Doctoral Candidate on Better BioBased Polymer (B3PO) B3PO – DC 1

Complutense University of Madrid; España; On-site; USD 34.000 - 47.000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent university in Spain is looking for a motivated PhD candidate to join a project focused on biomass fractionation and lignin extraction. This full-time position offers an opportunity to work in an international research environment and involves collaborations with various academic and industrial partners. Ideal candidates should hold a Master's degree in process or chemical engineering and possess excellent English skills.

Benefits

Access to modern laboratories

Structured training and secondments

Interdisciplinary collaboration

Qualifications

• The applicant should have completed a Master’s degree or equivalent from a recognized university.
• The applicant should show interest in conducting a research project independently.
• Previous laboratory experience is also a plus.

Responsibilities

• Carry out research in biomass fractionation and lignin-based biorefineries.
• Develop integrative strategies for lignin extraction and functionalization.
• Engage in training and public engagement activities.

Skills

Master’s degree in Process engineering or Chemical engineering

Proficient English

Interest in independent research

Education

Master Degree or equivalent

Tools

Aspen Plus

Python

Job description

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 Country Spain Application Deadline 14 Feb 2026 - 23:59 (Europe/Madrid) Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Hours Per Week 40 Offer Starting Date 1 Mar 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: “Process development for tuned Lignin extraction and fractionation from lignocellulosic biomass residues”.

The offered position is available with a starting date between 03.01.2026-04.30.2026 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 research group “Development of Processes and Products of low Environmental Impact ( BIAPYP ) at UCM is looking for a talented and motivated person, who is eager to perform a PhD in the field of biomass fractionation and lignin-based biorefineries. The aim will be the obtention of morphologically- and chemically-tuned lignin-rich solids and phenolic liquid streams that can be used as a lignin platform chemical for their subsequent modification.

The main part of your work will be carried out at UCM (Madrid, Spain Country, with Ass.- Prof. Dr. Victoria Rigual), and a secondment placement (9 months) will take place at BOKU (Vienna, Austria).

Additionally, a secondment placement at a company is foreseen (3 months).

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 February 2026) from a recognized university in Process engineering, or Chemical engineering 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:Previous knowledge of process engineering simulation programs (i.e. Aspen Plus) and programming languages (i.e. Python) is desired. Previous laboratory experience is also 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 (DC3 and DC4) that are also part of the B3PO project under the supervision of Prof. Bolivar.

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 Chemical 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. Ass.- Prof. Dr. Victoria Rigual, [e-mail] .

Incomplete applications will not be considered.

For more information concerning the research project please contact Prof. Ass.- Prof. Dr. Victoria Rigual, [e-mail] .

Deadline:

The closing date for all applications is 15th of February of 2026.

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