Lorie Hamelin
1 month ago
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PhD position in advanced Life Cycle Assessment of next-generation low-fossil-carbon chemicals INSA Toulouse in France
Degree Level
PhD
Field of study
Environmental Science
Funding
Available
Deadline
Aug 30, 2026
Country
France
University
INSA Toulouse
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About this position
INSA Toulouse is recruiting a PhD candidate for a project on advanced Life Cycle Assessment of next-generation low-fossil-carbon chemicals, within the Horizon Europe Marie Skłodowska-Curie Doctoral Network PRIME LEAP.
The position is hosted at the Toulouse Biotechnology Institute and sits at the interface of life cycle assessment, process engineering, circular bioeconomy, low-fossil-carbon transition strategies, and potentially machine learning. The doctoral research focuses on the sustainability of emerging methane-to-chemicals pathways, especially integrated plasma and single-atom catalysis routes for producing platform chemicals such as ethylene.
The project aims to develop modular, prospective and parametric life cycle inventories, then perform dynamic and prospective LCA, uncertainty analysis, global sensitivity analysis, and resource criticality assessment. A major goal is to compare the environmental performance of PRIME LEAP pathways with relevant bio-based and petrochemical alternatives, and to identify when, where, and under what conditions low-fossil-carbon platform chemicals production could best be deployed in future European systems.
The PhD student will work on environmental assessment of frontier technologies, supporting open-access datasets, scientific publications, and evidence-based guidance for investment and policy decisions in the European chemical industry. The topic is especially relevant to candidates interested in chemical engineering, environmental engineering, industrial ecology, process modelling, sustainability assessment, and quantitative analysis of emerging technologies.
Supervision will be provided by Prof. Lorie Hamelin at INSA Toulouse, with Prof. Livia Giordano at the University of Milano-Bicocca as co-supervisor. The project includes a mandatory secondment of at least three months.
Funding is provided through MSCA Doctoral Networks for 36 months. The gross package includes a living allowance, mobility allowance, and, where applicable, a family allowance. The appointment is full-time, temporary, and based in Toulouse, France.
Eligibility highlights include a relevant master’s degree, excellent English, strong quantitative skills, and compliance with MSCA mobility and doctoral eligibility rules. The deadline is 30 August 2026.
Funding details
Available
What's required
Applicants must hold a Master’s degree or equivalent in Chemical Engineering, Process Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Industrial Ecology, Energy Systems, Applied Chemistry, Applied Physics, Materials Science, or a closely related discipline; an engineering degree is considered an asset. Excellent written and spoken English is required, along with strong analytical and quantitative skills, ability to work with mass and energy balances, motivation for interdisciplinary research with sustainability scientists, process engineers, plasma physicists, catalysis researchers and industrial partners, capacity to work independently within an international doctoral network, and interest in open science, transparent modelling and reproducible research. Additional assets include experience with life cycle assessment, techno-economic assessment or process modelling; Python or other scientific programming tools; Brightway, Activity Browser, openLCA or ecoinvent; prospective, consequential or dynamic LCA; uncertainty or global sensitivity analysis; handling incomplete or uncertain data; and scenario-based numerical modelling. Candidates must not already hold a doctoral degree, must satisfy MSCA mobility rules, meet INSA Toulouse/MEGEP doctoral school admission requirements, and be willing to undertake mandatory international mobility and secondments.
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