PhD Calls

PhD 2026-06 LE

Supervisor: Luis Escobar

Project Title: Self-assembly of hybrid synthetic-biological systems for fundamental and biomedical applications

Number of positions: 1

Description of the project: The research group of Dr. Escobar is seeking a highly talented and motivated national or international candidate to pursue a PhD at the Institute of Chemical Research of Catalonia (ICIQ) in Tarragona, Spain. In partnership with the Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV), ICIQ offers a PhD program in Chemical Science and Technology. The project focuses on the design and development of hybrid oligomers that combine synthetic and biological scaffolds, particularly host-guest systems with nucleic acids and peptides. The research will involve studying their fundamental properties and functions, as well as performing proof-of-principle studies to explore their potential biomedical applications.

 

Tasks to be performed by the PhD student:

• Prepare synthetic host-guest systems.

• Develop conjugation methodologies to combine host-guest systems with nucleic acids and peptides.

• Investigate the fundamental properties and functions of hybrid oligomers.

• Conduct proof-of-principle studies to explore potential biomedical applications.

• Prepare progress reports and draft manuscripts for scientific publication.

• Present research findings at group meetings and national/international conferences.

• Participate in outreach activities.

 

Preferred skills or background:

• Master’s degree in Chemistry or a closely related field.

• Proficiency in English, both written and spoken.

• Fundamental knowledge of routine characterization techniques.

• Strong motivation to learn new techniques/methodologies and to develop soft skills.

• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively.

• Creative thinking and problem-solving skills.

• Good time management and organizational skills.

• Reliability and commitment to meeting deadlines.

• Excellent academic record.

• Ability to interact professionally with faculty, colleagues, and the general public.

 

This position will be funded by the Severo Ochoa Centers of Excellence Grant CEX2024-001469-S funded by MICIU/AEI/10.13039/501100011033.

PhD 2026-07 JS

Supervisors: Dr. Jesus Sanjosé-Orduna, Prof. Mónica H. Pérez-Temprano

Project Title: AI-Accelerated Photochemical Upgrading of Pollutants in Flow

Number of positions: 1

Description of the project:

The newly established research group of Dr. Sanjosé-Orduna is seeking a highly motivated candidate to pursue a doctoral degree in collaboration with the Pérez-Temprano group at the Institute of Chemical Research of Catalonia (ICIQ) and in partnership with the Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV). The project focuses on the development of automated, data-driven workflows for the discovery and optimization of catalytic chemical transformations in continuous flow. The research will integrate robotic experimentation, microfluidic platforms and machine learning to systematically explore reaction space, generate high-quality datasets, and accelerate the optimization of synthetic methods for the recycling of harmful pollutants.

 

Tasks to be performed by the PhD student:

• Design and execute experiments using automated platforms and microfluidic reactors.

• Set up, operate, maintain and troubleshoot continuous-flow reactors.

• Plan, collect, and curate high-quality, standardized experimental datasets for the training and validation of machine learning models.

• Analyse experimental results and translate findings into actionable insights.

• Prepare project reports and contribute in the draft of scientific publications.

• Present research findings at group meetings and at national/international conferences.

• Actively participate in the group's scientific life, engage with interdisciplinary collaborators, take part in outreach activities, and contribute to build a collaborative, inclusive and open research culture.

 

Preferred skills or background:

• MSc degree (or equivalent) in Chemistry or a closely related discipline.

• Excellent communication skills in English, written and spoken.

• Ability to work both independently and as part of an interdisciplinary team.

• Solid foundation in synthetic organic chemistry; prior exposure to catalysis, organometallic chemistry, photocatalysis or reaction development is an asset.

• Interest in automation, robotics, or flow chemistry; hands-on experience is a plus but not required.

• Willingness to learn data-driven approaches (machine learning, chemoinformatics, statistical modelling) and coding..

• Enthusiasm for sustainable chemistry and a genuine interest in bridging academic research with industrial application.

PhD 2026-08 RM

Supervisor: Ruben Martin

Project Title: Catalytic Functionalization of sp3 C-H sites by Means of Chain-Walking

Number of positions: 1

Description of the project: The project aims at unravelling the potential of chain-walking reactions for enabling a series of carbon-carbon and carbon-heteroatom bond-forming reactions at distal, yet previously unfunctionalized, sp3 C-H reaction sites. The project will include the development of enantioselective transformations and enantioconvergent scenarios.

