SDU CREATE invites highly motivated candidates who wish to contribute to a more sustainable built environment to apply for a PhD position in Computational Design and Robotic Fabrication for Timber Upcycling. The position(s) are expected to begin in January 2027, or as soon as possible thereafter. The application deadline is 15 October 2026 at 23:59 CEST.
Scope of the work
The PhD position(s) is linked to the Villum CEBE programme, Civil Engineering and the Green Transition in the Built Environment, funded by the Villum Foundation. Within Research Field 2, Design for Regeneration, Circularity and Longevity, the overall ambition is to extend the life cycle of reclaimed timber and retain its stored carbon for longer by transforming discarded wood into durable, materially efficient architectural components.
The research will investigate how heterogeneous pieces of waste timber can be reconstituted into engineered components with differentiated geometries and material properties. Computational design will connect architectural form, structural performance and available material stock, exploring how the arrangement, orientation and combination of reclaimed wood can generate new possibilities for building elements. The project will identify and develop suitable bonding techniques, integrate robotic fabrication with material characterisation, and demonstrate the resulting architectural systems at full scale.
We seek candidates with primary expertise in one of two complementary research profiles:
The successful candidate(s) will work within a team to develop and validate stock-informed design methods through computational investigation, hands-on fabrication experiments and full-scale architectural demonstrators. The candidate(s) will also contribute to the Centre’s activities, including teaching in the MSc CREATE programme and the BSc programme in Civil and Architectural Engineering through laboratory teaching, workshops, and co-supervision of student projects
Focus Area and Research Project
The research will develop new approaches to timber upcycling that minimise waste, extend carbon storage and advance circular construction. It will connect architectural design, material engineering and robotic fabrication to transform discarded timber into durable building components, developing lamination and bonding techniques alongside computational methods for design and structural optimisation.
The project builds on SDU CREATE’s previous research, including Re-VoxLam Truss and Re:Bridge, which explore how reclaimed timber can be reconstituted into structurally efficient architectural systems. Applicants are encouraged to consult the associated publications on reclaimed voxel lamination and stock and stress informed design and fabrication.
The successful candidate(s) will contribute to selected areas according to their expertise, working within a team with complementary skills:
About SDU CREATE’s Research Environment
The Centre for Computational Research in Emergent Architectural Technology and Engineering, SDU CREATE, is led by Associate Professor Roberto Naboni. The Centre investigates advanced concepts and applications in architectural engineering, focusing on computational design, construction robotics, and material innovation. SDU CREATE brings together an international research team working across architectural engineering, computer science, robotics, materials science, and biology. Its research develops sustainable, regenerative approaches to designing and constructing the built environment.
Located within the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Southern Denmark, SDU CREATE provides advanced laboratory facilities for robotic fabrication, additive and subtractive manufacturing, mixed reality applications in design and construction, and structural and mechanical testing. The facilities include industrial robotic systems, computational design platforms, and equipment for the experimental testing of materials, components, and structures. This environment supports interdisciplinary collaboration and partnerships with academic and industrial institutions in Denmark and internationally. The candidate(s) will work within a research culture that combines computational development with physical experimentation and full scale construction.
SDU CREATE is a partner in CEBE, a ten-year national research initiative funded by the Villum Foundation, in which Danish technical universities collaborate to advance the sustainability of the built environment within planetary boundaries. Within this initiative, SDU CREATE leads research in Digitalisation and Automation, RF4, and contributes to research in Design for Regeneration, Circularity, and Longevity, RF2. The programme provides a long-term research framework, access to national research networks, and opportunities for collaboration with academic and industrial partners.
Responsibilities
The successful candidate(s) will contribute to the development and delivery of CREATE’s research activities and laboratory-based investigations. Responsibilities include:
Engagement in these activities will evolve with the experience of the candidate(s), contributing to the Centre’s excellence and supporting their academic development, ideally towards future career advancement.
Candidate Requirements
Applications are invited from highly motivated candidates holding a Master’s degree in architecture, civil or architectural engineering, robotics, mechanical engineering, materials science, or other relevant disciplines related to the research areas. Candidates must demonstrate primary expertise in either Computational Design and Robotic Fabrication or AI-driven Computational Engineering, together with the ability to contribute to shared design, fabrication and validation activities.
Candidates must demonstrate:
Contact information
For further information about the position(s) and SDU CREATE’s activities, please contact the Head of Centre, Associate Professor Roberto Naboni, at [email protected]. For additional information on the Centre’s work, visit www.create-sdu.com.
If you experience technical problems, please contact our email support.
Application Procedure
Applicants are advised to carefully read the Faculty information for prospective PhD students and how to apply for academic staff before submitting their application. The application must be submitted in English and include the following documents, uploaded in the specified order as PDF files:
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 15 October, 2026, at 11:59 PM/23:59 (CET/CEST)
The assessment and selection process
Read about the assessment and selection process. An assessment committee will evaluate applications. Shortlisting may be applied. Only shortlisted candidates will receive a written assessment. Read about shortlisting at SDU. Interviews and tests may be part of the process.
Enrolment and employment terms
Applicants must have a master’s degree equivalent to a Danish master's degree at the time of enrolment and employment. Employment as a PhD fellow is a 3-year salaried position, and the monthly gross salary incl. pension is 37.075 DKK. If you have relevant postgraduate experience, you may be placed on a higher salary step. Salary and employment conditions are governed by the applicable collective agreement and the Protocol on PhD Research Fellows.
Employment is conditional upon approval for admission by the PhD School. Enrollment will be in accordance with Faculty regulations and the Danish Ministerial Order on the PhD Programme at the Universities (PhD order). 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 job structure for academic staff at Danish universities and the provisions for PhD fellows as described therein as well as the Protocol on PhD fellows signed by the Danish Ministry of Finance and the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations (AC).
Salary is determined in accordance with the applicable collective agreement and based on objective and gender-neutral criteria, including the content of the position, responsibilities, and qualification requirements. As an applicant, you are entitled to information about the starting salary and salary range for the position. This information will be provided during the recruitment process. SDU does not collect information on applicants’ previous salary. 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.
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