PhD Student Life Cycle Assessment (f/m/d)

Work environmentWe assess the environmental impacts of products and business activities across the Volkswagen Group, considering the entire life cycle—from raw material extraction to recycling. Our responsibilities include standardizing, ensuring quality, and advancing life cycle assessments (LCAs) for materials, components, vehicles, and fleets within the Group. This also involves calculating the Decarbonization Index (DKI), reporting it internally and externally, and further developing the methodology. We collaborate closely with brands, corporate departments, and regions, making a significant contribution to achieving the Volkswagen Group’s environmental goals. We are currently seeking a new member to join our interdisciplinary and motivated team as soon as possible.Possible Tasks within this RoleConducting a doctoral dissertation in the context of vehicle life cycle assessments (e.g., international harmonization, holistic evaluation of circular economy strategies)Analyzing, researching, calculating, and preparing data to address current questions and support other corporate departmentsThe final doctoral topic is defined together with the professor. The prerequisite for the cooperation is the confirmation of supervision as well as a confirmed delimitation of topics by the professor of a university or research institution entitled to confer a doctorate. Supervision by a university can be ensured through existing academic partnerships.Qualification RequirementsGood to very good university degree in a technical or scientific field qualifying for doctoral studies (e.g., Environmental Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Environmental Sciences)Practical and methodological experience in life cycle assessmentPractical experience and/or interest in project and stakeholder managementExcellent MS Office skills (especially MS Excel)English and German language level B2Strong analytical thinking, affinity for numbers and calculationsIndependent, structured working styleTeam spirit and enthusiasm for challengesKeywordsDissertation, LCA, CE, Carbon Footprint, Environmental Accounting, Environmental Protection, Sustainability