Lab approach, fostering co-creation and collective management to answer the central question: how can sustainable, climate-resilient livelihoods be created for peri-urban populations in Bangladesh? The project is structured into six interlinked work packages, with this PhD vacancy linked to WP4, focusing on water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services and public health. The successful candidate will investigate the relationship between WASH infrastructure, public health, and the resilience of peri-urban communities in Khulna and Barisal, Bangladesh, particularly in the context of hydro-climatic hazards and man-made stressors. The research will use mixed-methods fieldwork (quantitative and qualitative), econometric and spatial analysis, and community engagement to understand how WASH infrastructure availability and accessibility impact the quality of life among low-income peri-urban communities. The project also aims to identify water and sanitation solutions that improve livelihoods and enable resource recovery and safe reuse. The PhD will be awarded by Wageningen University and Research (WUR), and the candidate will join the Urban Systems Engineering (USE) research group in the Environmental Technology (ETE) department. Supervision will be provided by Prof. Dr. Adriaan Mels (Promotor), Dr. Kamonashish Haldar (Co-promotor & Daily Supervisor), and Dr. Farzana Misha (local supervisor, BRAC JPGSPH, BRAC University). The position is a Sandwich PhD: the candidate will spend 15 months in Wageningen (over three stays) and the remainder in Bangladesh at partner institutes (BUET/BRAC University) over a total of 48 months. Funding includes a gross salary in the Netherlands and a fellowship during the Bangladesh stay. The project offers a vibrant, international research environment, opportunities for professional growth, and support for international staff. Applicants must have a relevant Master’s degree, fluency in Bengali, experience with both qualitative and quantitative research methods, proficiency in spatial analysis tools or willingness to learn, and excellent English (C1 level). Applications are open until 25 November 2025.

Wageningen University & Research’s Department of Environmental Technology is recruiting 4 PhD candidates for the BlueVantage research programme. The projects sit at the intersection of environmental science , water reuse , wastewater treatment , microbiology , chemical engineering , biofiltration , ion exchange , anaerobic treatment , micropollutants , PFAS , and agricultural water reuse . BlueVantage is a large consortium with scientific and societal partners focused on finding safe and sustainable ways to reuse water, recover resources, and improve circular water systems. The four PhD topics are: anaerobic treatment of municipal wastewater; ion exchange for ammonium removal; biofiltration for removal of micropollutants from concentrated streams; and evaluating water reuse in agriculture under future effluent requirements. Across the projects, students will work on laboratory experiments, modelling, data analysis, and collaboration with consortium partners. Depending on the project, the research may involve microbial consortia, reactor design, separation processes, LC-MS/MS and HRMS analysis, plant-pot experiments, risk assessment, and predictive modelling in Python, Julia, or Matlab. Supervision is provided by researchers including Prof. Adriaan Mels, Dr. Dainis Sudmalis, Dr. Miriam van Eekert, Dr. Paula van den Brink, Dr. Jouke Dykstra, Dr. Thomas Wagner, Dr. Nora Sutton, Dr. Milou van de Schans, and Dr. Stefan van Leeuwen. The work is embedded in the Department of Environmental Technology and, for one project, Wageningen Food Safety Research. The positions are fully funded PhD jobs with a salary starting at €3,059 per month and rising to €3,881 per month in year four, based on a 38-hour work week. The contract is temporary for 18 months and can be extended for the project duration if performance is good. WUR also highlights a course programme tailored to the candidate and research team. Eligibility highlights include an MSc degree in a relevant field, strong English at C1 level , and availability to start on 1 September 2026 . Some projects prefer microbiology, physical chemistry, process modelling, laboratory experience in complex matrices, or experience with micropollutant/PFAS analysis and plant systems. Collaboration, communication, and interest in both fundamental and application-inspired research are important. The application deadline is 25 May 2026 . Applicants must apply through the WUR vacancy page, submit a CV and motivation letter (maximum 3 pages total), and complete the mandatory online form linked in the vacancy. Only applications submitted through the website will be considered.