Postdoctoral researcher, advanced life cycle assessment (LCA) of bio-based processes and products

Job Description

Aalto University is where science and art meet technology and business. We shape a sustainable future by making research breakthroughs in and across our disciplines, sparking the game changers of tomorrow and creating novel solutions to major global challenges. Our community is made up of 16 000 students and more than 5 000 employees, including more than 400 professors. Our campus is in Espoo, Greater Helsinki, Finland. Diversity is part of who we are, and we actively work to ensure our community's diversity and inclusiveness. This is why we warmly encourage qualified candidates from all backgrounds to join our community.

The School of Chemical Engineering is one of the six schools of Aalto University. It combines natural sciences and engineering in a unique way.

We are now looking for a

Postdoctoral researcher in the field of the Advanced Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of bio-based processes and products

The postdoctoral researcher will work as expert in LCA for bio-based processes and products from wood and agriculture feedstocks for textiles and packaging applications supporting two large EU funded projects. The portfolio of projects under the Sustainable Bioproducts Innovation research group provides opportunity for supporting several high impact publications.

Your responsibility and goals

• Conduct advanced research on LCA methodologies specific to bio-based products and processes.
• Develop and refine LCA models to assess the environmental impacts of bio-based products and systems using software tools such as OpenLCA.
• Analyze complex datasets to identify key areas for improvement in environmental sustainability performance.
• Build mentoring skills by helping and advising PhD researchers.
• Lead and write peer-reviewed articles for high impact journals.
• Participate in events, give expert talks, support in teaching and workshops.
• Network with scientists and industry to support your research as well as the development of new research proposals.
• Grant reporting, managing and monitoring.
• Work with researchers, and industry partners to gather data and align simulations with practical needs.

The postdoctoral researcher will be helping the PI and experts in managing projects, supervising students, funding reporting, gathering data coming from literatures and the industry partners to assess the sustainability of proposed concepts. The position is available immediately.

Your network, project and team

The position is open in the Sustainable Bioproduct Innovations group headed by Prof. Luana Dessbesell, a highly multidisciplinary team seeking to support the development of truly sustainable bioproducts innovations. If you see yourself wondering what is and what isn't sustainable, please apply and join us. We are working with hard-science evidence to help speed up the development of solutions that can mitigate climate change. The research group is about 16 researchers. We care about each other and are people centered, and we believe that we can only deliver excellence if we are doing well.

The Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems (Bio2), one of the three departments in the School of Chemical Engineering at Aalto University, has an internationally leading reputation in basic and applied research for the development of advanced materials from natural resources. It is one of the leading European research and higher education institutions in the field of sustainable chemistry and engineering based on the utilization of renewable resources. Bio2 aims to contribute to the development of novel solutions to move towards sustainable primary production and processing systems that can produce materials with fewer inputs, less environmental impact and reduced greenhouse gas emissions. Within bioscience, the department has research in bioprocess technology, molecular biotechnology, enzyme technology, metabolic engineering, synthetic biology, biomolecular, and biohybrid materials. Other strengths of the department include sustainable materials and products based on lignocellulose, ranging from nanomaterials to novel cellulose-based textiles.

Your experience and ambitions

The candidate is expected to have:

• Ph.D. in Environmental Science, Chemical Engineering, Biotechnology, or a related field, with a focus on life cycle assessment and bio-based products and processes (completed within past five years).
• Experience in LCA of bio-based products or processes.
• Proficiency with LCA software tools.
• Proven experience with ex-ante or prospective LCAs.
• Ability to perform mass/energy balances bio-based processes.
• A solid track record of publishing research in peer-reviewed scientific journals.
• Exceptional analytical and critical thinking skills with the ability to work independently and collaboratively.
• Effective communication skills for presenting complex information to academic and industry audiences.

Nice to have:

• Process design skills, such as develop and validate and optimize Aspen simulations related to biobased processes with experimental data from lab/pilot-scale systems.
• Experience in performing LCAs in the forest and lied sectors.
• Experience with advanced LCA methodologies (e.g., consequential LCA, dynamic LCA, absolute sustainability assessments, planetary boundaries LCA).
• Evidence of working in interdisciplinary research projects and collaboration with diverse teams.

What we offer

The postdoctoral researcher position will be filled for two years. The expected starting salary of a postdoctoral researcher is approximately 4100-4300 EUR/month depending on experience.

We work in Otaniemi, Espoo. Life on the revitalized campus is vibrant, featuring stunning architecture, tranquil nature, and a variety of cafes, restaurants, and services, all complemented by excellent public transportation connections.

Ready to apply?

If you want to join our community, please submit your application through our online recruitment system no later than 25.07.2026 using the link on Aalto University's webpage ("Apply now"). If you are an Aalto employee, please apply via Workday system (internal jobs). The submissions will be checked as they arrive.

To apply, please include the following documents in English and as a single pdf document (mandatory):

• Max. 1-page motivation letter specific to this project with description of previous relevant research experience
• CV, including a list of publications and the title and date of your doctoral thesis (max. 3 pages) and a list of references we may contact

The position will be filled when a suitable candidate is found.

Want to know more about us and your future colleagues? You can watch these videos:

This is Aalto University!
Aalto University - Towards a better world
and Shaping a Sustainable Future.

Read more about working at Aalto here and check out our virtual campus experience: https://virtualtour.aalto.fi

About Finland

Finland is a great place for living with or without family - it is a safe, politically stable and well-organized Nordic society. Finland is consistently ranked high in quality of life and was listed again as the happiest country in the world: World Happiness Report

For more information about living in Finland: Aalto Careers for International Staff.

Aalto University reserves the right for justified reasons to leave the position open, to extend the application period, and to consider candidates who have not submitted applications during the application period.