PhD Student - Multidisciplinary System-Level Trade-Offs for Environmental Impact of Reusable Launch Vehicle First Stages ONERA in France

PhD Student - Multidisciplinary System-Level Trade-Offs for Environmental Impact of Reusable Launch Vehicle First Stages

This PhD position is part of the SLICE (Space Launch Impact on Climate and Environment) project, funded by Horizon Europe MSCA, and hosted at ONERA, the French national aerospace research center. The project addresses the urgent need to understand and mitigate the environmental impacts of increasing space launch activities, focusing on the operational phase of launch vehicles from lift-off to landing or reentry. The research aims to bridge the gap between space engineering and climate science, advancing life-cycle analysis (LCA) of space launch systems and contributing to the European Green Deal and EU Space Law.

The doctoral candidate will develop multidisciplinary optimization approaches to assess system-level trade-offs between performance, cost, and environmental impacts for reusable first stages of launch vehicles. The work will involve trajectory simulation and optimization for various architectures (e.g., toss-back, glide-back), multi-fidelity modeling, uncertainty quantification, and integration of high-fidelity data. The project includes secondments at the Paul Scherer Institut (Switzerland) and ISAE-SUPAERO (France) for collaborative research on LCA and rocket emissions.

ONERA offers a vibrant research environment with over 2,000 staff, including 1,500 scientists and engineers, and covers all major aerospace disciplines. The Information Processing and Systems Department (DTIS) provides expertise in automatic control, signal and image processing, system design, and advanced methodologies such as MDO, surrogate modeling, and deep learning. The SLICE consortium provides structured training, international networking, and opportunities for conference participation and outreach.

Funding and Benefits: The position is fully funded for 36 months under MSCA regulations, including a competitive salary, living and mobility allowances, and, if eligible, a family allowance. Employer contributions to social security and health insurance are included. The candidate will benefit from international collaboration, training, and secondments within the SLICE network.

Eligibility and Requirements: Applicants must have an MSc or equivalent in aerospace engineering or a related field, with strong skills in simulation, optimization, modeling, and ecodesign. Excellent English communication skills and the ability to work in diverse, interdisciplinary teams are essential. Candidates must comply with the MSCA Mobility Rule and must not have been awarded a doctoral degree at the time of recruitment. Knowledge of French and experience in ecodesign, climate sciences, or LCA are advantageous.

Application Process: Submit a single PDF with the required documents and a short motivation video by email to [email protected], subject 'Application for DC15 position', by 31 March 2026. The selection process includes document review, interviews, and a position-specific task. The expected start date is 1 October 2026.

For more information, visit https://slice-dn.eu/ or contact [email protected] or Dr. Loic Brevault ([email protected]).