Doctoral Researcher in Bio-Based Construction Materials

Your role

The Ph.D. student will be enrolled in the Doctoral School in Science and Engineering at the University of Luxembourg, and follow a vibrant Ph.D. program that includes training in transferable skills, support for career development, lectures and teaching by international experts and annual Ph.D. symposia. Upon successful completion of the doctoral research, the candidate will receive Ph.D. in Physics degree.

The doctoral candidate will perform wet lab experiments as well as computational analysis to develop innovative biomaterials for next generation of construction materials for terrestrial, subsurface as well as space applications. Techniques including quantitative imaging (nanoscale to macroscale), microbiological assays, micro- and macroscale fluidics, statistical analysis and machine learning tools will be employed extensively. A specific focus will be in advancing biotechnological breakthroughs toward CCUS-conforming biomaterials, which can be tested and valorized as construction materials under real-life construction settings.

Your profile

• A Bachelors and Masters degree in Natural Sciences, Engineering or Technological fields. Graduates in material sciences, soft, living matter, or microbial biotechnology will be preferred
• Wet lab experience, including cell handling and/or culturing will be a plus
• Quantitative imagining, image analysis and image processing skills are considered an important asset for this Ph.D. position
• Familiarity with programming languages is desired, e.g., in MATLAB and/or Python; and basic experience in collaborative code development using Git and GitHub/GitLab will be valuable
• Ability to work and function in an multi-cultural cross-disciplinary team.

Language Requirements:

Applicants must demonstrate at least B2-level proficiency in the language of their thesis. For details and accepted certificates, please visit the Application for admission – Doctoral Candidates.

We offer

• A modern, dynamic university with a personal and inclusive atmosphere. Multilingual and international character. Staff coming from more than 90 countries. Member of The Guild of European Research Intensive Universities
• An exceptional research environment, supported by skilled staff and high-quality equipment. Strong links to professional sectors and the Luxembourg labour market. A unique urban campus with excellent infrastructure
• A partner for society and industry. Cooperation with European institutions, innovative companies, the Financial Centre and a wide range of non-academic partners including ministries, local governments, associations, and NGOs

How to apply

Applications should include:

• Curriculum Vitae
• Cover letter presenting your motivation for this doctoral thesis topic, and explaining how your qualifications and aspirations align with its academic focus
• Transcript of all modules and results from university-level courses taken

Early application is highly encouraged, as the applications will be processed upon reception. Please apply ONLINE formally through the HR system. Applications by Email will not be considered.

All qualified individuals are encouraged to apply. In line with our values, the University of Luxembourg promotes an inclusive culture. We encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds and are dedicated to upholding equality and respect for our employees and students.

General information:

• Contract Type: Fixed Term Contract 36 Month
• Work Hours: Full Time 40.0 Hours per Week
• Location: Limpertsberg Campus
• Internal Title: Doctoral Researcher
• Job Reference: UOL08272

The yearly gross salary for every Doctoral researcher at the UL is EUR 43445 (full time).

About us

The University of Luxembourg is an international research university with a distinctly multilingual and interdisciplinary character.

The Faculty of Science, Technology and Medicine (FSTM) at the University of Luxembourg contributes multidisciplinary expertise in the fields of Mathematics, Physics, Engineering, Computer Science, Life Sciences and Medicine.Through its dual mission of teaching and research, the FSTM seeks to generate and disseminate knowledge and train new generations of responsible citizens in order to better understand, explain and advance society and environment we live in.

The Ph.D. position is embedded within the Climate Nexus Framework project, funded by the Luxembourg Ministry of the Environment, Climate and Biodiversity. This competitive, interdisciplinary, research-intensive Ph.D. position will advance cutting edge cross-disciplinary approaches toward innovating bio-based construction materials, by interfacing concepts and tools from Physics, Microbiology and Structural Engineering.

The project will be executed within the Physics of Living Matter Group, and will function as part of a consortium of multiple research groups engaged in various aspects of carbon capture and storage (CCUS) in Luxembourg. Immediate research synergies with Prof. Markus Schäfer and Prof. Numa Bertola from the Department of Engineering, are foreseen. The project will develop bottom-up innovative solutions for next generation of construction materials, which will be achieved by bridging physics of materials, microbiology and structural engineering.

In addition, the project foresees ample collaborative opportunities with local and European experts in microbiology and biotechnology, with the aim to extend the technological breakthroughs arising from this Ph.D. research into real-life built-in architectures for terrestrial, subsurface as well as space applications.