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Doctoral Candidate DC1 (MSCA FAroGels): Valorisation of seaweed residues for food-grade aerogels
IATA-CSIC near Valencia is hiring a doctoral candidate to turn seaweed biomass and processing residues into lightweight, porous food-grade aerogels. The PhD is awarded by Universitat Politècnica de València in its Food Science, Technology and Management programme.
- Country
- ES
- Experience
- Experience not specified
- Salary / stipend
- MSCA allowances per month (total employment cost before deductions): living EUR 3,833.56 +
- Apply by
- 09 Dec 2026
- Job type
- Full-time
- Work mode
- On-site
- Function
- Research
- Openings
- 1
Contact for this vacancy
This notice lists 1 email and 0 phone numbers to apply or ask about the role.
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Master's degree in food science and technology, food engineering, materials/polymer science, chemistry, chemical engineering or biotechnology
Review the original notice to confirm the requirements. Related degrees are not automatically equivalent; the recruiting organisation decides eligibility.
What you’ll do
- Characterise and pre-treat seaweed residues and fractions
- Formulate and physically structure hydrogels from algal biomass
- Carry out food-compatible solvent exchange and supercritical CO2 drying
- Develop food-safe hydrophobisation of aerogels
- Characterise physicochemical, structural, moisture-response and mechanical properties
- Take part in FAroGels network meetings, training schools and planned secondments at partner organisations
- Prepare reports, deliverables, presentations and publications
What the employer asks for
- Master's degree (or equivalent) in food science and technology, food or agricultural engineering, materials or polymer science, chemistry, chemical engineering, biotechnology or a closely related field giving access to UPV doctoral studies
- Strong experimental and data-analysis skills
- Desirable: biomass or seaweed valorisation, biopolymer extraction, hydrogel or aerogel processing, rheology, FTIR, microscopy, porous-material, moisture-sorption or mechanical testing
- Must not already hold a doctoral degree (MSCA Doctoral Network rule)
- Mobility rule: must not have lived or worked mainly in Spain for more than 12 months in the 36 months before recruitment
- Fluent written and spoken English
- Willing to travel for secondments, network meetings and training schools
- Able to work independently and in an international team
Selection process
- Eligibility check and pre-selection of applications
- Interviews (planned January 2027)
- Final evaluation and outcome (February 2027)
Documents to keep ready
- Detailed CV with countries of residence, study and work for the last 36 months
- Motivation letter
- Bachelor's and Master's diplomas and transcripts (or proof the Master's will be finished before recruitment)
- Contact details of two referees and reference letters
- Proof of English proficiency if required
- MSCA eligibility declaration and passport or ID copy
Pay, benefits and perks
- Full-time 36-month employment contract with social-security coverage
- MSCA living, mobility and (if applicable) family allowances
- Personal Career Development Plan
- Structured doctoral training and transferable-skills courses
- Planned secondments at academic and industry partners
- Visa support after selection for non-EU candidates
About the employer
FAroGels is a Horizon Europe Marie Sklodowska-Curie Doctoral Network (grant 101312450) developing food-grade, bio-based aerogels for sustainable food systems. CSIC is Spain's largest public research organisation; its Institute of Agrochemistry and Food Technology (IATA) in Paterna is a multidisciplinary food-research institute.
How to apply
Apply by email to amparo.lopez@iata.csic.es.
Applications close 9 December 2026, 23:59 CET
Skills for this role
What employers ask for in Research (JRF / SRF / PhD / Postdoc) roles. named in this notice
- Biomass fractionation
- Hydrogel and aerogel processing
- Supercritical CO2 drying
- Freeze-drying
- Rheology
- FTIR spectroscopy
- Microscopy
- Moisture sorption
- Mechanical testing
- PhD
- Junior Research Fellow
- JRF
- Senior Research Fellow
- SRF
- Postdoctoral
- Research Associate
Prepare for the interview
Questions commonly asked for Research (JRF / SRF / PhD / Postdoc) roles. Practise answers with an example and a number.
- Summarise your dissertation or main research project in two minutes for a non-specialist panel.
- Why this group or lab, and how does your experience fit the project described in the call?
- How did you design your experiments and choose the statistical analysis?
- Which analytical techniques have you used hands-on, and what were their limitations?
- What would be the first three months of work on this project if you were selected?
- Tell us about a result that did not work and what you did next.
Before you apply
- Read the original notice end to endDates, eligibility and the application route are decided by the employer, not by FSD.
- Tailor your resume to this vacancyMatch the keywords in the requirements. Resume Studio shows what is missing.
- Prepare a short research statementOne page on your project experience and why this group or call fits.
- Line up refereesMost calls ask for two or three referees; tell them in advance.
- Check the funding termsFellowship amount, duration, HRA and eligibility (NET / GATE) differ between calls.
Source & editorial check
Apply through BOTH channels: email the documents as PDFs to amparo.lopez@iata.csic.es with subject 'FAroGels DC1 application - SURNAME', and complete the form at farogels.eu/apply. Main supervisor Dr Amparo López-Rubio (CSIC). Fixed-term 36-month full-time employment contract; expected start July 2027. Applicants of any nationality may apply.
Original posting: Date not stated
Checked 2026-11-05 · Updated 2026-11-05
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