A call for 15 PhD positions is open within the context of the recently granted MSCA Doctoral Network (DN/JD) project “Human footprint on water from remote cold areas to the tropical belt. INtegrated Approach TO secure water QUAlity by exploiting Sustainable processes'' (IN2AQUAS), inside a wide consortium involving 10-degree awarding universities, 4 national research centers, 1 associated university, 4 companies and a highly qualified mindfulness-in-the-workplace facilitator. Collaboration within the network is strongly encouraged.

The 15 PhD positions as Doctorate Candidates (DC1 to DC15) are open to applicants of all nationalities, with the limitation that at the time of recruitment, researchers must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work and/or studies) in the country of enrolment for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately prior to the date of enrolment.
The applicants must not have been awarded a doctoral degree at the time of recruitment.

IN2AQUAS will train 15 doctoral candidates (DCs) for facing the complex challenge of envisaging the pollutant impact on the environment and of tailoring the proper treatments for the production of safe and clean water -also in extreme environments- using green approaches through high quality research, training, management and innovation.

This goal will be attained via a structured training-through-research programme, consisting of original individual research projects and education on technical and transferable skills.

Experts from 10-degree awarding universities, 4 national research centers, 1 associated university, 4 companies and a highly qualified mindfulness-in-the-workplace facilitator will join forces to facilitate the successful training programme that will allow DCs to be awarded with a double doctoral degree in two different countries. These aims will be pursued by applying different actions, which include the study and development of innovative technologies against the water pollution, paying attention not only to the sustainability of the water management systems (in a circular economy vision), but also to the reuse of water, the recovery of nutrients and the green synthesis of functional materials. The developed technologies will be tailored to variegated scenarios with particular emphasis to three case studies: aquaculture, arid areas and (remote) cold areas. The overall research goals will imply three main steps: 1) the assessment of water quality and the prediction of its response toward the increased environmental stresses; 2) restore water quality while approaching the zero waste discharge and 3) scale up and process integration. The multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary and intersectoral network will forge creative entrepreneurial and innovative scientists, who will be equipped with the skills, tools, insights and flexibility that enable them to be the next generation of Urban Water System management innovators.

The scientific activities are organized in three WPs:
- WP2: Water comprehensive analysis and its response to stresses
- WP3: New materials developed using green approaches
- WP4: Green water treatment technologies and process integration

We have 15 DC positions available, with the following envisaged research projects:
1. DC1: Use of a passive sampling method coupled with non-target analyses and bioassays to characterize water samples (INERIS, Verneuil-en-Halatte, France);
2. DC2: Assessment of CECs photo-fate and removal by applying an integrated approach (University of Torino, Torino, Italy);
3. DC3: Non-target and target analyses by HPLC-HRMS and CECs prioritization to assess water quality in extreme conditions and the effect of treatment procedures (University of Piemonte Orientale, Alessandria, Italy);
4. DC4: Understanding anthropogenic contamination dispersion in extreme environments (IFE - Institute for Energy Technology, Kjeller, Norway);
5. DC5: Development of green analytical chemistry methods and materials for the determination of contaminants and their removal (University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece);
6. DC6: Vacuum UV and UV-C based Advanced Oxidation Processes for Water Treatment and Reuse (Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark);
7. DC7: Use of sewage sludge biochar and derived products for the removal of wastewater contaminants, (University of Clermont-Auvergne IMT, Clermont-Ferrand, France);
8. DC8: Removal of off-flavour compounds from RAS water by use of UV-AOP (ULTRAAQUA, Aalborg, Denmark);
9. DC9: Valorisation of wastes by isolating humic-like substances with application in wastewater processes (Universitat Politecnica de Valencia, Alcoy, Spain);
10. DC10: New materials developed using green approaches (University of Torino, Torino, Italy);
11. DC11: Synthesis, characterization and evaluation of new supported photocatalytic materials for water decontamination/disinfection (Universitat Politecnica de Valencia, Valencia, Spain);
12. DC12: Life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology to address the environmental sustainability of new materials developed and used to treat waste water, at laboratory and pilot scale (University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy);
13. DC13: Assessment of waterborne pathogens & antibiotic resistant phenomenon (bacteria and genes) in wastewater: monitoring, inactivation, degradation kinetics & risk assessment (CIEMAT, Plataforma Solar de Almeria, Almeria, Spain);
14. DC14: Development and upscaling of a 2D photocatalytic membranes for Zero Liquid Discharge (Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark);
15. DC15: Assessment and technology integration of new photocatalytic (UF/NF) membranes with Advanced Oxidation Processes for simultaneously eliminate contaminants and pathogens from different target wastewaters (CIEMAT, Plataforma Solar de Almeria, Almeria, Spain)

