PhD Position in CO2 Desublimation for Cryogenic Carbon Capture, University of Twente

Job Description

The University of Twente has a funded PhD position in cryogenic carbon capture. You will study how CO2 turns straight from gas into solid on a cold surface. The work is mainly hands-on, with optical imaging and modelling. It pays €3,204 to €4,051 a month.

At a glance

• Position: PhD candidate, 4 years, full time (vacancy 2613)
• Where: Thermal Conversion and Storage group, Department of Thermal and Fluid Engineering, Enschede, Netherlands
• Pay: €3,204 a month in year 1, rising to €4,051 in year 4, plus 8% holiday pay and an 8.3% year-end bonus
• Contact: Dr Abhishek Purandare, Assistant Professor
• Partners: RWTH Aachen University and Emicap B.V.
• Apply: 25 October 2026

What the cryogenic carbon capture PhD involves

• Design, build and run a cryogenic test setup with controlled gas mix, pressure, flow and surface temperature
• Run experiments with CO2 gas mixtures at low temperature
• Use back-light imaging and Schlieren methods to watch the solid CO2 layer form and grow
• Study heat and mass transfer near the cold surface, and the boundary layers that form there
• Build or support models, and test how operating conditions and surface design change performance
• Work with the academic and industry partners, publish, present, and do some teaching

Why this role matters

Cryogenic capture gives very pure CO2 without chemical solvents. But nobody yet fully understands how the solid layer grows and blocks heat transfer. Your results will feed design rules for real capture plants. You will also learn optical diagnostics and cryogenic experiments, which are useful in energy and process industry.

What University of Twente is looking for

• An MSc in mechanical engineering, applied physics or a related field
• Strong thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, and heat or mass transfer
• A clear interest in hands-on lab work
• Skill in quantitative data analysis
• Very good English. If you were not taught in English, you need IELTS 6.5, TOEFL iBT 90 or Cambridge CAE-C

Nice to have

• Cryogenic or low-temperature experiments
• Phase-change heat transfer, such as condensation, frosting or desublimation
• Schlieren, shadowgraphy or high-speed imaging
• Python or MATLAB for image analysis, and COMSOL or OpenFOAM

Pay and location

The salary follows the Dutch university scale: €3,204 gross a month in year 1, rising to €4,051 in year 4. You also get 8% holiday pay, an 8.3% year-end bonus and 29 holidays a year. The post is full time, 40 hours a week, for four years. Year 1 ends with a qualifying evaluation. The work is on campus in Enschede.

How to apply

Apply through the official University of Twente page. The closing date is 25 October 2026. Use the Apply button. Send a CV, a cover letter of up to two A4 pages, your BSc and MSc grades, your MSc thesis or another writing sample if you have one, two referees’ contact details, and an English test result if needed. Interviews run from 2 to 13 November. Screening is part of the procedure.

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