Job Information
- Organisation/Company: Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya
- Department: Chemical Engineering
- Research Field: Engineering » Chemical engineering; Engineering » Industrial engineering; Engineering » Materials engineering; Engineering » Water resources engineering
Offer Description
We are looking for a motivated PhD student to develop processing routes to recovery critical elements linked to the ELV batteries from secondary resources. The PhD will be developed within the framework of the HORIZON-CL5: CLIMATE, ENERGY AND MOBILITY project MBAT ((GA-101269147). To decrease the dependency on volatile and external markets for critical battery materials supply. The project aims to demonstrate at a relevant industrial scale (TRL6-7) four innovative and sustainable technologies to produce battery-grade Li, Co, Mn, Ni, and graphite materials; also paving the way to the market uptake of the proposed solution and increasing public acceptance of CRMs production. .
The PhD research work will be performed at Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC) (Barcelona, Spain) within the Department of Chemical Engineering, under the supervision of professors J.L. Cortina and E. Guillen. More specifically, the candidate will join the “Resource Recovery and Environmental Management - (R2EM)” research group, which has a vast experience in separation processes and technologies applied to resource recovery recovery schemes.
The PhD thesis will focus on the development and integration of a processing route of tailings generated in the processing of metal sulphide to recover Co. The work should develop the full hydrometallurgical processing including: i) tailing characterization, ii) tailings concentration using flotation, iii) tailings leaching using HPAl reactors, iv) separation and recovery of Co(II) and well other valuable metals as Cu(II) and Zn(II)., v) production of CoSO4´7H2O with the quality to be use as precursors in the fabrication of ELV batteries cathodes
The PhD project will address:
- Preliminary modelling and theoretical evaluation of the proposed processing stages membrane in terms of: metals recovery, management t of process wastes, water recovery, energy consumption, opex and capex estimations.
- Experimental evaluation (lab scale) of the different technologies (steps in the processing scheme) to achieve metal ELV batteries precursors .
- Generation of high-quality experimental data for scientific publications, model validation and eventually collaboration with the partners developing digital twins within the project.
- Collaboration in the design and operation of the pilot to be tested on-site, generation of data and technoeconomic analysis of the results.
- Dissemination of the PhD’s results in conferences and high rank international scientific journals.
Where to apply
E-mail: jose.luis.cortina@upc.edu
Requirements
Research Field: Engineering » Chemical engineering
Education Level: Master Degree or equivalent
Skills/Qualifications:
- An outstanding MSc degree in Chemical Engineering, Process Engineering, Environmental Engineering or Mechanical Engineering
- Data mining, analysis, visualization and programming skills are highly valued
- Research experience on ion exchange, sorption, membrane processes, crystallization, and/or thermodynamic processes are highly valued
- Interest for technological developments, modelling efforts and building laboratory prototypes
- An integrative and cooperative personality with excellent communication and social skills
- Fluency in English – written and oral
Required Languages: English, Spanish (optional)
Required research experience: 1 – 2 years
Specific Requirements:
- Demonstrated interest in the research topic.
- Good written and spoken English (minimum B2 or equivalent).
- Ability to work independently and as part of an interdisciplinary and international team.
Languages: ENGLISH (Good), SPANISH (Good)
Research Field: Engineering » Chemical engineering; Engineering » Industrial engineering; Engineering » Materials engineering; Engineering » Other
Years of Research Experience: 1 - 4
Additional Information
Benefits: the candidate will benefit from a salary comparatively higher than those offered to PhD candidates in Spain. However, salary will be negotiated on individual qualifications and experience basis.
We offer:
- Contract: Employment contract from Barcelona TECH UPC for a full-time position of postdoc researcher for 36 months, with a monthly salary to be negotiated (based on experience).
- Preferred starting date: 15 of October 2026.
Eligibility criteria
Essential requirements
- MSc degree (or equivalent) in Environmental Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Environmental Sciences, or a related discipline.
- The degree must qualify the applicant for admission to a doctoral programme at the host university.
- Strong academic record.
- Demonstrated interest in the research topic.
- Good written and spoken English (minimum B2 or equivalent).
- Ability to work independently and as part of an interdisciplinary and international team.
Selection process
Selection criteria; Applications will be evaluated based on:
- Academic excellence
- Relevance of previous research experience
- Motivation and fit with the project
- Interview performance
Additional comments
To apply for the position, kindly provide before the 4th of September 2026:
- i) Letter of Motivation, in English, covering the following aspects: reasons for applying to the PhD position, skills and abilities that make the applicant a good candidate, motivations to carry out research abroad, professional interests and expectations. Maximum one page.
- ii) Curriculum Vitae, in English, detailing academic studies, professional career, publications and other relevant achievements;
- iii) Copy of academic qualification(s) – original and translated to English – clearly stating the name of the University issuing the degree, the date of graduation, the final score; copies of official transcripts (marksheets) of academic courses attended to obtain each degree (BSc, MSc or equivalent) - in original language and translated in English – and corresponding Grade Point Average; any other document considered useful (e.g., University Diploma Supplement) to assess the eligibility of the University Degree - in original language and translated in English
Website for additional job details: https://www.upc.edu
Work Location(s)
Number of offers available: 1
Company/Institute: Multiescale Science and Engineering Center (CCEM)
Country: Spain
State/Province: Catalunya
City: Spain
Postal Code: E-08019
Street: Av. Eduard de Maristany
Contact
State/Province: Barcelona
City: Barcelona
Website: https://www.upc.edu/eng
Street: Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya C/Jordi Girona, 31
Postal Code: 08034
E-Mail: jose.luis.cortina@upc.edu
Phone: +34934016570
Mobile Phone: +34677965439
This is a Preview Listing…
You must sign in to see the full job description, and to apply.
Manage / Upgrade this job to a Full Job Listing.
Find Your Best Opportunity
Tell them AcademicJobs.com sent you!