More information see: full description of available positions

The Marie Skłodowska-Curie Doctoral Networks Programme offers highly competitive and attractive salary and working conditions. Each fellowship includes the following:

• Monthly living allowance: 3,400 euro/month (€40,800/year); pondered by the EU correction coefficient (specific for the countries where the enrolling Institutions are located. The country correction coefficients are indicated in Table 2 of the MSCA Work Programme.available at http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/data/ref/h2020/other/mga/tmpl/h2020-annex2a-tmpl-estim-budget_en.pdf)
• Monthly mobility allowance: 600 euro/month
• Monthly family allowance, if applicable and depending on the family situation: 660 euro/month. A family allowance will be paid if the researcher has a family, regardless of whether the family will move with the researcher or not. In this context, family is defined as persons linked to the researcher by (i) marriage, or (ii) a relationship with equivalent status to a marriage recognised by the national or relevant regional legislation of the country where this relationship was formalized; or (iii) dependent children who are actually being maintained by the researcher.

The allowances listed are the gross EU contribution. Consequently, the net salary results from deducting all compulsory (employer/employee) social security contributions as well as direct taxes (e.g. income tax) from the gross amounts. The rate indicated here is for researchers devoting themselves to their project on a full-time basis.

The positions are offered full-time for 3 years (36 months)

The starting date of the contract is negotiable but ideally it would be January, 1^st 2024.

Eligibility criteria

All our network institutions are equal opportunity employers and seek a workforce diverse in age, culture, nationality and gender. None of them will apply restrictions on gender, age, ethnic groups, national or social origin, religion or belief, sexual orientation, language, disability, political opinion, and social or economic conditions.

The 15 PhD positions as Doctoral Candidates (DC1 to DC15) are open to applicants of all nationalities fulfilling with the following eligibility requirements:

• Comply with the Doctoral Candidate definition: at the time of recruitment by the hosting institution DC must not have been awarded a doctoral degree (PhD degree). Researchers who have successfully defended their doctoral thesis but who have not yet formally been awarded the doctoral degree will not be considered eligible.
• Comply with the mobility rule. DC should NOT have — at the date of recruitment—resided in the country where the research training takes place for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately prior to recruitment, and NOT have carried out his/her main activity (work, studies, etc.) in that country. For refugees under the Geneva Convention (1951 Refugee Convention and the 1967 Protocol), the refugee procedure (i.e. before refugee status is conferred) will not be counted as ‘period of residence/activity in the country of the beneficiary’.
• Be in position of enrolling in a doctoral programme at the country and meet the specific eligibility requirements at the hosting institution, if applicable. This includes i) master degree compliant with the research fields described in the INDIVIDUAL RESEARCH PROJECTS AVAILABLE (e.g. analytical chemistry, materials sciences, chemistry, etc.); ii) excellent/good oral and written English language skills, if English is not his/her first language, iii) good skills in scientific writing and results presentation.

Candidates will be asked to apply on-line for one to maximum five of the above-mentioned positions. The application must include the following:

1. Application form including the Statement about the eligible criteria (Annex A)
2. A copy of the CV in English and in European format
3. A copy of a valid ID document (password or equivalent)
4. A motivation letter in English including a description of previous research experiences (max 1 page)
5. A 2 minutes’ video for self-presentation
6. Degree transcripts

Only documents in English will be accepted.

Applicants should submit the documentation exclusively via e-mail to in2aquas@unito.it by 16 October 2023 at 11.00 pm (GMT).

Application form and statements for eligibility may be downloaded here:

Application form

Applications failing to include the requested documentation, where the candidates do not meet the eligibility criteria or which do not indicate the preferred projects WILL NOT be considered in this competition.

Eligible applicants will undergo a pre-selection evaluation based on the CV, experience and skills. Short-listed applicants will be invited for an interview with the evaluation committee members. Selection of candidates will be performed via online interview  (via teams and/or webex platforms)