PhD Position: Turning Faecal Sludge into Clean Energy in Kenya and Ethiopa

Your job

Are you passionate about developing a sustainable alternative for traditional biofuel? Do you want to contribute to the just energy transition in Africa? We are seeking a highly motivated PhD candidate to join an exciting transdisciplinary research program focused on upscaling Faecal Sludge Briquettes (FSB) production as a sustainable alternative to traditional biofuels funded by the Dutch Research Council (NWO), NRF-Kenya and MInT, Ethiopia. The PhD candidate is expected to work on the improvement of faecal sludge briquettes (FSB) as an alternative cooking fuel for wider FSB adoption and just energy transitions in Kenya & Ethiopia.

The widespread dependence on traditional biofuel such as firewood and charcoal for cooking in East African countries contribute significantly to deforestation, environmental degradation, biodiversity loss and adverse climate change impacts. Indoor air pollution caused by biofuel burning leads to severe health risks, particularly for women and children. Simultaneously, inadequate wastewater and faecal sludge management in many urban areas pose environmental and public health hazards. To address these interlinked challenges, faecal sludge briquettes (FSB) is seen as a sustainable alternative to traditional biofuels and by utilizing waste-to-energy innovations, FSB production promotes resource recovery, climate resilience, and the Water-Energy-Food (WEF) nexus. However, scaling up production and wider adoption of FSB require a deeper understanding of the enabling environments facilitated by technical improvements, economic viability, social and political acceptability, participatory infrastructure planning, supportive policy landscape and technological improvements.

Your Job

The PhD candidate will conduct a laboratory-intensive project investigating the development and optimization of FSB. The candidate will systematically characterize the physico-chemical and microbial properties of faecal sludge from different sanitation facilities, establishing a rigorous understanding of feedstock variability and pre-treatment requirements. Then, you will design and conduct laboratory experiments to identify optimal combinations of locally available binding materials that maximize the strength, calorific value and storage stability of the briquettes. Necessary tests will be conducted to determine the emission profile of the briquettes while improving the overall caloric value of the fuel.

Your qualities

We are looking for a curious, technically capable and practically motivated candidate who combines strong laboratory skills with a commitment in addressing the intersecting challenges of urban sanitation and energy accessibility.

You must have:

• A completed Master’s degree (or equivalent) in one of the following or relevant program:
• Environmental Science/Engineering/ Sanitation Engineering
• Biotechnology/Bio-based sciences
• Chemical engineering/materials science
• Excellent academic speaking and writing skills in English, demonstrated by recognized tests such as TOEFL, IELTS.
• You have fluent communication (speaking, writing, reading) capability in local languages and proven experience of working with local communities in mid-sized cities of Kenya.
• Demonstrated practical laboratory competence, particularly in physicochemical analysis including proximate analysis, calorific value determination, and thermal analysis methods such as thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry.
• Strong skills in quantitative data analysis using statistical software such as SPSS, R, etc.
• A demonstrated ability and willingness to spend 24 months in the case study sites in Kenya and Ethiopia

For this position your command of the English language is expected to be at C1 level. Sometimes it is necessary to submit an internationally recognised Certificate of Proficiency in the English Language. More information can be found here.

Desirable (not required):

• Demonstrated working experience with local communities in Kenya on water and sanitation issues
• Familiarity with living lab methodology
• Affiliation with local institution where the candidate can return after completing the PhD

We offer

The position is a Sandwich PhD, meaning you will be based at the Environmental Technology (ETE) group at Wageningen University & Research and at our partner institute Egerton University (Kenya), Adama Science and Technology University (Ethiopia). Your PhD will be awarded from Wageningen University and the PhD program has a duration of 4 years.

You will spend a total of 24 months in Wageningen, spread over three stays, within a total of 48 months. The gross salary for the first year is € 3.059,- per month rising to € 3.881,- in the fourth year in according to the Collective Labour Agreements for Dutch Universities (CAO-NU) (scale P). This is based on a full-time working week of 38 hours.

The remaining 24 months will spent at the partner institute in Kenya and Ethiopia and will receive a gross local fellowship (subject to local tax and granting council rules) in accordance with the in-country standard.

Wageningen University & Research offers plenty of opportunities for growth and development, with a strong internal recruitment policy and excellent training programmes.

You will work on the greenest and most innovative campus in the Netherlands, in an international and open working environment. A place to be proud of.

Coming from abroad

Wageningen University & Research is the university and research centre for life sciences. The themes we deal with are relevant to everyone around the world and Wageningen, therefore, has a large international community and a lot to offer to international employees.

Because we expect you to work and live in the Netherlands our team of advisors on Dutch immigration procedures will help you with the visa application procedures for yourself and, if applicable, for your family.

Feeling welcome also has everything to do with being well informed. We can assist you with any additional advice and information about for example helping your partner to find a job, housing, or schooling. Finally, certain categories of international staff may be eligible for a tax exemption on a part of their salary during the first five years in the Netherlands.

Important information

You will be based at the Environmental Technology department and you will be primarily supervised by Prof. Dr. Adriaan Mels (Promotor) and Dr. Kamonashish Haldar (Co-promotor & Daily Supervisor). Additionally, you will receive local supervision from Dr. Kero Jemal (ASTU, Ethiopia) and Prof. dr. Daudi Nyaanga, (Egerton University, Kenya) during your 24 months stay in Kenya and Ethiopia. For more information about the position, you can send an email to Kamonashish Haldar (kamonashish.haldar@wur.nl). You can also send an email about the procedure to our corporate colleague Rutger Voorrips (rutger.voorrips@wur.nl).

Ready to apply?
You can apply directly using the apply button on the vacancy page on our website which will allow us to process your personal information with your approval. Only applications submitted through our website will be considered.

To apply, please send the following documents:

• Complete CV including your language skill/level (max. 3 pages);
• Motivation letter (1 page).
• A sample of your work (journal article or a chapter of your MSc thesis),

The maximum length of the main application documents (CV and Motivation letter) must not exceed 4 pages. If it exceeds, applications will not be considered.Additional files such as grades and transcripts are not required during this stage and will not be considered.

You can apply until 23 November, 2026 and we expect to organize the first round of interview around the first week of December 2026. The tentative start date of the PhD would be around February 2026.

Welcome, safe, and valued
Wageningen University & Research (WUR) highly values diversity and inclusion because we believe that different insights lead to innovative solutions. We create a work environment where everyone feels welcome, safe, and appreciated, regardless of background, identity, or experience. Together, we are building a culture where everyone's unique contribution adds to the success of our organization.

We are

The mission of Wageningen University & Research is “To explore the potential of nature to improve the quality of life”. Under the banner Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen University and the specialised research institutes of the Wageningen Research Foundation have joined forces in contributing to finding solutions to important questions in the domain of healthy food and living environment. With its roughly 30 branches, 7,600 employees (6,700 fte) and 13,100 students and over 150,000 participants to WUR’s Life Long Learning, Wageningen University & Research is one of the leading organisations in its domain. The unique Wageningen approach lies in its integrated approach to issues and the collaboration between different disciplines.

Read the 5 reasons why your future colleagues enjoy working at WUR and watch the video below to get an idea of our green campus!

We will recruit for the vacancy ourselves, so no employment agencies please. However, sharing in your network is appreciated.