Phd 2024-20 Jll

The Fully-Funded PhD Programme offered by The Institute of Chemical Research of Catalonia (ICIQ) is aimed at exceptional graduate students from all over the world, to support their enrolment in a training and research programme in the field of chemistry, ultimately leading to the completion of a Doctoral Thesis in partnership with the Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV). The programme will also contribute to their professional career development, 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.
- Opportunities for short stays in distinguished international research institutions.

Admission to the programme is on a competitive basis.

**I. Available positions**:See Annex 1

**II. Application process**

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

- **Required documentation**
- 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, other relevant merits and references.

Please note that documents sent in hard copy cannot be processed.

Applicants should select only ONE PhD supervisor.

**III. Eligibility and evaluation criteria**

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

- Curriculum vitae.
- Personal statement.
- Academic marks.
- English level.

**IV. Evaluation and Selection Process**
- The selection will be based on the evaluation criteria described in Section III.
- All applicants will be notified of the final selection decision throughout the month of November 2024. The name of the awardees will be published on ICIQ’s website.

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

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

**V. Grant Conditions**

1. The awardees of an ICIQ Fully-Funded PhD position 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 1st, of Science, Technology and Education.

3. The gross yearly salary of the contract shall be split into 12 monthly payments and distributed as shown below:

- First and Second year of PhD: 18.180,41€ /year
- Third year of PhD: 19.479,01€ /year
- Fourth year of PhD: 24.348,77€ /year

4. 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.

5. The grant holder is entitled to temporarily interrupt the fellowship in the following situations: temporary disability, risk during pregnancy, maternity, paternity and adoption or foster care. The time elapsed during this interruption will not be accounted for against the total time.

6. The contract will take effect on the date when the awarded student joins the centre.

7. The Fully-Funded PhD includes the costs of enrolment in the PhD programme. These costs will be paid by each beneficiary to the university, and later they will be refunded by ICIQ. The PhD thesis has to be completed within 4 years.

8. The PhD awardees will work full-time at ICIQ and may not receive any other fellowship or regular income.

9. The Fully-Funded PhD position is incompatible with any other fellowship with the same purpose.

**Calendar**

Call opening

September 30th 2024

Call deadline

October 27th 2024

As from October 28th 2024

Start of fellowships:
January 2024

**Supervisor**:Prof. Julio Lloret Fillol**

**Project Title**:Development of CO2 Reduction Catalysts for fuels, materials and food

**Number of positions: 1**

**Description of the project**:
The research will focus on designing new electrocatalysts to transform CO2-to-X in the research group of Prof. J. Lloret-Fillol.

Greener production methods are critical to ensure future sustainability. In this context, electrochemical processes can be powered by renewable energy sources (sunlight, wind, etc.) to transform abundant molecules (water, CO2, etc.) into chemicals. Still, our understanding of these processes is limited, and mechanistic studies are essential to design more active and selective catalysts.

**Training**:
**Tasks to be performed by the PhD student**:
This project aims to develop state-of-the-art catalytic systems, guided by rational design and robotics, to catalyze cascade reactions yielding MeOH, HCOH and polyols. Mechanistic studies with be carried out with the help of advanced spectroscopy, crystallography,