"PhD position in Modelling food supply chains for Shelf life Control, Optimized Pricing, and Excess Redistribution"

Job Summary

We are inviting applications for a 4-year full-time PhD position as part of the SCOPE project—a collaboration between the Operations Research and Logistics group at Wageningen University, the Zero Hunger Lab at Tilburg University, and four industry partners. In this project, you will develop and advance optimization models and algorithms to support decision-making in food supply chains, with the goal of reducing food waste. Key research questions include: coordination of goods flow, dynamic pricing for perishable products, and redistribution of surplus food.

Responsibilities

• Develop mathematical optimization models and algorithms to address research questions on coordination, dynamic pricing, and redistribution.
• Collaborate with and co-supervise MSc thesis students and internship students at partner companies.
• Support teaching as needed.
• Write four scientific papers and publish them in ISI ranked Q1 journals.

Qualifications and Requirements

• A completed MSc degree in a relevant field, such as Operations Research, Operations Management, Industrial Engineering, Computer Science, or Machine Learning.
• Solid experience with quantitative optimization methods, including mathematical programming and stochastic dynamic programming, and proficiency with relevant software tools and programming languages.
• Interest in working with people from the food industry and food banks.
• Command of the English language at C1 level.
• Eagerness to tackle real-world challenges in food supply chains and contribute to sustainability through optimization and decision-making under uncertainty.

What the Employer Offers

• A fully funded PhD position with a gross salary from €2,901 to €3,707 per month based on a full-time working week of 38 hours.
• A temporary contract for 18 months, extendable to the duration of the project.
• Excellent terms including partially paid parental leave, flexible working hours, focus on vitality, sports facilities, a fixed year-end bonus of 8.3%, and an excellent pension scheme.
• Opportunities for growth, development, and a course program tailored to your needs.
• Work in an international and open environment at Wageningen University & Research.