ICIQ Fully-Funded PhD Programme 2026 – Third Call: Circular Polymers Institute of Chemical Research of Catalonia in Spain

The Institute of Chemical Research of Catalonia (ICIQ), in partnership with the Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV), is offering a fully funded PhD position in chemistry for the 2026 third call. The project is supervised by Prof. Arjan Kleij and focuses on the design, synthesis and application of circular polymers. The research will investigate the catalytic preparation of new polymer systems using both covalent and non-covalent polymerization techniques, with an emphasis on circularity, recycling, upcycling, and improved atom efficiency.

The PhD student will work in a creative and stimulating research environment with access to advanced scientific instrumentation, scientific seminars, and complementary training in technical and soft skills. ICIQ also provides a personalized training programme for PhD students (SHARP), designed to support career development through targeted training in the student’s PhD year. The programme includes opportunities for short research stays at distinguished international institutions.

Research tasks include synthesis of monomers and polymers, screening and optimization of polymerization processes, detailed polymer analysis, catalytic degradation studies, mechanistic experiments, computational analysis, and the use of green metrics to evaluate process efficiency. The project is especially relevant for candidates interested in polymer chemistry, sustainable materials, catalysis, organic synthesis, mechanistic understanding, and environmentally responsible polymer design.

The position is open to highly qualified graduate students from any nationality who have a Master’s degree or equivalent in Chemistry, Pharmacy, Physics, Chemical Engineering, or a related discipline completed by the time of enrolment. Applicants should have an excellent academic record, a strong interest in scientific research, and a good command of English. A B2 certificate, First Certificate, IELTS 6, or equivalent is desirable, though not mandatory; applicants from Anglosphere countries are exempt from this English evidence requirement.

This is a full-time, fully funded pre-doctoral contract at ICIQ, renewable annually for up to 4 years. The salary is 19,007.22 EUR per year in the first and second years, 20,364.88 EUR in the third year, and 25,456.10 EUR in the fourth year, all paid in 12 monthly instalments. The fellowship includes full social security coverage and reimbursement of PhD enrolment costs. The thesis must be completed within 4 years, and the award cannot be combined with another fellowship or regular income.

Applications must be submitted online through ICIQ’s Career Portal. Candidates should upload a CV, personal statement, official BSc and MSc transcripts, and contact details for two referees. Applications by email or hard copy are not accepted, and incomplete submissions will not be considered. The call opened on 5 October 2026 and closes on 8 November 2026.