 

Tasks to be performed by the PhD student: The student will be responsible for tackling important challenges in the context of organometallic catalysis, optimization of the reaction conditions, isolation of putative reaction intermediates and kinetic experiments.

 

Preferred skills or background: The student should have proven expertise in (a) organometallic chemistry, (b) organic synthesis, (c) optimization of catalytic reactions and (d) proven profienciency in English.

PhD 2026-09 MG

Supervisor: Marcos García Suero

Project Title: Single-Atom Skeletal Editing to Impact Drug Discovery and Chemical Biology.

Number of positions: 1

Description of the project:

Skeletal editing processes that selectively delete, insert or exchange an atom in the skeleton of organic molecules have recently gained considerable momentum. Such processes and synthetic strategies are of significant interest to the pharmaceutical, agrochemical, perfumery and material industries due to their retrosynthetic simplicity and ability to diversify organic molecules at the skeletal level, giving access to a chemical space difficult or not possible to reach through conventional strategies. This project aims to develop a new concept in single-atom skeletal editing aligned with the chemistry developed in the group to impact drug discovery and chemical biology.

Tasks to be performed by the PhD student:

• Capable of decision making, creative thinking and problem solving

• Strong commitment for scientific research in a competitive environment

• Capable of working independently and as a member/leader in a research team

• Reliable in meeting commitments and deadlines

• Demonstrated experience in writing research results in scientific journals

 

Preferred skills or background:

• Completion of a Master’s degree in chemistry

• Solid background in organic synthesis techniques

• Familiarity with organometallic catalysis, photocatalysis, chemical biology

• Proficiency in written and spoken English

• Ability to take initiative and assume responsibility in the planning and development of a research project

PhD 2026-10 JB

Supervisor: José Augusto Berrocal

Project Title: Machine-learning-driven discovery of mechanophores

Number of positions: 1

Description of the project: Mechanical damage sensing is a key challenge in the development of next-generation polymeric materials for sustainability, energy technologies, and predictive maintenance. In this PhD project, the successful candidate will contribute to the AI-accelerated discovery of new mechanophores designed to report mechanical stress and damage in polymeric materials.

The project focuses on triarylmethane- and diarylmethane-based mechanophores, a class of force-responsive motifs pioneered by the Berrocal group, which undergo force-induced bond scission and generate strong optical signals. Possibly, the candidate will also create novel mechanophores different from those already established in the Berrocal group. By combining organic synthesis, flow chemistry and/or high‑throughput experimentation, and artificial intelligence, the PhD student will generate high-quality experimental datasets to train machine‑learning models aimed at discovering new, optimized mechanophores beyond current human intuition.

This PhD position is part of WP4 (AHEAD‑P) within the national AI project 2AID, a coordinated effort that integrates chemistry, materials science, robotics, and machine learning. While the PhD candidate will primarily perform experimental work, they will collaborate closely with AI researchers in the consortium and receive formal training in data science and machine learning, including courses and secondments within the network.

The PhD candidate will benefit from:

• Access to a highly interdisciplinary consortium involving AI experts, roboticists, and chemists.

• Training through dedicated AI schools, workshops, and secondments funded by the project.

• State-of-the-art facilities for synthetic chemistry, polymer science, and automated experimentation.

• A research topic at the forefront of AI-driven materials discovery with strong academic and industrial relevance.

 

Tasks to be performed by the PhD student:

The PhD student will be mainly responsible for experimental data generation and molecular synthesis, with the following tasks:

• Design and synthesis of triarylmethane- and diarylmethane-based mechanophores using modern organic synthesis techniques.

• Execution of batch synthesis and, where appropriate, continuous-flow or high-throughput experimentation (HTE) protocols to accelerate data generation.

• Systematic tuning of mechanophore structure to modulate optical properties, force-activation thresholds, and chemical stability.

• Collection of high‑quality experimental datasets (synthetic yields, optical properties, mechanical activation behavior) suitable for machine-learning training.

• Generation and curation of chemical descriptors and experimental metadata to support AI-driven modeling efforts.

• Integration of synthesized mechanophores into polymer matrices and preliminary evaluation of mechanoresponsive behavior.

• Active interaction with consortium partners developing machine‑learning models, contributing experimental insight and feedback.

