Applications are sought for a PhD studentship within the Centre for Sustainable Manufacturing and Recycling Technologies (SMART), http://www.lboro.ac.uk/smart, in the Wolfson School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, one of the largest Engineering Schools devoted to this subject area in the UK.

Following the award of a substantial grant, the Centre for SMART is building its research activities in sustainable food manufacturing and requires a number of PhD students to work on its ‘Grand Challenge’ projects of Eco-Production of Food, Sustainable Food Supply Chains and Distributed Manufacturing of Food.

Project Description: The amount of waste produced across the food manufacturing supply chain has been well reported with estimates as high as 50% of crops being grown for food, never actually entering anybody’s mouth. Furthermore, there is significant evidence that the majority of food waste is generated after the food reaches the consumer. Whilst governments and policy makers are trying to encourage better consumption of food and improved handling of food waste (e.g. diverting from landfill), there is also an opportunity for manufacturers to support sustainable consumption of food by influencing/supporting the behaviour of the consumer. This PhD project will therefore seek to quantify and categorise food wastes generated by the consumer, and from this develop one or more strategies and supporting technologies that manufacturers and retailers can use to minimise the amount of food waste generated by consumers. The focus will remain on reducing the environmental impact of food production and the impacts associated with waste generation.

Although based within the Centre for SMART at Loughborough, this position will work within an EPSRC National Research Centre in Food Manufacturing, in collaboration with the Universities of Nottingham and Birmingham as well as a large food manufacturing companies and retailers including AB Sugar, Cargill, Mars, McCain Foods, PepsiCo, Premier Foods, Nestle, Unilever, Marks and Spencer and J Sainsbury. It is expected that the successful student will spend some time working within these other organisations during their study.

Applicants must be expecting, or have already obtained a first degree (1^st class or high 2:1 honours or equivalent) in manufacturing engineering, food science, mechanical engineering or any other relevant field. Good communication skills are essential as well as an interest in environmental impact assessment and sustainable development.

The studentship will start in July or October 2015, is for three years, and is valued at £13,863 p.a. plus tuition fees at the UK/EU rate. Non UK applicants must meet the minimum English language requirements, details of which are available on the Loughborough University website.

Please apply through the following web page: http://www.lboro.ac.uk/departments/mechman/pg-research/howtoapply/ .  Applicants seeking additional information are invited to contact Dr Elliot Woolley (e-mail e.b.woolley<στο>lboro.ac.uk) to discuss this project in more detail.

Deadline for applications: 30^th April 2015, Interviews are planned to take place in May. Please quote the reference EBW300315 on all correspondence and especially on the application form.