Doctoral Candidate position at UNIBO in the RESTORATIVE MSCA Doctoral Network : DC14 on "Ex-Ant[...]

Organisation/Company Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna Department Department of Civil, Chemical, Environmental, and Materials Engineering - DICAM Research Field Engineering » Chemical engineering Engineering » Systems engineering Technology » Energy technology Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1) Positions PhD Positions Application Deadline 31 Aug 2026 - 23:59 (Europe/Rome) Country Italy Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Hours Per Week 40 Offer Starting Date 1 Nov 2026 Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Horizon Europe - MSCA Reference Number DC14 UNIBO_RESTORATIVE Marie Curie Grant Agreement Number Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

The successful candidate for this post (DC14) will be employed full-time for a fixed-term of 36 months and enrolled on a PhD at the University of Bologna from 1st November 2026 to research and write a PhD thesis on Ex-Ante LCA tools for the environmental impact assessment of TM-GSES systems.

Job duration: 36 months

Main research field: Chemical Engineering

Research subfield: Systems Engineering, Life Cycle Assessment, Energy Storage

The project aims at developing an innovative prospective (“ex-ante”) life cycle assessment (LCA) approach for the quantitative evaluation of the sustainability of grid‑scale energy storage (GSES) technologies.

It will define the scope and boundaries of the ex‑ante LCA within a cradle‑to‑grave perspective, with the goal of creating a novel framework for assessing environmental impacts of energy storage technologies, with particular reference to thermo‑mechanical GSES (TM‑GSES) systems.

The approach will incorporate a forward‑looking perspective into life cycle modelling, by addressing uncertainties related to technological scaling and learning, as well as the evolution of the background energy scenarios. Dedicated metrics will be developed to capture the key impacts related to material sourcing, manufacturing, operation, and end‑of‑life management. These metrics will be designed to allow a seamless integration into a broader sustainability assessment framework including also socio‑economic impacts, also developed within the RESTORATIVE Doctoral Network.

The expected outcomes of the project are:

1. Validation and demonstration, through application to practical case studies, of an innovative ex‑ante LCA methodology, specifically tailored to the assessment of energy storage systems;
2. Definition of metrics and indicators specifically designed for integration into a comprehensive sustainability assessment framework, supporting both environmental and socio‑economic dimensions;
3. Application of the developed LCA methodology to case studies of energy systems developed within the RESTORATIVE Doctoral Network.

Where to apply

E-mail

Requirements

Research Field Engineering » Chemical engineering Education Level Master Degree or equivalent

Skills/Qualifications

Preferred selection criteria

• A degree obtained by July 2026 giving access to doctoral studies in Chemical Engineering or Environmental Engineering or Energy Engineering.
• Experience in the assessment and modelling of material flows and energy balances of industrial energy systems.
• Good understanding of process safety.
• Good understanding of process sustainability.
• Good understanding of decision support tools.

Knowledge of mass and energy balances, process flow diagrams, LCA, process safety is required. Knowledge of LCC and cost assessment is also an advantage. Knowledge of decision‑support tools is also an advantage. Knowledge of equipment sizing and process scale‑up are also significant advantages.

Excellent communication skills for both research and industrial contexts and creative, open‑minded, and able to work in team and independently are required.

Good communication skills in English and ability to understand and express in both written and spoken English are compulsory.

Willingness to travel internationally for the purpose of research, training and dissemination is mandatory.

Personal characteristics

Emphasis will be placed on personal and interpersonal qualities.

Languages ENGLISH Level Good

Research Field Engineering » Chemical engineering

The selected candidate will be appointed under a 36‑month full‑time employment contract with full social security and fiscal coverage, as foreseen by the Italian national legislation.

The remuneration will be compliant with the rules of the DN‑MSCA, as by the Horizon Europe Marie Skłodowska‑Curie Actions Work Programme 2024 “Applicable unit contributions”. The gross amount per year of the salary includes the living allowance (45.858,36€ comprising the country‑specific correction coefficient for Italy), the mobility allowance (8.520€) and the family allowance if eligible (7.920€). These gross amounts include all compulsory deductions under national applicable legislation (taxes depend on the country of the host entity).

Eligibility criteria

Career

Applicants must be doctoral candidates at the date of recruitment. They must have obtained a degree which formally entitles them to access a doctorate and they must not have already been awarded a doctoral degree. A PhD degree in any field is not compatible with this DC position. Candidates who have successfully defended their doctoral thesis, but who have not yet formally been awarded the doctoral degree will not be considered eligible.

Mobility (transnational)

Transnational mobility is an essential requirement of Marie Skłodowska‑Curie Doctoral Networks. Applicants may be of any nationality and any age, but they must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work/study) in Italy for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before the recruitment date.

Secondments

During the project, applicants must be prepared to undertake mobility for industrial secondment for a duration of up to 3 months and transnational mobility for up to 6 months.

According to Italian law, applicants must not have obtained a second cycle/two‑year master's degree or a single cycle master’s degree in Italy, or an equivalent qualification obtained abroad, more than six years before the deadline for the application.

Selection process

In assessing which candidate is best qualified, emphasis will be placed on education, experience, and personal and interpersonal qualities. Motivation, ambition, and potential will also be considered in the evaluation of candidates. The selection process will consist of several steps.

After the deadline, all submitted applications will be checked against the defined admissibility criteria (e.g. submitted electronically, readable, complete, in English, including references, etc.). The compliance of the candidates with the eligibility criteria associated with the recruitment in Marie Skłodowska‑Curie Doctoral Networks will then be checked. The evaluation of CVs, motivation statements, and track records of eligible applicants will follow.

A shortlist of candidates who match the required profile will be interviewed online by a Selection Committee to assess their skills, motivation, and fluency in English. Following the interviews, some applications may be rejected.

The successful candidates will be ranked based on both their documentation and their interview performance. The highest‑ranked candidate will be offered the position. If, for any reason, the selected candidate declines the offer or fails to meet the enrolment requirements for the position, the option will pass to the next candidate on the ranking list. This list can be used as a reserve list in case a recruited DC resigns during the project.

The applications for this position may be circulated within the consortium members as part of the selection process.

Number of offers available 1 Company/Institute UNIBO - Department of Civil, Chemical, Environmental, and Materials Engineering (DICAM) Country Italy State/Province Emilia Romagna region City Bologna Postal Code 40131 Street Via Terracini 28 Geofield