• Participation in secondments and training activities within the project network to acquire competencies in machine learning, cheminformatics, and autonomous experimentation.

• Dissemination of results through publications and conference presentations.

 

Preferred skills or background:

We are looking for a highly motivated experimental chemist with a strong interest in interdisciplinary research. Ideal candidates should have:

• A Master’s degree in Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Materials Science, or a closely related field.

• Solid background in organic synthesis and standard laboratory techniques.

• Strong motivation to work at the interface between chemistry, materials science, and artificial intelligence.

• Interest in data-driven research and willingness to learn machine learning concepts (no prior ML experience required).

• Experience with or interest in flow chemistry, automation, or high-throughput experimentation will be considered a strong asset, but is not mandatory.

• Good programming skills (e.g., Python) are a plus but not required.

• Ability to work independently and as part of a multidisciplinary, international team.

• Good communication skills in English (B2 or higher).

PhD 2026-11 BP/EMF

Supervisor: Beatriz Prieto-Simón & Eugenia Martinez-Ferrero

Project Title: Multi-functional sensors for prompt diagnosis and therapy guidance

Number of positions: 1

Description of the project: Biosensors are analytical devices able to provide information about the pathogen causing an infection at its early stages. Specifically, electrochemical biosensors offer several advantages over culture-based methods, mainly based on their fast, highly reliable, sensitive and accurate quantitative response, cost effectiveness and possibility to be miniaturised. The project focuses on fabricating multi-layer mesoporous structures and testing their potential for the sequential detection of two pathogen-related targets. Such sequential detection is expected to provide unique specificity and sensitivity for the detection of a key pathogen, Staphylococcus epidermidis, which is a leading cause of catheter-related bloodstream infection.

 

Tasks to be performed by the PhD student:

• Read and review relevant literature

• Synthesis of hybrid materials by standard laboratory procedures

• Site-specific functionalization of hybrid multi-layer materials

• Characterization of the structure, surface chemistry and electrooptical properties of the material

• Deposition of the prepared materials onto adequate supports

• Analysis of the sensing performance of the materials

• Analysis of the results and preparation of reports

 

Preferred skills or background:

• Strong background in the synthesis of hybrid materials, their deposition and characterization techniques

• Research experience in sensing

• Demonstrated experience working as part of a small team and promoting a collaborative environment.

• The candidate has to be highly motivated and used to work collaboratively.

Supervisor: Emilio Palomares

Project Title: Materials for Energy

Number of positions: 2

Description of the project: Understanding the relationship between structure of the materials and their performance provide valuable information for the smart design of functional materials that lead to efficient devices. The architecture of the solar cells consists of multistacked layers where each layer is made of a different material and plays a specific role. The project aims for the development of efficient hole transport materials (HTMs) and their subsequent application in perovskite solar cells. The analysis of the efficiency of the devices will be correlated with the molecular structure and optoelectronic properties of the HTMs. One position is focused on the design and synthesis of the HTMs and the second position in the fabrication and complete characterization of the devices.

 

Tasks to be performed by the PhD student:

• Synthesis of organic, inorganic or hybrid materials by standard laboratory procedures

• Characterization of the structure and electrooptical properties of the material

• Deposition of the prepared materials onto adequate supports

• Analysis of the performance of the materials in solar cells.

• Analysis of the results and preparation of reports

 

Preferred skills or background:

• Strong background in the synthesis of organic and inorganic materials and in the deposition and characterization techniques.

• Research experience in a lab environment

• Demonstrated experience working as part of a small team and promoting a collaborative environment.

• The candidate has to be highly motivated and used to work collaboratively

The FPI-ICIQ 2025 Call targets outstanding postgraduate students worldwide to support their participation in a training and research programme in chemistry, ultimately leading to a Doctoral Thesis in collaboration with Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV). The Doctoral Thesis will be linked to a research project funded by the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, la Agencia Estatal de Investigación, and the Fondo Social Europeo (FSE+) under the framework of the Call 2024 of Proyectos de Generación del Conocimiento.

The PhD students granted will have the opportunity to develop their professional careers in the fields of academia and industry. This objective is achieved by:

• The performance of an individual research project under the direction of an internationally renowned Group Leader, in a creative and stimulating scientific environment.
• A complementary training programme in both technical and soft skills. The educational framework is designed to ensure a successful career: scientific seminars, hands-on training in the use of state-of-the-art scientific instrumentation, IP management, entrepreneurship, research integrity, knowledge and technology transfer, grant applications, project management, communication skills and career development. ICIQ provides a personalized annual training program for PhD students called SHARP (Severo Ochoa PhD Training Program), which occurs over two weeks each academic year, and focuses on their specific PhD year.
• Opportunities for short stays in distinguished international research institutions.

