Funding information
This studentship will cover the tuition fee and a tax-free stipend for three years. Stipend at UKRI rates for 2025-26 is £20,780. Qualified candidate will also be supported to attend professional trainings and domestic/international conferences.
The University of Surrey invites applications for a fully funded PhD position as part of the cutting-edge OLinWASTE project—an ambitious, €4 million EU Horizon initiative involving 10 consortium partners across 6 European countries. The project’s mission is to transform the biorefinery sector by developing an integrated zero-emission system that sets new standards for sustainable innovation.
About the Project
OLinWASTE is focused on upcycling olive mill waste (OMW)—a traditionally underutilised resource—into a range of high-value, environmentally friendly products. These include:
Plant bioimmunostimulants
Biopesticides
Biofertilisers
Biobased plastics
Bioenergy
In addition to product innovation, the project prioritises environmental impact mitigation by aiming to:
Reduce greenhouse gas emissions
Optimise exhaust flows
Minimise operational noise
Recover thermal energy
Eliminate odours from pomace and digestate
University of Surrey’s Role
As a leading partner in OLinWASTE, the University of Surrey is spearheading the development of a System Digital Twin (SDT) to support enhanced sustainability, efficiency, and optimisation of material, energy, and waste flows.
Key Responsibilities:
Digital Twin Development
Leveraging data from all work packages, the team will develop Digital Twins (DTs) of waste treatment processes using advanced machine learning, validated with experimental and physics-based models.System Integration
DTs will be incorporated into material and energy balance equations to construct a dynamic SDT capable of simulating real-time operations.Online Platform Deployment
The SDT will be deployed on an evolving online platform, continuously updated with new data and multi-objective optimisation algorithms. This will allow for real-time evaluation of performance metrics including cost, carbon footprint, material circularity, and system efficiency.
Why Surrey?
The University of Surrey is a top-ranking institution, placed 12th in the UK in the 2025 Complete University Guide, and named University of the Year for Graduate Employment in 2021. The project will be hosted by the Surrey Circular Economy Group, under the supervision of Dr. Lei Xing, an expert in circular chemical economy, green energy, AI, carbon capture and digitalisation.
PhD Studentship Details
Eligibility
Open to both UK and international candidates. Applicants must hold a Master’s degree in one of the following (or related) disciplines:
Chemical Engineering
Physics
Mechanical Engineering
Energy Engineering
Environmental Engineering
Computer Science
Applicants with experience or a proven track record in system modelling, machine learning, and control are especially encouraged to apply.
How to Apply
Applications must be submitted via the PhD Chemical and Process Engineering Research programme page. Instead of a research proposal, please upload a document stating:
The title of the project: OLinWASTE – System Digital Twin Development
The name of the supervisor: Dr. Lei Xing
Application Deadline: 06 October 2025
Further Information
Supervisor Contact
Dr Lei Xing
Room: 32 BC 02
📞 +44 (0)1483 686576
📧 l.xing@surrey.ac.uk
