Optico jobs in Spain

Organisation / Company Universidad de Alicante Department Department of Physical Chemistry Is the Hosting related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Damian Monllor Satoca , Department of Physical Chemistry , welcomes expressions of interest from Postdoctoral researchers with an excellent track record of research and publication to apply jointly to the European Commission Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship Scheme in 2025 ( MSCA-PF-2025 ).

The main research lines are Research Lines and Aims:

1. Photoelectrochemistry: achieve a better understanding of the factors that make a material suitable for its use as a photocathode for the reduction of water or carbon dioxide or as a photoanode for the oxidation of water. The final objective would be the manufacture of artificial photosynthesis devices for the generation of solar fuels.

2. Batteries: develop cost-effective supercapacitors and batteries based on sodium or magnesium, as well as investigate different energy conversion processes in which electrochemistry plays a role.

3. Applied Electrochemistry: development of electrochemical methods and reactors for the valorization of raw materials (e.g. lignin).

4. Modelling: achieve a detailed mechanistic understanding of the previous systems, through the development of analytical physicochemical models or by numerical simulation (either at the quantum -DFTor macroscopic -multiphysics- level).

Research Facilities:

• Synthesis of materials: in addition to the standard laboratory materials, we have different types of ovens (tubular with controlled atmosphere, conventional), stoves, dip-coater, spin-coater, autoclaves, etc.

• (Photo)electrochemical measurements: the group has potentiostats-galvanostats, allowing to perform conventional (photo)electrochemical and electrochemical impedance (EIS) measurements. We also have different types of 3-electrode photoelectrochemical cells, various light sources (tungsten, Xe and Hg (Xe) arc lamps), a solar simulator, monochromator, optical filters, etc.

• Instrumental techniques: UV-vis spectroscopy equipment (diffuse transmittance and reflectance) and emission spectroscopy (fluorimeter) with temporal resolution are available that can be coupled to electrochemical measurements (spectroelectrochemistry). ATR-FTIRS (Attenuated Total Reflectance IR spectroscopy) and confocal Raman spectroscopy, with the option of carrying out spectroelectrochemical experiments in both cases. Scanning tunnel (STM) and atomic force (AFM) microscopes. Differential electrochemical mass spectrometry (DEMS) system. At the level of materials and thin layers characterization, we have a contact angle meter and a mechanical profilometer.

The project is based on a work published by the group (Nature Commun. 2020, 11, 967; https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-020-14775-2 ), that led to an ERC Consolidator 2021 project (successfully passed Step 1) and a Consolidación Investigadora 2022 Spanish project (granted). In brief, new electrode materials are sought for artificial photosynthesis systems (i.e. the production of solar hydrogen from water), operational both at the lab (TRL 2-3) and demonstrator levels (TRL 3-4). As electrodes, metallic oxides (e.g. WO3) will be used in aqueous media and under solar illumination, which in the presence of redox mediations (e.g. Ag2+/Ag+) that enhance the water photooxidation process through an efficient hole-capture process mediated by silver(I) ions. Interestingly, this mediated process is able to operate even after the light is turned off, thus producing both oxygen and hydrogen during up to 10 h in the absence of light. Thus, the main objectives of the research will be:

1. To obtain the experimental conditions (e.g. type of semiconductor, nano-/meso-structure, electrolyte, pH, mediator concentration, etc) where the oxygen and hydrogen production are optimized.

2. Deduce a plausible reaction mechanism for the mediated process.

3. Optimize the mediated process with additional redox shuttles (e.g. Co3+/Co2+, Ce4+/Ce3+).

4. Design and test a small reactor-demonstrator (TRL 3-4) of the optimized mediated process at the lab scale.

CANDIDATE’S REQUIREMENTS:

*Research Field

The applicant, according to his previous background and interest, could will participate in any of the abovementioned research lines that tackle crucial aspects of photoelectrochemical cells for artificial photosynthetic schemes.

a) To be eligible should have a PhD at the time of the deadline for applications and must have a maximum of eight years’ experience in research.

b) Comply with mobility rules: Not have resided or carried out your main activity (work, studies, etc.) in Spain for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before the call deadline.

* How to Apply:

Applicants shall send a CV (max. 4 pages) including a brief description of your career, main publications, contributions to congresses, and experience in the fieldwork, together with a one-page research proposal to damian.monllor@ua.es , before 15th july 2025.

The International RTD Projects Unit will provide you a tailor made support and guidance during the proposal preparation with the following:

• Administrative aspects
• Budget preparation
• Training on how to write a competitive MSCA PF proposal (July3-4th, 2025) online.
• Proposal revision by our staff

HOST INSTITUTION

The University of Alicante (UA) was created in 1979. In 2024-25 UA educated and trained 26.473 students (58,79% women) who are enrolled in any of the 54 undergraduate and 96 postgraduate programmes, being one of the fastest growing universities in Spain . UA employs 4.293 researchers and management staff (47% women), with an annual budget of 269 million Euros in 2024. Currently, UA is investing near to 68M Euros to boost frontier research and technology transfer processes via spin off, licensing and international promotion mainly. In 2024, the University received 41.5 million Euros at National, Regional, European level and private R&D thanks to 1.016 new agreements achieved by researchers working in 251 research groups hosted in 13 Research Institutes, most of them multidisciplinary based. Despite its youth, the University of Alicante is already present in the three main university rankings in the world, as shown here .

In 2024, the University of Alicante has consolidated its position in the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU-FIELD), known as Shanghai Ranking, in its classification by fields of knowledge. In the 2024 edition, the University of Alicante has managed to further improve on last year’s excellent performance in the field ofTourism and Hotel Management, when it was ranked 76-100th in the world. Excellent performance has also been achieved in other fields of knowledge, such as in Nursing(151-200) and Chemical Engineering (401-500); Ecology (201-300) and Economics ranked 401-500th in the world classification.

Amongst this international activity, UA´s involvement in European Programmes has been increasing since CECA Programme and improving leadership, taking part in 50 FP5 and FP6, 49 FP7, 51 H2020 and 37 Horizon Europe projects. This activity is not only limited to DG Research, but also intensive in other Programmes: 29 Erasmus Mundus, 65 Tempus and 35 Lifelong Learning Projects, 12 DG Justice Actions and 7 Life Grants among others ( Funding and Tenders EC data ). Also, UA is strategically involved in several EU initiatives: BBI, Hydrogen Europe Research, EERA, EOSC, etc.

In terms of international proposal and post grant award, UA offers a tailor made support to researchers at legal, financial and administrative level provided by the International RTD Projects Unit with a strong track record in supporting European RTD-consortia in proposal preparation, communication with the funding authorities and project reporting. UA is also partner of the European IP Helpdesk and coordinates the Latin America and India IP SME Helpdesks and the is Regional Node of Enterprise Europe Network for 17 years now.

UA has been awarded with the HRS4R seal, that endorses our commitment to the principles of “The European Charter for Researchers” and “The Code of Conduct for the recruitment of Researchers”.