PhD in Sustainable Water Purification and Conductive Hydrogels for Capacitive Deionization BarcelonaTech (UPC) in Spain

PhD opportunity in Barcelona at the Innovation in Materials and Molecular Engineering (IMEM) research group, within the Centre de Recerca en Ciència i Enginyeria Multiescala de Barcelona (CCEM), BarcelonaTech (UPC).

The project, “Next-Generation Hydrogels for Future Water Desalination Processes,” focuses on sustainable water purification through the design, synthesis, and characterization of novel conductive hydrogels. The research aims to develop functional polymer networks with enhanced ion-adsorption capacity for use as advanced electrodes in Capacitive Deionization (CDI) systems for water desalination.

The work combines experimental materials science with advanced characterization and theoretical simulations, making it a strong fit for candidates interested in Materials Science, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Physics, Environmental Science, and Polymer Science.

This is a full-time, 4-year PhD contract (37.5 hours/week), renewable annually, based at the Escola d'Enginyeria de Barcelona Est (Campus Diagonal-Besòs UPC) in Barcelona. The position includes a gross annual salary of €20,364.88 for the first two years and €25,456.20 for the third and fourth years, plus doctoral training, publication opportunities, and conference participation.

Eligibility highlights include a background in Chemistry, Physics, Chemical Engineering, Physical Engineering, or Materials Science; a minimum average grade of 6.5/10 in Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees (8.0/10 preferred); and the applicant must not already hold a PhD.

Application deadline: 2026-07-03. To apply, send your CV, academic transcripts, and two references to Prof. Joan Torras at [email protected].