Job Information
Organisation/Company: University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU
Department: POLYMAT
Research Field: Chemistry » Other; Engineering » Chemical engineering
Researcher Profile: First Stage Researcher (R1)
Positions: PhD Positions
Application Deadline: 18 Sep 2026 - 00:00 (Europe/Brussels)
Country: Spain
Type of Contract: Temporary
Job Status: Full-time
Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Horizon Europe - MSCA
Marie Curie Grant Agreement Number: 101227206
Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No
Offer Description
The University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) – POLYMAT Institute for Polymer Materials, invites applications for a PhD position (Doctoral Candidate, DC10) within the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Network (MSCA-DN) SCARPA - Sustainable and Circular Footwear Training Program, within the Horizon Europe Programme of the European Commission. SCARPA is a consortium of high-profile universities, research institutions and companies located in Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Denmark and Austria.
About UPV/EHU University
The University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) is a teaching and research institution officially founded in 1980. The university employs over 7.500 people in 31 faculties and schools distributed in three different campuses, with more than 57.000 undergraduate and postgraduate students. The UPV/EHU offers the highest number of doctorate programmes of all Spanish universities, one third of which have received a mention of excellence from the Spanish Ministry of Education. The UPV/EHU has been recognised as an International Research Campus of Excellence by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (MICINN), and in 2021 was awarded the HRS4R award by the European Commission for human resources excellence in research.
Doctoral fellow within the Marie-Curie Doctoral Network SCARPA
Today, fewer than 5% of shoes are recycled, despite growing awareness around sustainability and initiatives from leading brands. Tackling the sustainability challenges of the footwear industry is one of the most pressing and overlooked issues in today’s circular economy transition. SCARPA lays the foundations for a Circular Footwear Economy through a European Joint Doctoral Network that trains 15 Doctoral Candidates (DCs) to become a new generation of scientists, engineers, and policy makers. They will address the full life cycle of footwear — from design to processing, use, reuse, and recycling. Each DC, developing their research skills under the guidance of at least two academic supervisors and an industrial co-promoter, represents a crucial piece of the puzzle. Together, they form a collaborative network that challenges conventional thinking and proposes innovative, system-based solutions to drastically increase material reuse rates in the footwear sector.
General Information
- Position: Doctoral Candidate (DC10)
- Project Title: New and efficient catalysts for footwear depolymerization
- Host Institution: University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) – POLYMAT, Donostia-San Sebastian, Spain
- Supervisor: Prof. Haritz Sardon (UPV/EHU), Prof. Steven De Meester (Co-supervisor at Ghent University)
- Duration: 33 months
- Starting Date: October-November 2026
- Enrolment: Joint PhD degrees awarded by UPV/EHU and Ghent University
Project Description
The successful candidate will develop efficient and robust catalysts for the depolymerization of footwear materials, focusing on polyurethanes and polyester fibres. The research will investigate heterogeneous catalysis, design highly swellable catalysts to overcome mass transport limitations, and establish scalable synthetic routes for heterogeneous resins via suspension polymerization. Expected outcomes include:
- To develop a catalyst capable of efficiently depolymerizing polyurethanes under similar conditions as homogeneous catalysts.
- The catalyst designed will be reusable at least 50 times without loss of activity.
Planned Secondments
- Trinseo (Industry): Assessment of depolymerization strategies.
- Ghent University: Evaluation of downstream processes.
- Polykey: Assessment of scalability of the process.
Where to apply
Website: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdexYqXSmlgkAvboHT5c-b7blXauggm9iwz8KjIDpfngoohvA/viewform
Requirements
Research Field: Chemistry
Education Level: Master Degree or equivalent
Skills/Qualifications
- Master’s degree in Chemistry, Polymer Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or related fields.
- Background in polymers or recycling is a plus but not mandatory.
- Strong laboratory and analytical skills.
- Creativity, independence, and teamwork abilities.
- Excellent English communication skills (oral and written).
- MSCA mobility rule: At the time of recruitment, the candidate must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, study, etc.) in Spain for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately prior to recruitment.
Specific Requirements
Applicants must submit:
- A detailed CV listing education, work experience, publications, relevant other activities, … (Europass format obliged, https://europass.cedefop.europa.eu/documents/curriculum-vitae)
- Motivation: a) why you want to do a Ph.D.?; b) why are you applying for this specific topic?
- A language certificate (IELTS min. 7, TOEFL internet-based min. 90 or similar level as proven by other tests), if available
- At least one recommendation letters (academic reference)
- Transcript(s) of previous academic records
Every applicant can apply for up to three DC positions (first, second, third choice).
Languages: ENGLISH
Level: Excellent
Research Field: Chemistry Engineering » Chemical engineering
Years of Research Experience: 1 - 4
Work Location(s)
Number of offers available: 1
Company/Institute: POLYMAT Institute for Polymer Materials
Country: Spain
State/Province: Guipuzcoa
City: Donostia-San Sebastian
Contact
State/Province: Gipuzkoa
City: San Sebastian
Website: http://polymat.eu
Postal Code: 20018