PhD project ELIXIR2 – MSCA COFUND LIGHTinPARIS Doctoral Programme Université Paris-Saclay in France

The LIGHTinPARIS Doctoral Programme is offering a fully funded PhD project, ELIXIR2, in the domain of light sciences at Institut d’Optique Graduate School / Université Paris-Saclay in France. This project is part of the programme’s 3rd call for PhD fellowships, cofunded by the European Union through Horizon Europe MSCA COFUND and co-financed by Université Paris-Saclay and industrial/non-academic partners.

ELIXIR2 explores indirect excitons in innovative 2D semiconductor hetero-nanostructures. The research focuses on the photophysics of excitons in assemblies and heterostructures of two-dimensional colloidal nanoplatelets. The PhD candidate will use time-resolved Stark spectroscopy to study charge transfer, energy transfer, exciton recombination and dissociation, and the tuning of excitonic energy and coupling. The dynamics will also be probed using photoluminescence spectroscopy with a picosecond streak camera and femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy. Close interaction with sample development at ILM will be important for achieving high-quality interfaces and composition control.

The project sits within the NanO Optics and Spectroscopy (NOOS) team in the LuMIn laboratory, with a 3i interdisciplinary secondment at Institut Lumière-Matière (ILM), Lyon. This makes the project attractive for students interested in photonics, optics, nanophotonics, 2D materials, ultrafast spectroscopy, lasers, and materials chemistry.

The position is a 36-month, full-time, fixed-term French doctoral employment contract starting 1 January 2027. It is fully funded and includes a competitive gross monthly salary of at least 2400 EUR, plus a 200 EUR monthly travel and mobility allowance. Doctoral school enrolment fees are covered for the three years of the fellowship. The programme also offers training in research, innovation, and transferable skills, and may include opportunities for teaching or other professional experience.

Eligibility requires a Master’s degree or equivalent by the application deadline. For this specific project, a Master’s degree in Physics or Physical Chemistry is required, with background in quantum mechanics, solid-state physics, and materials science. Experience in exciton photophysics or optical spectroscopy is expected, as well as basic programming skills such as Python. A good B2 level of English is mandatory; French is not required. Candidates must also satisfy the MSCA mobility rule and obtain the necessary security clearance for work in French science and technology research facilities.

Applications must be submitted through the LIGHTinPARIS application portal. Applicants should first verify eligibility, review the thesis subject details, and contact the project supervisor to discuss the scientific background and fit. The registration deadline is 15 September 2026 at 12:00 Paris time, and the final submission deadline is 21 September 2026 at 12:00 Paris time.