PhD student in Material Science for Project SMART-HAIR (PRISM programme, MSCA COFUND) ESPCI Paris in France

PRISM programme PhD opportunity in Material Science for SMART-HAIR at ESPCI Paris – PSL University, within the SIMM laboratory and in collaboration with L’Oréal Research & Innovation. This position is part of the PRISM PhD Research Programme for International Training in Sustainable Soft Matter (MSCA COFUND), which offers up to 14 fully funded PhD fellowships starting on 1 March 2027.

The SMART-HAIR project focuses on the development of an innovative bio-based coating platform for hair substrates. The research sits at the intersection of polymer science, soft matter physics, surface science, and sustainable cosmetics. The goal is to design natural, biosourced, and biodegradable polymer networks that can provide durable yet reversible hair benefits such as volume, anti-frizz performance, sensory effects, and responsive functionality. The project explores how coatings interact with hair surfaces, how polymer layers behave at interfaces, and how adaptive materials can be engineered for reversible cosmetic properties.

Working closely with academic researchers at ESPCI and industrial experts at L’Oréal, the PhD candidate will investigate hair/coating interactions, physico-chemical properties of polymer layers, and stimuli-responsive material behaviour. The project is highly interdisciplinary and combines chemistry and physics with materials science and soft matter engineering. It is also strongly intersectoral, with direct collaboration between a leading academic laboratory and a major industrial partner, creating an excellent environment for both fundamental research and application-oriented innovation.

The host laboratory, SIMM (Sciences et Ingénierie de la Matière Molle), is internationally recognised for research on polymers, hydrogels, interfaces, adhesion, wetting, transport phenomena, and responsive soft materials. The laboratory provides a collaborative research environment with strong academic and industrial partnerships. The project also includes an international dimension, with mobility opportunities and at least one month of secondment abroad.

Funding is available through the PRISM programme. The fellowship is described as fully funded, with an approximate net monthly salary of €2,200, and additional family and mobility allowances may be available for eligible fellows. All PRISM doctoral candidates are employed by ESPCI Paris. The position is open to international applicants who meet the MSCA mobility rule and the academic eligibility criteria.

Applicants should hold a Master’s degree or equivalent that formally entitles them to start a doctorate. A background in Materials Science, Physical Chemistry, Polymer Science, or a related field is expected, together with a strong interest in polymer chemistry, soft matter, surface science, and physico-chemistry. Experience with materials, polymers, hydrogels, coatings, or surface functionalisation is highly valued. Applicants should be able to work autonomously and rigorously in an interdisciplinary setting, and strong English is required (C1 for applicants from non-English-speaking countries). No French language skills are required.

The application deadline is 31 October 2026 at 23:59 Paris time. Applications must be submitted via the PRISM website. Candidates are encouraged to contact the supervisors before applying to discuss the research topic and project direction.