PhD Student (Ref: PhD 2026-17 JLL)

The Institute of Chemical Research of Catalonia (ICIQ) is seeking a PhD student to work in Prof. Julio Lloret’s Research Group.

ICIQ is one of the world’s internationally recognized leading institutions in the field of chemistry committed to solving major social and economic challenges by conducting top quality research in three main areas: Sustainable Catalysis, Renewable Energy and Health. The institute also aims at training the future generation of scientists by offering high-quality educational programs to masters, PhD students and postdoctoral researchers (full details on

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.
• Opportunities for complementary training 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 offers a yearly personalized training programme for PhD students, SHARP, which takes place during the course of 2 weeks, with training focused on their given PhD year.

Project Title and Description: AI-driven Catalyst Development

Description of the project:

The Lloret-Fillol Group is seeking a highly motivated national or international candidate to pursue a PhD at the Institute of Chemical Research of Catalonia (ICIQ) in Tarragona, Spain. The project will accelerate the discovery of electrocatalysts for converting CO₂ into fuels and chemical feedstocks by combining catalyst design, automated high-throughput experimentation, real-time analysis and artificial intelligence.

The successful candidate will work with AMPER, an automated modular platform for electrochemical research developed at ICIQ. AMPER integrates robotic handling, gas and liquid management, electrochemical testing, analytical instrumentation and modular software control. The PhD project will contribute to converting this platform into a closed-loop self-driving laboratory in which experimental data are analyzed as they are generated and Bayesian optimization, active learning and AI agents propose the next most informative experiments.

The scientific objective is to design and validate selective, robust electrocatalysts - with a strong emphasis on earth-abundant elements - for CO₂ reduction toward fuels and energy carriers. The work will connect catalyst synthesis and characterization with electrochemistry, spectroscopy, mechanistic analysis, automation and data science. The position is embedded in the interdisciplinary RAISE/2AID consortium, which brings together chemists, roboticists and AI researchers.

Training:

The candidate will receive interdisciplinary training in:

• Catalyst synthesis under controlled and inert conditions, electrochemistry and reaction engineering.
• Analytical and spectroscopic methods, including NMR, GC, HPLC, UV-Vis, IR/SEIRA and X-ray absorption methods, as appropriate to the project.
• Mechanistic investigations, kinetics, structure-activity relationships and computational chemistry.
• High-throughput experimentation, experimental design, data processing, Bayesian optimization, machine learning and AI-agent workflows.
• Laboratory automation and instrument integration, including robotic handling, data acquisition, and basic electronics, according to the candidate’s profile.
• ICIQ’s technical and professional-development programme: scientific seminars, state-of-the-art instrumentation, research integrity, IP and technology transfer, entrepreneurship, grant and project management, scientific communication and career development.
• Consortium training activities and a research stay or secondment with collaborating groups, subject to the project work plan.

Tasks to be performed by the PhD student:

• Design, synthesize and characterize new electrocatalysts for CO₂ reduction to fuels and energy carriers.
• Plan and execute high-throughput catalyst-preparation and electrochemical-testing campaigns using AMPER and related automated equipment.
• Integrate real-time electrochemical and analytical data with closed-loop optimization and machine-learning methods to guide subsequent experiments.
• Develop, validate and document reproducible experimental protocols; contribute to the integration of software and hardware modules required by the research workflow.
• Establish structure-activity-selectivity-stability relationships through electrochemistry, spectroscopy, kinetic analysis and computational support.
• Curate high-quality, machine-readable experimental data and contribute to FAIR data practices, scientific reports, publications and conference presentations.
• Participate actively in group and consortium meetings, interdisciplinary collaborations, mentoring activities and scientific outreach.

Requirements

• Candidates must have a Master’s or an equivalent degree in the areas of Computer Science, Physics, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, or related disciplines that must be completed by the time of enrolment in the PhD programme.

Preferred skills or background:

• A Master’s degree (or equivalent qualification granting access to a PhD programme) in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, or a closely related discipline.
• A solid foundation in chemistry, catalysis, electrochemistry or materials synthesis and characterization.
• Strong motivation to work at the interface of experimental chemistry, automation and data-driven research.
• Experience with Python, automation, electronics, experimental design or machine learning is an advantage, but is not required.
• Curiosity, creativity, rigorous experimental practice, good organizational skills and commitment to reproducible research.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a multidisciplinary, international environment.
• Good written and spoken English; an English level equivalent to B2 or higher is desirable.

Who should apply?

We do not expect candidates to arrive as experts in every area. Applicants with a strong chemistry or electrochemistry background and a clear motivation to learn automation, programming and AI are particularly encouraged to apply.

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.
• A personal statement that describes the applicant’s academic background, research experience and career goals (maximum two DIN A4 pages, in PDF format). This is a very important section of the application process. The candidate must be able to communicate their interests and how these would align with ICIQ and a PhD training. 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 group leader and their research project.
• 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 if available). In case that the MSc studies have not yet been completed at the time of the application, candidates must include details on the subjects in which they are currently enrolled (subject name and number of credits). For academic records not issued in Catalan, Spanish or English, a certified translation in English should be provided; otherwise, applications which do not include a certified translation of the academic record will be non-eligible 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.
• Contact details for letters of recommendation of two University professors or other relevant individuals who can assess the candidate’s potential for research. ICIQ will contact the people listed as references only in the event that a candidate is shortlisted. We suggest informing your references.
• 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 Anglosphere (UK, Ireland, USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand) are exempt from this requirement.

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.

2. 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.

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: 19.007,22€ /year

Third year of PhD: 20.364,88€ /year

Fourth year of PhD: 25.456,10€ /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.

OTM-R principles in the selection processes

ICIQ follows the principles of Open, Transparent and Merit-based Recruitment (OTM-R) and the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers as established by the European Commission.

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.

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

Selection Process

ICIQ’s selection process usually entails the following phases:

• Pre-selection: The pre-selection process will be based on qualifications and expertise as reflected on the candidates’ CVs. This phase is merit-based.
• Interview: Preselected candidates will be interviewed by the Hiring Manager of the position and the appointed Selection Committee.
• Offer Letter: Once the successful candidate is selected, the People Unit will extend a Job Offer, specifying the start day, salary and overall job conditions. The validity of the Offer Letter is for 3 months. If the incorporation has not taken place the People Unit together with the PI will reevaluate the situation and terminate the offer if needed.

For further information, you can visit our HR Excellence in Research page at: HR Excellence in Research (iciq.org)