Postdoc in Techno-Economic Assessment of CO2 Hub Development and CCUS Integration

The Center for Life Cycle Engineering (SDU LCE) at the Department of Green Technology, University of Southern Denmark (SDU), invites applications for a 2.5-year Postdoctoral Researcher position focusing on techno-economic optimization and feasibility assessment of carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) integration and CO2 hub development at Nybro, Denmark.

Starting date: June 1st, 2026.

Job Description

The position is part of SDU LCE’s strategic research agenda on net-zero energy systems, carbon management, and CCUS infrastructure development. The postdoc will lead advanced modelling and techno-economic analyses of a potential CO2 hub at Nybro, with a particular focus on:

• Symbiosis between data centers and solid sorbent direct air capture (DAC) systems
• Integration of DAC facilities with existing gas infrastructure
• Feasibility of connecting Nybro to offshore CO2 storage

The postdoc will collaborate with several involved industrial partners.

The location at Nybro offers unique infrastructure advantages:

• High voltage-electricity grid enabling GW-scale data center deployment
• Existing natural gas pipelines 
• Potential for Mt-scale CO2 transport and storage
• Strategic positioning for centralized CO2 conditioning and liquefaction.

The project will investigate how waste heat from data centers can be utilized to reduce the operational expenditure of DAC through heat integration, potentially upgraded via heat pumps. Surplus heat may also be supplied to local greenhouses district heating networks, strengthening the socio-economic value of the symbiosis.

SDU Life Cycle Engineering

The successful candidate will be affiliated with SDU Life Cycle Engineering (SDU LCE) at the University of Southern Denmark’s main campus in Odense. Odense is a fast-growing international city with an open Scandinavian culture and affordable living costs. SDU LCE is a rapidly expanding research center with a strong international profile in net-zero transition and sustainable energy systems. The center conducts cutting-edge research on integrated energy system design, extending beyond traditional energy systems to include CO2 management, land-use constraints, sustainable biomass utilization, sector coupling, and CCUS integration. SDU LCE is primarily externally funded and actively engaged in numerous strategic research projects supported by the EU, national innovation programs, private companies, and NGOs. Within SDU LCE, the research group focusing on net-zero transitions, renewable integration, defossilization of energy systems, CO2 infrastructure development, biomass availability, and sector coupling is experiencing significant growth. The group combines techno-economic modelling, system optimization, and infrastructure planning to address real-world decarbonization challenges at regional, national, and international levels.

For more information about SDU LCE, please visit www.sdu.dk/lifecycle.

Profile and Responsibilities

We are seeking a highly motivated postdoctoral researcher with a PhD in Energy Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Environmental Engineering, or a related field, and strong expertise in CCUS, point source carbon capture & DAC systems, and techno-economic modelling. The successful candidate will take a leading role in developing integrated technical, socio-economic, and business case assessments for DAC–data center symbiosis and CO2 hub development. The work will involve:

• Mapping and modelling technical configurations (both component and system levels) for DAC–data center integration, including heat recovery and heat pump solutions
• Quantifying CO2 capture rates, system efficiencies, and levelized cost of captured CO2
• Conducting user-economic analysis to evaluate the cost implications for data center services
• Developing business cases under multiple socio-economic carbon price scenarios
• Assessing the influence of scale on hub feasibility
• Evaluating centralized CO2 conditioning and liquefaction at Nybro
• Estimating breakeven costs for CO2 suppliers
• Conducting comparative assessments against alternative CO2 transport options (e.g., shipping from CO2 terminals)
• Publishing high-impact scientific articles and contributing to proposal development
• Engaging with industrial, infrastructure, and policy stakeholders
• Co-supervising master and PhD students

Applicants should demonstrate:

• Strong experience in techno-economic modelling and system optimization
• Solid understanding of CCUS
• Experience with energy system modelling and scenario analysis
• A strong publication record relative to career stage
• Excellent written and spoken English
• Familiarity with optimization tools 
• Ability to work independently and lead scientific tasks
• Programming skills (preferably Python) will be considered an advantage.
• Experience with infrastructure economics, carbon markets, or large-scale energy infrastructure planning will be considered an advantage.

Conditions of Employment

Employment will be based on the terms specified in the labor market agreement, and the salary is negotiable. For further information regarding the position, please contact Associate Professor Hossein Nami at tel.: +45 52751924, email: hon@igt.sdu.dk.

If you experience technical problems, please contact our email support. 

About the team

The postdoc fellow will work in the SDU Life Cycle Engineering (SDU LCE) center at the Department of Green Technology. The main supervisor will be Associate Professor Hossein Nami and co-supervision will be provided by Professor Henrik Wenzel.

Application 

Applicants are advised to read the SDU information on how to apply. 

Assessment of the candidates is based on the application material, and the application must 

include:  

• Motivated application. 
• Curriculum Vitae.  
• Master’s and PhD degree certificates or equivalent (original and an official English translation).   
• Complete list of publications. 
• Publications most relevant to the position. 
• Summary and documentation of experience in teaching, if relevant to the position.  

All documents must be in English and PDF format. CPR number (civil registration number) must be crossed out. All PDF-files must be unlocked, allow binding and may not be password protected.  

SUBMISSION GUIDE: Motivated application must be uploaded under ‘Cover letter’ (max. 5 MB), Curriculum Vitae must be uploaded under ‘Resume’ (max 5 MB). All other documents must be uploaded under ‘Miscellaneous documents’ (max 10 files with a maximum 50 MB per file).  

The application deadline is March 31st, 2026 at 11:59 PM/23:59 (CET/CEST).  

Assessment and selection process 

Applications will be assessed by an assessment committee. Shortlisting may be applied, and only shortlisted candidates will receive a written assessment. Read about shortlisting at SDU. Interviews and tests may be part of the overall evaluation. 

Read about the Assessment and selection process.   

Conditions of employment 

Appointment as a postdoc is temporary for an initial 2.5-year period, and the preferred start date is from June 1st, 2026. 

Employment as a postdoc requires academic qualifications at PhD level at the time of employment. Employment will be in accordance with the collective agreement between the Ministry of Finance and the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations for academics in the state including the associated circular on the protocol for the job structure for academic staff at Danish universities and the provisions for postdoc as described therein. 

Further information on salary and taxation. Persons employed in the position may, based on a specific individual managerial assessment, be exempted from time registration, also known as a “self-organizer”. 

The University of Southern Denmark wishes its staff to reflect the surrounding community and therefore encourages everyone, regardless of personal background, to apply for the position. SDU conducts research in critical technologies, which, due to the risk of unwanted knowledge transfer, is subject to a number of security measures. Therefore, based on information from open sources, background checks may be conducted on candidates for the position(s). 

Further information for international applicants about entering and working in Denmark. You may also visit WorkinDenmark for additional information.  

Further information about The Faculty of Engineering.