PhD Candidate, Bioprocess Engineering & Biocatalysis (MSCA)

Complutense University of Madrid; España; Presencial; EUR 30.000 - 50.000; Jornada completa

Descripción de la vacante

A prestigious university in Spain is offering a PhD position focused on bioprocess engineering and biocatalysis. The candidate will work on enzyme-assisted modification of lignin-derived phenolic liquors, contributing to the B3PO project. Ideal for those with a Master's degree, excellent English skills, and a passion for research. The role offers unique international exposure and training opportunities.

Servicios

Access to modern laboratories

Structured training

Formación

• Completed a Master’s degree or equivalent in relevant fields.
• Interest in conducting independent research.
• Willingness to work in an international, interdisciplinary environment.

Responsabilidades

• Perform a PhD in bioprocess engineering and biocatalysis.
• Study enzyme-assisted modification of lignin-derived phenolic liquors.
• Participate in training and workshops organized by the B3PO MSCA-DN.

Conocimientos

Enzyme biocatalysis

Biopolymer modifications

Analytical chemistry

Applied kinetics

English proficiency

Educación

Master’s degree or equivalent

Descripción del empleo

Organisation/Company Complutense University of Madrid Department Chemicals and Materials Engineering Research Field Engineering » Chemical engineering Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1) Positions PhD Positions Application Deadline 14 Feb 2026 - 23:59 (Europe/Madrid) Country Spain Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Hours Per Week 40 Offer Starting Date 1 May 2026 Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Horizon Europe - MSCA Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

Information about the B3PO project:

The Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials at Complutense University of Madrid (UCM) offers a PhD position for a doctoral candidate/MSCA fellow for the project: “Reaction engineering for the Enzyme-Assisted Modification of Solid Lignin”.

The offered position is available with a starting date between 01.05.2026- 01.09.2026 for a maximum duration of 3 years. The fellowship is funded as part of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) project “B3PO – Better BioBased Polymer” under the European Commission’s Horizon Europe programme.

The B3PO consortium comprises 9 academic laboratories with core expertise in biotechnology, organic polymer synthesis, and materials science, together with world-class industrial players in enzyme and polymer production, as well as four high-tech SMEs.

The transition to a sustainable, circular economy is a major global challenge, and chemists are essential in leading this transformation. Lignocellulosic feedstocks (LCF), sourced from locally available biomass, present a viable alternative to fossil resources and are a key focus of the European Green Deal. However, their effective use is complex and demands the combined expertise of chemistry, industrial biotechnology, polymer science, and materials engineering.
The B3PO initiative addresses this challenge through three main objectives:

• Dis-assembly – developing integrative “lignin-first” strategies for extraction, fractionation, and enzymatic functionalization of lignin.
• Bio-assembly – synthesizing new biobased polyesters from lignocellulosic feedstocks.
• Re-assembly – polymerizing the resulting biobased monomers into fully biobased polyesters.

The FQPIMA group at the Department of Chemical Engineering at UCM is looking for a talented and motivated person, who is eager to perform a PhD in the field of bioprocess engineering and biocatalysis. The aim is to study the enzyme-assisted modification of lignin-derived phenolic liquors to gain control on the grafting of bio-polymers (e.g. cellulose-rich solids obtained from different biomass resources). Design immobilized enzymes for phenolic liquors; optimize grafting to biopolymers using enzymatic systems.

The project (DC04) will be a co-supervised by Prof. Juan M. Bolivar (UCM, Madrid) and Prof. Rupert Kragl (TUG, Austria) as a double degree PhD project with a 9-months secondment to the TUG. An industrial secondment in Novonesis is also planed..

The PhD candidate will also be required to participate in the training and workshop organized by the B3PO MSCA-DN. As a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions fellow, it is also expected to contribute your time in the dissemination of your project’s result through public engagement and other scientific platforms.

Where to apply

E-mail [e-mail]

Requirements

Research Field Engineering » Chemical engineering Education Level Master Degree or equivalent

Skills/Qualifications

Requirements for the applicant:

• The applicant should have completed a Master’s degree or equivalent (before the start of Recruitment around 01.02.2026) from a recognized university in (Bio)process engineering, (Bio)chemical engineering, industrial biotechnology and should be eligible as graduate student at UCM.
• The applicant should show interest in conducting a research project independently and should enjoy the work in an international, interdisciplinary environment.
• The applicant should have an excellent command of the English language at a proficient level (spoken and written) and the willingness to learn the local language of the recruiting country.

Additional requirements: Experience in enzyme biocatalysis, previous experience in biopolymer modifications, Knowledge of applied kinetics, and analytical chemistry is a plus.

Languages ENGLISH Level Excellent

Research Field Engineering » Chemical engineering

Additional Information

Working conditions

We offer an international research environment with access to modern laboratories, state-of-the-art technologies, and interdisciplinary collaboration within a European Doctoral Network. The PhD student will benefit from structured training, international secondments, and transferable skills courses. Additionally, the PhD student will be closely working with other two international PhD students (DC1, DC2, DC3) that are also part of the B3PO project.

Eligibility criteria

MSCA eligibility (must-have): At the time of recruitment, the applicant must be in the first four years of their research career, must not hold a doctoral degree, and must not have resided in Spain or carried out their main activity (work or study) there for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately prior to the recruitment date.

We emphasize equal opportunities in the bioprocess engineering sector. We support the applications of female candidates in areas where they are underrepresented and encourage female candidates to apply for this program. Also, applications from handicapped candidates are very welcome.

Selection process

Application Procedure

To apply for the position, kindly provide: (i) a letter of motivation including a 1-page statement of your research interests, relevant skills and experience; (ii) a CV including publication list (if available); (iii) copies of university degrees and courses; and (iv) names and e-mail addresses of two scientists who can serve as references. All materials should be attached as a single PDF file (max. size 5MB).

For interested applicants, please submit your application to Prof. Juan M. Bolivar [e-mail]

Incomplete applications will not be considered.

For more information concerning the research project please contact [e-mail]

Number of offers available 1 Company/Institute Faculty of Chemical Sciences, Deparment of Chemical Engineering Country Spain State/Province Madrid City Madrid Postal Code 28040 Geofield