PhD Position 1: Establishment and Performance Evaluation of AGS System

Job Type
Graduate
Job Institution
Department of Civil, Structural, and Environmental Engineering, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland
Job Description

Position Overview:
The Department of Civil, Structural, and Environmental Engineering at Trinity College Dublin is seeking applications for three PhD studentships starting in March 2025. Each studentship will be dedicated to a specific work package within a cutting-edge project on sustainable wastewater treatment. Selected candidates will join an active, multidisciplinary research group led by Prof. Muhammad Ali, with expertise spanning environmental modeling, wastewater treatment, microbial ecology, and applied bioinformatics. These positions are part of an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-funded project led by Prof. Ali and will be co-supervised by Professors Laurence Gill, Patrick Morrissey, and Kirk M. Soodhalter, with Professor Pascal Saikaly from King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) as an external collaborator.

Funding: This project is financially sponsored by Irish Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and each PhD will get an annual stipend of €25,000 and a further €5,750 will be contributed to the annual fees for up to four years.

PhD Position 1: Establishment and Performance Evaluation of AGS System
This PhD position will focus on developing a novel Aerobic Granular Sludge (AGS)-based system for efficient, low-maintenance on-site wastewater treatment. The successful candidate will establish and operate the AGS system in a lab setting, conducting comparative performance analyses with other wastewater treatment technologies. This research aims to assess microbial ecology and provide insights into nutrient removal efficiency, energy consumption, and emissions reduction. The role offers an opportunity to advance sustainable wastewater treatment solutions and produce high-impact publications. This position will be supervised by Prof. Muhammad Ali, with co-supervision by Professors Laurence Gill and Pascal Saikaly.

Responsibilities:

  • Lead the setup and operation of AGS-based systems in the lab for performance evaluation.
  • Conduct comparative analyses of AGS-based systems with other wastewater treatment technologies, focusing nutrient removal efficiency, sludge production, energy use, and emissions.
  • Analyze microbial ecology within the AGS system using advanced genomic techniques.
  • Evaluate the potential for retrofitting existing treatment systems with AGS-based technology and assess its performance with real wastewater.
  • Contribute to high-impact publications on system performance, microbial insights, and technology comparisons.

Qualifications:

  • MSc in Environmental Engineering, Microbiology, Bioprocess Engineering, or a related field.
  • Experience in operating and maintaining laboratory-based wastewater treatment systems; experience with AGS systems is preferred.
  • Knowledge of microbial ecology and/or metagenomics is advantageous.
  • Strong communication and analytical skills with the ability to work independently and collaboratively.

Skills & Competencies for All Positions:

  • Strong analytical and communication skills (written and oral English).
  • Ability to work both independently and as part of a team.
  • Capacity to supervise graduate students, prepare high-impact manuscripts, and present findings at national and international conferences.

Application Procedure:
Interested candidates are invited to complete the application form available at this link https://forms.office.com/e/dD2nv35Gac. Additional documents or information may be requested as needed. The deadline for submission is Monday, January 13, 2025. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for an interview.

If you have any questions regarding these positions, please contact Professor Muhammad Ali at Muhammad.Ali@tcd.ie and include the relevant PhD position title in the subject line.