Doctoral student in Chemistry

Örebro University and the School of Science and Technology are looking for a doctoral student (PhD student) for the doctoral programme in Chemistry, concluding with a doctoral degree.

Start date: Fall 2026.

Project description

The doctoral student will be part of the research project COAST PFAS – Coastal PFAS Transition Lab for Source Control, Substitution and Governance, a transdisciplinary initiative addressing the spread of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from urban and industrial sources to coastal environments. The project combines environmental analytical chemistry, wastewater and stormwater research, process understanding, and systems perspectives to support preventive and sustainable PFAS management.

The PhD project is connected to the work package PFAS flows from land to sea, which focuses on identifying, mapping, and quantifying PFAS sources and transport pathways in urban water systems and coastal environments. The research will include targeted and non-targeted PFAS analysis in wastewater, stormwater, industrial effluents, and receiving waters. The research will also include the development of sector-specific PFAS fingerprints and mass-balance approaches.

The doctoral student will work with advanced analytical methods including LC-MS/MS, combustion ion chromatography, extractable organofluorine (EOF), oxidation methods for PFAS precursors, and high-resolution mass spectrometry for suspect and non-target screening. The work also includes interpretation of large analytical datasets and integration of results into source-tracking and fate-assessment frameworks.

The project is conducted in close collaboration between IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute, Chalmers University of Technology, Örebro University, VA SYD, and Malmö City. The doctoral student will be part of an interdisciplinary and international research environment involving analytical chemistry, environmental engineering, and sustainability research. The position involves colla