The programme is addressed to highly qualified, motivated and talented graduate students with a strong interest in research in Chemistry or related fields. Candidates should have an excellent academic record, a deep commitment to scientific research and a solid working knowledge of English.

The process of evaluation and selection guarantees the principles of competition, publicity and transparency.

I. Available positions: See Annex 1

II. Application process

The entire application process will be completed online. Applicants must apply via the ICIQ’s Career Portal. Applications sent by email or any other means will be ineligible.

Only one application per person will be considered. In case of multiple applications, only the first application submitted will be taken into consideration.

After completing the online form, applicants must attach the following documents:

• Required documentation
  1. A full Curriculum Vitae (in PDF format). It should include the academic background, work or research experience, publications, conferences, grants and awards, previous participation in ICIQ programmes, and other relevant merits and references.
  2. A personal statement that describes the applicant’s academic background, research experience and career goals (maximum two (2) DIN A4 pages, in PDF format). The candidate must be able to communicate their interests and how these would align with ICIQ and the PhD training programme. Candidates should also mention the research group where they would like to carry out their PhD and the reasons why they are interested in a particular research project.
  3. Official transcripts of BSc and MSc studies in PDF format. A scanned copy of the certified academic record of the studies granting access to the PhD programme (BSc and MSc). Candidates must have completed their Master’s degree by September 2025 to be eligible for the programme (please refer to section III. Eligibility Criteria for further information on the eligibility requirements). For academic records not issued in Catalan, Spanish or English, a certified translation in English should be provided; otherwise, they will be ineligible and, therefore, not taken into consideration. For degrees obtained in foreign institutions, the academic record must include the range of marks used in the corresponding countries and the minimum mark to pass, as well as the hours or ECTS and marks for each subject.
  4. Contact details for letters of recommendation of two University professors, Researchers in industry or other relevant individuals who can assess the candidate’s potential for research. ICIQ will contact the people listed as references only if a candidate is shortlisted. We suggest informing your references.
  5. English proficiency level: Applicants must provide evidence of their proficiency in written and oral communication in the English language. Preferably, by the submission of a B2 certificate, First Certificate, IELTS 6 or equivalent. This certificate is not mandatory but desirable, and alternatively, late-stage candidates will be interviewed to assess their English level. Applicants from the Anglosphere (UK, Ireland, USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand) are exempt from this requirement.

Applicants should select only one PhD supervisor.

Once the application has been successfully completed, an acknowledgement e-mail will be automatically sent. Candidates must ensure that all information is included before the deadline. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

III. Eligibility criteria

The programme is open to graduate students from any nationality who fulfil the following eligibility criteria:

1. Candidates must have a master’s or an equivalent degree in the areas of Chemistry, Pharmacy, Physics, Chemical Engineering or related disciplines, completed by September of 2025, that allows them to be admitted in a Spanish PhD Programme by the time the fellowship starts (scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2025).

When in doubt regarding the eligibility criteria, applicants should contact ICIQ’s HR Unit at positions@iciq.es before submission of the application.

Candidates who fulfil the eligibility criteria will be evaluated according to the Evaluation Criteria described in point IV.

IV Evaluation criteria:

Criteria 1. Academic and/or scientific-technical career path of the candidate (up to 50 points).

Sub-criteria

1. a) Scientific-technical contributions (up to 45 points). The academic record and other curricular merits of the candidate will be assessed, as well as their suitability for the tasks to be carried out based on training and professional experience.

1. b) Mobility and internationalisation (up to 5 points). Short stays in national and international institutions, universities, and industry will be assessed based on the prestige of the hosting entity and the activities conducted during the stay. Additionally, the impact of the research stays on the candidate’s career will also be considered.

Criteria 2. Adequacy of the candidate to the research activities to be carried out (up to 50 points).

The adequacy of the candidates for the program, project or research activities to be carried out will be assessed based on their previous training and experience. For that purpose, consideration shall be given to the added value that carrying out the project will represent for their research career, as well as the value contributed to the institution and the host research group.

