PhD scholarship in Healthcare Operations – Process Management in Cancer Treatment - DTU Management

The Department of Technology, Management, and Economics at the Technical University of Denmark invites applications for a 3-year PhD position in Hospital Process Management, starting in October 2025 or as soon as possible thereafter. 

The position is part of a joint research project between DTU Management and many international partners (EASYGEN funded by EU Horizon). The PhD student will be part of the Management Science Division at DTU Management. The position is affiliated with the Operations & Supply Chain Management Section.

The PhD project aims to support the design and operation of cancer treatment processes for CAR-T cell therapy in hospitals from an operations management perspective. The methods from Operations Research, Management Science, Data Science, and Analytics are very suitable for studying decision problems and making sound decisions. 

The core focus of the PhD project will be on assessing, analyzing and optimizing cancer patient pathways in hospitals. The project investigates layout design, staffing, and logistics to provide superior care. 

Responsibilities and qualifications
Your overall focus will be strengthening the department’s competencies in modeling and optimizing healthcare-related decision problems. You will work hand in hand with academics and healthcare professionals. As a PhD student, you will: 

• Be responsible for conducting your own research project
• Contribute to new knowledge about analytics in healthcare
• Strive to publish your work worldwide in recognized journals
• Work in close collaboration with the project partners (EASYGEN)
• Have regular (short- and long-term) visits abroad
• Contribute to the cooperation with Danish regions
• Contribute to the academic environment at the department
• Present your work at international conferences, workshops, and seminars
• Assist in teaching and co-supervise engineering students with their thesis work 

The PhD scholarship is a full-time position allowing you to become a research scientist and benefit from the academic activities at the department. The yearly salary is internationally highly competitive. Department duty work (teaching) is very limited, allowing you to focus on your PhD project. 

The PhD project will be jointly supervised by Professor Jens O. Brunner (DTU) and Associate Professor Michael Bruhn Barfod (DTU), and the candidates for the PhD position will be assessed on the following criteria:

• Profound knowledge in Operations Management, Management Science, Analytics, and Data Science
• Knowledge of and practical experiences with programming (e.g., Python, Java, Julia, etc.)
• (Advanced) Knowledge of healthcare operations management

Having a good basic understanding of the Danish language will be an advantage in this position.

You must have a two-year master's degree (120 ECTS points) or a similar degree with an academic level equivalent to a two-year master's degree.

Approval and Enrolment 
The scholarship for the PhD degree is subject to academic approval, and the candidate will be enrolled in one of the general degree programmes at DTU. For information about our enrolment requirements and the general planning of the PhD study programme, please see DTU's rules for the PhD education. 

Assessment
Professor Jens O. Brunner and Associate Professor Michael Bruhn Barfod will assess the applications.

We offer
DTU is a leading technical university globally recognized for the excellence of its research, education, innovation and scientific advice. We offer a rewarding and challenging job in an international environment. We strive for academic excellence in an environment characterized by collegial respect and academic freedom tempered by responsibility.

Salary and appointment terms 
The appointment will be based on the collective agreement with the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations. The allowance will be agreed upon with the relevant union. 

The period of employment is 3 years. The starting date is preferably 1 October 2025, or as soon as possible thereafter. The position is a full-time position.

You can read more about career paths at DTU here.

Further information 
Further information may be obtained from Professor Jens O. Brunner, jotbr@dtu.dk.

You can read more about DTU Management at www.man.dtu.dk. 

If you are applying from abroad, you may find useful information on working in Denmark and at DTU at DTU – Moving to Denmark. Furthermore, you have the option of joining our monthly free seminar “PhD relocation to Denmark and startup “Zoom” seminar” for all questions regarding the practical matters of moving to Denmark and working as a PhD at DTU. 

Application procedure 
Your complete online application must be submitted no later than 1 July 2025 (Danish time). Applications must be submitted as one PDF file containing all materials to be given consideration. To apply, please open the link "Apply now", fill out the online application form, and attach all your materials in English in one PDF file. The file must include:

• A letter motivating the application (cover letter)
• Curriculum vitae 
• Grade transcripts and BSc/MSc diploma (in English) including official description of grading scale
• Short video (1-2 minutes introducing yourself)

You may apply prior to ob­tai­ning your master's degree but cannot begin before having received it. 

Applications received after the deadline will not be considered.

All interested candidates irrespective of age, gender, disability, race, religion or ethnic background are encouraged to apply. As DTU works with research in critical technology, which is subject to special rules for security and export control, open-source background checks may be conducted on qualified candidates for the position.

Who are we?
DTU Management conducts excellent research at the intersection of management, technology and economics. We develop solutions in close cooperation with companies and public authorities. Our research aims at strengthening welfare, productivity and sustainability. A key element is the role of technology and its interaction with industry and individuals. The department offers a wide range of courses and programs at bachelor, master, and PhD levels across DTU's study programs. The department has 200+ employees with around half of staff coming from abroad.

Technology for people
DTU develops technology for people. With our international elite research and study programmes, we are helping to create a better world and to solve the global challenges formulated in the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Hans Christian Ørsted founded DTU in 1829 with a clear mission to develop and create value using science and engineering to benefit society. That mission lives on today. DTU has 13,500 students and 6,000 employees. We work in an international atmosphere and have an inclusive, evolving, and informal working environment. DTU has campuses in all parts of Denmark and in Greenland, and we collaborate with the best universities around the world.