Seeking post-doc fellow in Catalysis, Materials and Energy

Professor Cyrill Godard, established at the Department of Inorganic Chemistry and Physical Chemistry from the University Rovira i Virgili (Tarragona, Spain), is interested in receiving Expressions of Interest of potential candidates for the Marie Sklodowska – Curie Individual Fellowship (MSCA – IF) 2020 call. Selected candidates will receive dedicated support from my group to write a successful proposal.

The project has to deal with the developments of innovative catalytic systems and processes for the efficient production of fine chemicals and clean energy from raw materials. In view of the actual issues associated to CO2 emissions, the project will particular focus on the CO2 valorization and will involve its use in several processes such as tandem CO2 reduction/carbonylation reactions and direct hydrogenation of CO2 into formic acid. Moreover, the development of well-defined bimetallic nanocatalysts for the industrially relevant alkane dehydrogenation reaction and the use of Supported Ionic Liquid Phase techniques for the continuous production of formic acid are also included.

The general aim of the proposal has to be thus the efficient transformation of renewable raw materials for the production of fine chemicals and energy carriers. To reach this goal, the development of innovative approaches will be planned for either the processes themselves (tandem CO2 reduction/ carbonylation) or through the development of novel catalytic systems for known processes (single atom catalysts for carbonylation and photoelectrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reactions, well defined bimetallic nanoparticles, etc...).

This proposal has to focus on improving the production of chemicals of special interest for industry such as oxo-products that will be obtained from CO2, propene and aromatics from light alkanes, and formic acid.

We are looking for talented and innovative young scientists, strongly committed to high quality frontier research and able to add new insights to the existing URV core expertise. Only candidates with an outstanding record of research achievements and publications in top-quality journals will be considered.

URV as Hosting Institution located at Scientific Campus of Universitat Rovira i Virgili (Tarragona, Spain), has all the technical and scientific facilities for carry out this project.

Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV) is well positioned both nationally and internationally due to the Excellence of its research and the commitment and internationally recognised staff. URV is made up of 12 Faculties and Schools, with 24 Departments, which welcome annually 11.400 undergraduate, 1.500 master and 1.200 PhD students (20% of them full time employees). In 2019, it was named World’s 78th Best Young University aged less than 50 years and 401-500 Best University in the World (by Times Higher Education World University Rankings), and 501-600 by Academic Ranking of world Universities. Being the within the top 10% universities in number and impact of its publications is a clear measure of the quality of the research we can offer to the future MSCA-IF fellows.

Testament to the quality of its research is the fact that URV is host for around 100 MSCA fellows, in different programmes (COFUND, ITN, IF), displaying a strong bond to the principles of the MSCA programme.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

At the deadline for the submission of the proposals (09/09/2020), researchers:

• Shall be in possession of a doctoral degree or 4 years of full-time equivalent experience;
• Must not have resided or carried out their main activities in Spain for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately prior to the above mentioned deadline.
• Must be fluent in English (both written and spoken).

SELECTION PROCESS

Researchers willing to apply should check that they fulfil the eligibility criteria and then send an expression of interest, consisting of:

• A Curriculum Vitae
• A summary presentation of their research proposal / A motivation letter

Expressions of interest must be submitted to uspir@urv.cat (Title of the e-mail “URV- MSCA - IF - Prof. Cyril Godard).

Proposals will be pre-selected on the basis of internal evaluation. Candidates will be informed of the results of the pre-selection a week after the deadline.

WEB of the research group: http://www.quimica.urv.es/tecat/