MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowship 2026 – Holography and Optical Processing Group

The Holography and Optical Processing Group (GHPO, https://web.ua.es/es/ghpo/) comprises researchers and technical staff from the Department of Physics, Systems Engineering and Signal Theory (Higher Polytechnic School), the Department of Optics, Pharmacology and Anatomy (Faculty of Sciences), and the University Institute of Physics Applied to Science and Technology (IUFACyT, https://iufacyt.ua.es/) at the University of Alicante (Spain, www.ua.es). GHPO has expertise in the design of light-sensitive materials and holographic recording photopolymers, in the fabrication and characterization of optical and photonic devices using diffractive optics, as well as in the use and characterization of spatial light modulators, and in the fabrication of micro- and nanostructured devices, optical and holographic sensors, etc. The group has more than 30 researchers and research support staff.

THE PROJECT

In the European Union, pharmaceutical consumption increases every year due to various factors, such as the aging population and the implementation of preventive medicine. This consumption reaches very high levels and generates a large quantity of waste and byproducts that are not adequately degraded in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Treated effluents contain small concentrations of pharmaceuticals, metabolites, and their byproducts, causing pollution and accumulation problems in natural ecosystems. Furthermore, the detection of pharmaceuticals and/or their metabolites is important for the clinical monitoring of patients and for the study and validation of mechanisms of action. In this context, the use of analytical techniques capable of detecting small concentrations of pharmaceuticals, metabolites, and/or their byproducts in biological samples, water, and natural ecosystems is essential. The combination of advanced chemical analysis techniques allows for the precise and quantitative detection of pharmaceuticals, although with significant limitations. The high cost of these analyses, the significant investment in equipment they require, their limited portability, and the need for highly qualified personnel restrict their use, making them unsuitable as a quick and economical way to detect these substances in routine, field, or screening analyses. Therefore, the development of rapid, efficient, and cost-effective methods is necessary to easily detect these substances without the need for expensive equipment or qualified personnel. This line of research proposes the development of new holographic techniques and light-sensitive photopolymers for the detection of these substances, taking environmental factors into account in their design.

CANDIDATE’S REQUIREMENTS:

*Research Field

The applicant, according to his previous background and interest, could will participate in any of the above mentioned research lines that tackle crucial aspects about cost-effective analytical methods for the detection of pharmaceuticals, metabolites, and/or their byproducts in biological samples, water, and natural ecosystems .

* Call requirements:

Warning: Applicants should check eligibility and mobility conditions of MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships, such as:

• a) To be eligible should have a PhD at the time of the deadline for applications and must have a maximum of eight years’ experience in research.
• b) Comply with mobility rules: Not have resided or carried out your main activity (work, studies, etc.) in Spain for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before the call deadline.

* How to Apply:

Applicants shall send a CV (max. 4 pages) including a brief description of your career, main publications, contributions to congresses, and experience in the fieldwork, together with a one-page research proposal to mos@ua.es, before 20st august 2026.

The International RTD Projects Unit will provide you a tailor made support and guidance during the proposal preparation with the following:

• Administrative aspects
• Budget preparation
• Funding & Tenders Opportunities Portal
• Proposal revision by our staff

HOST INSTITUTION

The University of Alicante (UA) was created in 1979. In 2024-25 UA educated and trained 26.473 students (58,79% women) who are enrolled in any of the 54 undergraduate and 96 postgraduate programmes, being one of the fastest growing universities in Spain. UA employs 4.293 researchers and management staff (47% women), with an annual budget of 269 million Euros in 2024. Currently, UA is investing near to 68M Euros to boost frontier research and technology transfer processes via spin off, licensing and international promotion mainly. In 2024, the University received 41.5 million Euros at National, Regional, European level and private R&D thanks to 1.016 new agreements achieved by researchers working in 251 research groups hosted in 13 Research Institutes, most of them multidisciplinary based. Despite its youth, the University of Alicante is already present in the three main university rankings in the world, as shown here.

In 2024, the University of Alicante has consolidated its position in the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU-FIELD), known as Shanghai Ranking, in its classification by fields of knowledge. In the 2024 edition, the University of Alicante has managed to further improve on last year’s excellent performance in the field of Tourism and Hotel Management, when it was ranked 76-100th in the world. Excellent performance has also been achieved in other fields of knowledge, such as in Nursing (151-200) and Chemical Engineering (401-500); Ecology (201-300) and Economics ranked 401-500th in the world classification.

Amongst this international activity, UA´s involvement in European Programmes has been increasing since CECA Programme and improving leadership, taking part in 50 FP5 and FP6, 49 FP7, 51 H2020 and 41 Horizon Europe projects. This activity is not only limited to DG Research, but also intensive in other Programmes: 31 Erasmus, 3 DG Justice Actions, 2 CERV, and 3 LIFE Grants among others (Funding and Tenders EC data). Also, UA is strategically involved in several EU initiatives: BBI, Hydrogen Europe Research, EERA, EOSC, etc.

In terms of international proposal and post grant award, UA offers a tailor made support to researchers at legal, financial and administrative level provided by the International RTD Projects Unit with a strong track record in supporting European RTD-consortia in proposal preparation, communication with the funding authorities and project reporting. UA is also partner of the European IP Helpdesk andcoordinates the Latin America and India IP SME Helpdesks and the is Regional Node of Enterprise Europe Network for 17 years now.

Furthermore, UA became a contact point through University of Alicante’s Research Talent Attraction Office, intended as a one-stop, centrally managed platform to support researchers wishing to join our University.

UA has been awarded with the HRS4R seal, that endorses our commitment to the principles of “The European Charter for Researchers” and “The Code of Conduct for the recruitment of Researchers”.