Job Information
- Organisation/Company: INESC MN
- Research Field: Engineering » Electrical engineering; Engineering » Materials engineering
Offer Description
PUBLIC NOTICE for 2 junior PhD research positions at INESC MN - Portugal
(Reference: Project MSCA DN SPARK)
INESC MN (www.inesc-mn.pt) is opening two (2) PhD research positions (uncertain term employment contracts) within the scope of the project SPARK (https://spark-doctoral.eu/), funded by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Doctoral Network.
INESC Microsistemas e Nanotecnologias (INESC MN) is a private, non-profit Research and Development Institute whose mission is leading edge research and development in strategic technological areas of micro- and nanotechnologies and the application of these technologies to electronic, biological and biomedical devices. INESC MN manages two clean rooms facility for R&D and technology transfer, as well as to provide advanced training to undergraduate and graduate students and researchers at Master, PhD and post-doctoral levels, acting as a bridge between Instituto Superior Técnico (IST), the Engineering School of the University of Lisbon and industrial partners worldwide.
INESC MN has a young, innovative and dynamic work environment.
WHAT SPARK OFFERS
- Funded research stays at partner universities and companies;
- Training program including research-specific and transferable skills courses;
- Active participation in workshops, conferences, and network-wide events to build professional and scientific connections;
- Stimulating, multidisciplinary, and international research environment within a prestigious European training network.
JOBS DESCRIPTION
Position #1 – PhD Researcher in the area of inverse-designed metasurfaces for ultrashort vector pulses
Main supervisor: Prof. Marco Piccardo (INESC MN, Instituto Superior Técnico Lisboa)
Co-supervisor: Prof. M. Lobet (UNamur, Belgium)
Objectives and research stays:
This PhD project develops topology-optimized metasurfaces to generate intense ultrashort vector pulses for applications in nonlinear optics and ultrafast nanomagnetism. The objectives are to create inverse-design algorithms for polarization optics under ultrafast excitation, fabricate large-area metasurfaces, and demonstrate the synthesis of intense ultrashort vector pulses.
Secondments include 3 months at UNamur (M. Lobet) in Year 1 for benchmarking inverse-design methods, 3 months at INL (International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory – Portugal) in Year 2 for large-scale fabrication, and 3 months at JCMwave (Germany) in Year 2 for GPU-accelerated optimization. By enabling the generation of new structured light fields from metasurfaces, the doctoral candidate establishes the technological foundation for spatiotemporal pulse shaping across the SPARK research programme.
Evaluation Committee | Jury:
- Michael Lobet — Professor — UNamur
- Ricardo Cabeça — Technology Coordinator — INESC MN
- Marco Piccardo — Researcher/Professor — INESC MN/ IST Técnico
Position #2 – PhD Researcher in the area of space-time beams for applications in optical communications and radiation generation
Main supervisor: Prof. Marco Piccardo (INESC MN, Técnico Lisboa)
Co-supervisor: Prof. N. Maccaferri (Umeå University, Sweden)
Objectives and research stays:
This PhD project explores space-time beams carrying angular momentum—light springs—for applications in optical communication and radiation generation. The objectives are to engineer beams with multidimensional spatiospectral correlations, study their interactions with charged particles and nonlinear (Kerr) materials, and exploit these interactions to realize tunable synchrotron-like radiation sources.
Secondments include 3 months at Nireos (Italy) in Year 2 for validation of high-power light-shaper setups and 6 months at Umeå University (N. Maccaferri) in Year 3 to study ultrafast polariton dynamics. By transforming spatiotemporal light beams into practical tools for communication and radiation technologies, the doctoral candidate contributes to demonstrating high-capacity and tunable light-matter systems across the SPARK research programme.
Evaluation Committee | Jury:
- Nicoló Maccaferri — Professor — Umeå University
- Ricardo Cabeça — Technology Coordinator — INESC MN
- Marco Piccardo — Researcher/Professor — INESC MN/ IST
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR BOTH POSITIONS | Mandatory Requirements
- Education level: Master’s degree in physics, applied physics, optics or photonics, electrical engineering, materials science or engineering, or a closely related subject.
- Not having a doctoral degree at the time of recruitment.
- Not having resided or carried out main activity (work, studies, etc.) in Portugal for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before recruitment (this is a requirement from the granting authority).
- Proficiency in English.
- Expertise in at least one of the following areas: photonics, metasurfaces, lasers, ultrafast optics, inverse design, numerical methods for nanophotonics, and/or nanofabrication.
- Available fulltime
EXPECTED DURATION AND EXPECTED STARTING DATE FOR BOTH POSITIONS
Expected duration: 36 months, starting in February, 2027.
LEGISLATION
Uncertain term contracts celebrated according to the Portuguese Labour Code - Lei n.º 7/2009 (vg. art. 140º, n. 1 and n. 2, al. g), art. 148º, n. 5).
