PhD position in H2/NH3 combustion for a reverse-flow pressurized rich-quench-lean combustor (DESIRE DC14) Université Libre de Bruxelles in Belgium

Université Libre de Bruxelles is offering one fully funded PhD position within the MSCA Doctoral Network DESIRE (Decarbonising Energy-intenSIve industries with REnewable synthetic fuels). The project addresses the urgent need to decarbonize energy-intensive industries and transport by developing and studying electrofuels and other renewable synthetic fuels as realistic low-carbon alternatives to fossil-based combustion.

The available position is DC14: H2/NH3 combustion in a reverse-flow, pressurized, rich-quench-lean combustor. The work is based at the Aéro-Thermo-Mécanique department of ULB in Brussels and is supervised by Professor Alessandro Parente, with academic collaboration and co-supervision by Professor Christian Hasse at TU Darmstadt. The research sits at the interface of combustion science, chemical kinetics, fluid dynamics, and computational modelling, with a strong emphasis on hydrogen and ammonia combustion in practical high-pressure combustor configurations.

The DESIRE network will train 15 PhD researchers and combines academic and industrial partners across Europe. The project includes advanced experimental and computational work on e-fuels such as H₂, NH₃, CH₃OH, DME, and OME, with applications in industrial furnaces, gas turbines, burners, and transport engines. Researchers will benefit from interdisciplinary training in CFD, experimental diagnostics, digital modelling, and techno-economic assessment, alongside secondments, courses, networking, and conference participation.

The recruited researcher will be enrolled in a 3-year PhD programme and trained for 3 years. Two secondments are planned: a 12-month academic secondment at TU Darmstadt focused on computational modelling, and a 3-month industrial secondment at ENGIE focused on application and techno-economic assessment of hydrogen/ammonia blends for power generation.

Funding is provided through Horizon Europe / MSCA. The gross salary is 4,000 EUR/month, with an additional 660 EUR/month family supplement if applicable. The position is full-time and temporary. Eligibility follows MSCA Doctoral Network rules, including no prior PhD and compliance with the mobility rule (not having resided or carried out the main activity in Belgium for more than 12 months in the 36 months before recruitment).

Applicants should have, or be about to obtain, a master’s degree in mechanical engineering, chemical engineering, energy engineering, aerospace engineering, applied physics, or a closely related field. A strong background in thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, heat transfer, and combustion is expected, along with good English and an ability to work independently and in an international research team. Experience with combustion experiments, optical diagnostics, instrumentation, data acquisition, scientific programming, or CFD would be advantageous.

The deadline for applications is 7 October 2026. To apply, candidates should email a motivation letter, European-format CV, academic transcripts and degree copies, referee contacts, publication list and thesis details if available, and English proficiency evidence where required to [email protected] with the subject “DESIRE DC14 application”.