PhD Industrial symbiosis and energy transition

The Faculty of Economics and Business offers an inspiring study and working environment for students and employees. International accreditation enables the Faculty to assess performance against the highest international standards. It also creates an exciting environment of continuous improvement. FEB's programmes, academic staff and research do well on various excellence ranking lists.

FEBRI, the graduate school and research institute of the Faculty of Economics and Business has available one PhD position in the field of Industrial symbiosis and energy transition.

Faculty of Economics and Business

Closing date: 7 januari 2026

1 - 1 FTE

€ €3.881

PhD Industrial symbiosis and energy transition

What are you going to do?

Climate policy and the energy transition are forcing industrial companies to fundamentally reconsider their energy use, supply chains, and collaboration models. One promising approach is industrial symbiosis—where companies utilize each other's waste streams, heat, or electricity, or jointly develop infrastructure. Despite the recognized technical and economic potential, there is a lack of insight into the strategic behavior of companies within such symbiotic networks, especially when external markets and regulations (such as regarding climate policy) change.

The aim of this PhD project is to gain insight into the strategic, economic, and organizational factors that stimulate or hinder collaboration in industrial symbiosis. The research will in particular be directed at the transition in heating in regions with various types of heat users and producers within the context of residual heat supply chains, such as in horticultural and industry clusters.

Faculty of Economics and Business

Closing date: 7 januari 2026

€ €3.881

Who are you?

The ideal candidate is ambitious, highly motivated, and wishes to make a career in economic and/or business research as well as to contribute to addressing the pressing societal issue of climate change. He or she has

• obtained a MSc degree, or equivalent, in Economics, Business, and/or Finance, with excellent results;
• demonstrated affinity with one or several of the following fields: energy economics, industrial economics, strategy, innovation;
• knowledge of European climate and energy policy and societal debate on decarbonization of industry and energy sector;
• experience working in at least one programming language (e.g., Python, MATLAB, Stata, Excel, R);
• fluency in English, both written and spoken; Familiarity with the (energy) policy context in the Netherlands, as well as proficiency in writing and speaking Dutch, are advantages.

What can you expect from us?

• In accordance with the collective labor agreement for Dutch universities, we offer a salary of at least € Promovendus) up to a maximum of € Promovendus) gross per month for a full-time employment contract.
• 232 vacation hours per year, based on a 38-hour workweek (1.0 FTE). You can also work more or fewer hours in exchange for more or fewer free hours. For example, with a 40-hour workweek, you save 96 extra free hours, and with a 36-hour workweek, you lose 96 hours.
• End-of-year bonus of 8.3% and 8% holiday allowance.
• Extensive opportunities for personal and professional development.
• Contract duration: The full-time appointment is temporary for a period of four years, under the condition of a positive assessment at the end of the first year. PhD candidates contribute 20% of their time to teaching in years 2-4. Starting date: Preferably per February 1, 2026. An assessment may be part of the procedure, consisting of psychological tests and an interview.

Where will you be working?

At the University of Groningen (RUG), researchers across all branches of science and technology work on scientific challenges and societal issues. Lecturers train their students for meaningful careers in science or beyond. Interdisciplinary research and education, knowledge sharing, and collaboration with companies, government institutions, and societal organizations are highly valued at this top 100 university. RUG aims to be an open academic community with an inclusive and safe working environment that invites you to contribute your value.

The Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB) has about 7,000 students and 700 staff, who make up an informal, personal, and inspiring academic community. We offer an ambitious, open, and dynamic working environment that encourages both students and staff to keep innovating. Approximately 25% of our students and 35% of our staff come from abroad, contributing to an international atmosphere. With EQUIS and AACSB accreditations, FEB is among the top 1% of business schools worldwide. At FEB, we believe in connecting for impact: we bring together students, academics, and external stakeholders to collectively make a positive influence on regional, national, and global economic and business issues, both in academia and society. If you would like to learn more about the Faculty of Economics and Business, visit

The PhD position is embedded in the Centre for Energy Business and Economics Research (CEnBER) and in the research programmes Innovation & Organization, and Economics, Econometrics & Finance of FEB's Research Institute. The project will be supervised by prof. dr. Machiel Mulder and dr. Thijs Broekhuizen.

Application procedure

Step 1:

Your application

After submitting your application, you will receive a confirmation by email.

Step 2:

Selection

The selection committee assesses your application and you will receive a response at the latest two weeks after the closing date.

Step 3:

First interview

We would like to get to know each other better in a first interview, which can take place either online or on location.

Step 4:

Second interview and possible assessment or guest lecture

We may schedule a second interview with you. Depending on the position, this interview can be complemented with an assessment or guest lecture.

Step 5:

Terms of employment meeting

After a positive interview, we will discuss the terms of employment together. When everything is completed, we are happy to welcome you at the University of Groningen

Interested?

Does this sound like a challenge that suits you? Then apply immediately

Do you meet our qualification criteria? If yes, you're requested to upload the following documents:

CV, cover letter, scan of diploma, scan of transcripts, proof English proficiency

Do you have any questions or need more information?

Questions about the content of the job?

Machiel Mulder

Full Professor

Questions about your application process?

Rina Koning

Policy Officer

Information about applying

When scheduling meetings, we will take your schedule into account as much as possible.

The University of Groningen considers social safety important. We strive to be a university where staff and students feel respected and at home, regardless of differences in background, experiences, perspectives, and identity. For more information, see also our page about our diversity policy.

Acquisition is not appreciated.

Our selection procedure follows the guidelines of the NVP application code

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