MONTHLY REMUNERATION AND OTHER BENEFITS
The Employees are entitled, prior to any deductions or withholdings, to a monthly pay of €2,518, corresponding to level N17 of INESC MN’s salary table and the amount of €10.46 for each actual day of work, as meal allowance.
In addition to the 12 monthly salary payments, employees are entitled to holiday and Christmas allowances, corresponding in a full year of employment to two additional salary payments, prior to any deductions or withholdings, in accordance with Portuguese law.
Employees will also be entitled to a health insurance and, if the family status complies with the necessary requirements, a family allowance of approximately €490.00 per month, prior to any deductions or withholdings (12 payments per year).
FORMALISATION OF APPLICATIONS
Applications are formalised by sending an email to (marco.piccardo@inesc-mn.pt) with the documents (in pdf) stated below.
The application email should clearly state the reference of the research contract (Reference: MSCA DN SPARK).
- detailed curriculum vitae (including grades, nationality and gender for statistical needs)
- motivation letter describing how the candidate fits the eligibility criteria and matches the preference factors
- a copy of the official academic degree certificate
- name and contact details of one person who could provide a reference letter upon request
For candidates with degrees granted by foreign higher education institutions it is mandatory to have a degree or diploma recognition by a Portuguese higher education institution before the beginning of the PhD program.
All the documents should be made available in English.
INESC MN will treat the candidates’ data lawfully, fairly, and transparently. All personal information collected is handled strictly according to GDPR requirements.
APPLICATION DATES
The application period is from 14/09/2026 until 14/11/2026 (23:59 GMT)
EVALUATION CRITERIA
Each application will be evaluated according to the following criteria (maximum: 100 points):
- Cover letter and motivation (20%)
- Quality of CV (30%)
- Academic Record
- Scientific publications
- Technical Experience (50%)
Candidates for each of the position will be ranked according to their final score and the position will be offered to the top candidate. The selection committees can, at its discretion, designate an ordered waiting list based on the next ranking candidates who would be offered the position should the previous candidate decline the offer.
However, INESC MN reserves the right to close the recruitment without offering the positions or to restrict the number of candidates on the waiting list.
The Evaluation Committees may also decide not to assign the position, if none of the candidates meets the required conditions.
COMPLAINT AND APPEAL DEADLINES AND PROCEDURES
The jury reserves the right not to select a candidate who does not prove the requirements mentioned in required education Level and research experience.
The candidate admitted for the positions as well as excluded candidates will be notified by email of the results of the evaluation, including the final ranking list as well as the copy of the Preliminary Report of the jury.
Prior Hearing and Deadline for Final Decision: after being notified, candidates have 10 working days to submit, if applicable, a formal rebuttal.
After that period, the jury notifies the candidates of the Final Report.
Excluded candidates may complain about the jury's final report for 10 working days after notification or appeal the jury's decision to the INESC MN Administration Board for 30 working days after notification.
NON-DISCRIMINATION AND EQUAL ACCESS POLICY
INESC MN actively promotes a policy of non-discrimination and equal access, so that no candidate can be privileged, benefited, disadvantaged or deprived of any right or exemption from any duty owing, in particular, to ancestry, age, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, family status, economic situation, education, social origin or condition, genetic heritage, reduced working capacity, disability, chronic illness, nationality, ethnic origin or race, territory of origin, language, religion, political or ideological beliefs and trade union membership.
Possible career breaks due to family responsibilities, civil/military service or career changes will not be penalised in the recruitment process.
Under the terms of the Portuguese Law a disabled candidate has a preference when in equal classification, which prevails over any other legal preference. Candidates must declare on the application form their respective degree of disability, the type of disability and the means of communication / expression to be used in the selection process, under the terms of the aforementioned diploma.
Funded by the European Union under Grant Agreement 101310184. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Research Executive Agency (REA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
Where to apply
E-mail: marco.piccardo@inesc-mn.pt
Requirements
Research Field: Engineering » Electrical engineering
Education Level: Master Degree or equivalent
Skills/Qualifications
- Education level: Master’s degree in physics, applied physics, optics or photonics, electrical engineering, materials science or engineering, or a closely related subject.
- Not having a doctoral degree at the time of recruitment.
- Not having resided or carried out main activity (work, studies, etc.) in Portugal for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before recruitment (this is a requirement from the granting authority).
- Proficiency in English.
- Expertise in at least one of the following areas: photonics, metasurfaces, lasers, ultrafast optics, inverse design, numerical methods for nanophotonics, and/or nanofabrication.
- Available fulltime
Internal Application form(s) needed
+14_09_ParaPublicação_Project MSCA DN SPARK_0.pdf — English (348.99 KB - PDF)
Additional Information
Work Location(s)
- Number of offers available: 2
- Company/Institute: INESC MN
- Country: Portugal
Contact
- City: Lisbon
- Website: http://www.inesc-mn.pt
- Street: Rua Alves Redol, 9
- Postal Code: 1000-029
- E-Mail: vchu@inesc-mn.pt