Fully funded PhD in photocatalysis and CO₂ photoreduction at Université de Lorraine Université de Lorraine in France

Fully funded PhD position at Université de Lorraine (Metz, France) in photocatalysis and CO₂ photoreduction, hosted at L2CM_UMR7053 / Laboratoire Lorrain de Chimie Moléculaire. The project sits at the interface of organic chemistry, organometallic chemistry, electrochemistry, and photophysics, with a strong focus on designing and synthesizing novel organic and organometallic photosensitizers, studying earth-abundant metal coordination chemistry, and developing new carbonylation/CO₂-to-CO reactivity.

The PhD will involve structural characterization (NMR, IR, MS, GC, GC-MS, X-ray diffraction), mechanistic investigations, photophysical measurements, electrochemical studies, and DFT calculations. The announcement highlights work with earth-abundant metals such as Co, Cu, and Al, and aims to build homogeneous photocatalysts for CO₂ conversion and related organic synthesis applications.

Eligibility: applicants should hold a Master’s degree (or equivalent) in Organic Chemistry, Organometallic Chemistry, or a related field. A strong background in multistep synthesis and air/moisture-sensitive techniques is required. Experience in photocatalysis, electrochemistry, or photophysics is preferred. Excellent English is required; French is welcome but not mandatory.

Funding and duration: fully funded doctoral contract for 36 months, starting October 2026.

Application: submit a single PDF with cover letter, CV, academic transcripts, and contact details for one referee by email to the listed supervisors. Deadline: 31 May 2026.