PhD Opportunity: Circular Economy & Sustainability Science (CARE Project - HORIZON Program)

International Society for Industrial Ecology; Barcelona; Presencial; EUR 25.000 - 35.000; Jornada completa

Descripción de la vacante

A European research organization is seeking a PhD candidate for the CARE Project focusing on assessing circular rebound effects in sustainability science. This role includes developing frameworks for food loss prevention, quantifying project impacts, and engaging with stakeholders in a dynamic research environment. Applicants should have a strong academic background in relevant fields and proficiency in Spanish and English. A permanent contract and various benefits are offered.

Servicios

Permanent contract from day one

Performance-based bonus

Flexible work schedule

Birthday off

Formación

• Minimum academic GPA of 6.5/10.
• Experience or familiarity with project management and LCA software is highly valued.
• Strong background in circular economy-related disciplines.

Responsabilidades

• Developing theoretical and modeling framework for rebound effects of food loss.
• Quantifying performance of pilot projects in Spain and Greece.
• Creating models integrated into LCA-based calculation tools.
• Proposing improvement actions based on pilot case results.
• Writing reports and scientific articles.

Conocimientos

Knowledge in micro and/or macroeconomics

Environmental impact assessment

Project management

Python programming

Life Cycle Analysis software

Fluent Spanish

Fluent English

Educación

Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Applied Sciences, Social Sciences, or Engineering related to Circular Economy

Herramientas

Brightway software

OpenLCA

SimaPro

Descripción del empleo

PhD Opportunity: Circular Economy & Sustainability Science (CARE Project - HORIZON Program)

We are looking for a PhD candidate to join us as part of the “Assessing Circular Rebound Effects under Sustainability Science” (CARE) project, which is part of a European research and innovation initiative funded by the HORIZON program.

The project aims to transform food systems by tackling food loss and waste through reliable data and stakeholder engagement within a unified framework to assess economic, environmental, and social impacts. The goal is to drive systemic change and promote sustainable practices across Europe.

Key Responsibilities

The selected candidate will focus on:

• Developing the theoretical and modeling framework to quantify rebound effects of food loss prevention actions, following Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) principles and sustainability science.
• Quantifying the environmental, social, and economic performance of two pilot projects: one in the meat sector in Spain and another in the fruit and vegetable sector in Greece.
• Creating generalizable models integrated into LCA-based calculation tools, particularly using Brightway software.
• Proposing improvement actions based on the obtained results, both within the project’s pilot cases and at the European level.
• Writing reports and scientific articles.
• Attending project-related meetings, both online and in person.
• Translating research insights into the construction sector, where Grupo Construcía primarily operates.
• Supporting Life Cycle Sustainability (LCS) projects developed by Eco Intelligent Growth (EIG) outside of the PhD scope.

Why Join Us?

We offer a unique opportunity to develop an industrial PhD in a consultancy pioneering circular economy implementation, under the supervision of two leading research institutes known for their excellence in scientific research in economics and environmental sciences:

• Institute of Environmental Science and Technology (ICTA-UAB)
• Institute for Economic Analysis (IAE-CSIC)

The project will be guided by experts and professors specializing in Life Cycle Sustainability (LCS), Environmental Engineering, and Economic Analysis, with strong presence in both academia and industry.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Applied Sciences, Social Sciences, or Engineering related to Circular Economy (e.g., Environmental Science, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, Statistics, Economics, Industrial Engineering, Computer Science, etc.).
• Minimum academic GPA of 6.5/10, calculated based on the total credits of higher education studies that grant access to official PhD programs.
• Knowledge and/or experience in micro and/or macroeconomics and/or environmental impact assessment (e.g., Life Cycle Analysis).
• Experience or familiarity with project management, Python programming, and LCA software (Brightway, OpenLCA, SimaPro, etc.) is highly valued.
• Fluent Spanish and English.

What We Offer

• Permanent contract from day one.
• Performance-based bonus.
• Flexible work schedule, including shorter workdays on Fridays.
• Supportive and dynamic work environment.
• Birthday off as an additional vacation day.