V. Evaluation and Selection Process

The evaluation and selection of the candidates will be performed by the project supervisor, supported by the Human Resources team, and following the procedure below:

1. Submitted applications will be checked for eligibility, and those not fulfilling all the criteria will be rejected. It will not be possible to modify the application or to add missing documentation after the call deadline.
2. The selection will be based on the evaluation criteria described in Section IV.
3. At the late stages of the selection process, short-listed candidates will be contacted for a personal interview.

1. All applicants will be notified of the final selection decision by the end of early October 2024. The names of the awardees will be published on ICIQ’s website. Candidates may submit allegations they deem to be appropriate, within 10 days of the date of the publication.

Successful candidates will be requested to inform ICIQ whether they accept or decline the offer within five business days of being notified. If the applicant does not respond during this time, the offer will be considered declined.

ICIQ follows a gender equality opportunity policy and a non-discrimination policy based on age, ethnic or social origin, religion or belief, sexual orientation, language, and disability in its selection process.

ICIQ is committed to promoting a work-life balance for its employees and, as such, offers flexible working hours.

VI. Fellowship Conditions

1. The awardees of an FPI-ICIQ PhD fellowship will be considered research personnel in training, and they will have an employment contract (a pre-doctoral contract) which is regulated in the Spanish Law 14/2011, of June 1^st, of Science, Technology and Education.
2. The Fellowship Conditions are regulated in the 2024 call of “Proyectos de Generación del Conocimiento” and fellowships for predoctoral researchers associated with these projects, in the framework of the “Plan Estatal de Investigación Científica, Técnica y de Innovación 2024-2027”, Articles 3, 12 and 13.
3. The fellowship includes the salary, the enrolment fees to a PhD program (up to 4 years) and the opportunity to carry out fully funded short stays in other institutions, companies or universities abroad.
4. Pre-doctoral contracts are renewed annually for up to 4 years. Renewal is subject to satisfactory performance in the PhD studies and related research activities. The time spent with previous pre-doctoral contracts will be deducted from the 48 months granted.

The gross annual salary will be divided into twelve monthly payments. At the time of publishing this call, the gross monthly salary is set at 24.348,77 euros. This amount may be adjusted in the event of an increase in the remuneration established by the Statute of Predoctoral Research Staff in Training (EPIF). In any case, the remuneration of the contract may not be lower than 75% of the salary established for equivalent categories under the applicable collective agreements during any of the funded years. It shall also not be lower than the minimum interprofessional wage established annually, under Article 27 of the Revised Text of the Workers’ Statute Law.

To determine these remunerations, the minimum reference category shall be that corresponding to Professional Group M3 of labour personnel. The provisions of Article 12.4 of the 2024 call for “Proyectos de Generación de Conocimiento” shall also apply.

1. The fellowship includes full social security coverage through the Spanish Social Security system, providing access to the Spanish public health care system and pension and unemployment benefits.
2. Recipients of the FPI-ICIQ fellowship may enter a postdoctoral orientation phase if they successfully defend their PhD thesis before the end of the fellowship period. In this case, the PhD student and the supervisor may agree to continue the existing contract for up to 12 months, within a postdoctoral orientation phase. The combined duration of both the doctoral and postdoctoral periods must not exceed 48 months.
3. The fellowship holder is entitled to temporarily interrupt the fellowship in the situations regulated in Article 21. C) of the Spanish Law 14/2011, of June 1st, of Science, Technology and Education and in Article 25.7 of the 2024 call of “Proyectos de Generación del Conocimiento” and fellowships for predoctoral researchers associated with these projects, in the framework of the “Plan Estatal de Investigación Científica, Técnica y de Innovación 2024-2027”. The time elapsed during this interruption will not be accounted for against the total time.
4. The contract will take effect on the date when the awarded student joins the centre.
5. The PhD fellowship awardees will work full-time at ICIQ and may not receive any other fellowship with the same purpose or regular income.

VII. Scientific reporting of the actions for the training of predoctoral researchers associated with the projects.

Pre-doctoral researchers in training are required to report their activities and achieved objectives to the Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades. They must use the templates available on the website of the Agencia Estatal de Investigación. Researchers are obligated to submit two reports: one intermediate report due at month 20 of the fellowship and a final report that covers the entire duration of the fellowship, including the POP phase, if applicable.