Expressions of Interest for PhD Scholarships at SMaRT-Pack

Job No.: 690308

Location: Clayton campus

Employment Type: Full-time

Duration: 3.5 years fixed-term appointment

Renumeration: 41,555 in line with the ARC 2026 rate

About SMaRT-Pack

The ARC Training Centre in Sustainable Materials and Responsible Technologies for Packaging (SMaRT-Pack) will deliver essential research and training to enable Australia’s shift from single-use plastics to fibre-based alternatives. The centre aims to engineer fibre packaging as a sustainable fossil plastic substitute and optimise its recycling to foster a genuinely circular packaging economy.

Opportunity

SMaRT-Pack has multiple immediate opportunities for fully-funded PhD projects in Australia. These full-time 3.5-year PhD Projects are offered across SMaRT-Pack’s nodes located at Monash University, Deakin University or Queensland University of Technology and will include a dynamic, multidisciplinary research environment, including a flexible one-year equivalent industry placement.

We welcome applicants from diverse academic and professional backgrounds, especially those with a degree in engineering (chemistry, biology, material) or science (chemistry).

We are committed to providing an exceptional PhD experience and you’ll receive priceless professional development opportunities with free mentoring, training, and networking.

What to include in your Expression of Interest (EoI)

1. First name, Surname
2. Email
3. Country of residence
4. Ensure you meet the minimum entry requirements are here, including English Literacy:
   • Graduate Research Admissions Procedure - Monash University
5. Highest qualification and transcript
6. Attach your CV
7. Please provide a written description in the space below (max 250 words) explaining why you want to be part of SMaRT-Pack and what topic/s appealed to you the most.
8. Identify your top three topics of interest from the list provided

Include all the information requested. Any responses missing parts will not be considered.

Topics

1. Blending plant-based fibres for themoformed packaging
2. Composting of fibre-based packaging
3. New coatings and impregnation of fibre forms
4. Process / industrialisation of new fibre packaging
5. Application of Paper diagnostic: Fibrinogen
6. Application of Paper diagnostic: antibody Screening
7. Micro Fibirilated Cellulose from recycled paper for lightweight packaging
8. Microplastics in soil and water
9. Ocean composting of current and novel fibrous packaging
10. Novel Circular Fiber-Polymer composites
11. New coating and adhesive from valorized wastes
12. New material concepts for sustainable packaging
13. Jet and Polymer technology
14. Fibre from wastewater
15. Wastewater fibres to product

Submitting your EoI

Please email smartpack@monash.edu, do not contact the supervisor directly.

Applications Close: Sunday 1 March, 2026 11:55pm AEDT