Open Positions
Join our research group at Universitat Rovira i Virgili (Tarragona, Spain)
We are always looking for talented, motivated, and enthusiastic researchers to join Casadevall Lab. Our group offers a dynamic and collaborative research environment where students and researchers can contribute to innovative projects, develop new skills, and advance their scientific careers.
On this page, you will find information about our current open positions. We welcome applications from individuals with diverse backgrounds who share our passion for scientific discovery and excellence.
We encourage you to explore the available opportunities and contact us if you are interested in becoming part of our team.
ERC-funded PhD Position in Bioinspired Catalytic Polymersomes for Artificial Photosynthesis
Our group is seeking a highly motivated and ambitious PhD candidate to join our team within the framework of the ERC Starting Grant BIOPOLE (ERC-2025-STG): Bioinspired Photocatalytic Polymersomes for Photocatalytic Applications.
We offer a fully funded four-year PhD position focused on the development of bioinspired catalytic polymersomes for artificial photosynthesis, CO₂ valorisation and solar fuels. This is an exciting opportunity to carry out cutting-edge research at the interface of molecular catalysis, polymer chemistry, nanoscience, photochemistry and artificial photosynthesis, while working in a dynamic, international and multidisciplinary research environment.
The successful candidate will join the Department of Physical and Inorganic Chemistry at Universitat Rovira i Virgili and will have access to state-of-the-art research facilities and fully equipped laboratories located in Buildings N4 and N5 of the Sescelades Campus. As part of the BIOPOLE team, the PhD researcher will collaborate closely with experts in photocatalysis, supramolecular chemistry, polymer science and artificial photosynthesis, contributing to the development of innovative compartmentalized photocatalytic systems inspired by biological photosynthetic membranes.
About the project
Artificial photosynthesis is one of the most promising strategies for converting solar energy into sustainable chemical fuels. Inspired by the remarkable compartmentalization found in natural photosynthetic systems, the BIOPOLE project aims to develop bioinspired catalytic polymersomes capable of spatially organizing molecular catalysts, photosensitizers and electron-transfer components to achieve highly efficient photocatalytic transformations.
This PhD project lies at the interface of catalysis, polymer chemistry, nanoscience, photochemistry and artificial photosynthesis, with the objective of developing modular photocatalytic polymersomes for the production of solar fuels and value-added chemicals.
The successful candidate will focus on the design, synthesis and characterization of new molecular catalysts and their incorporation into bioinspired polymeric vesicles. Functional polymersomes will be assembled using advanced microfluidic methodologies and characterized using state-of-the-art spectroscopic and microscopic techniques.
The candidate will investigate the photocatalytic performance of these compartmentalized systems, studying charge separation, electron-transfer kinetics, photophysical properties and reaction mechanisms to understand how compartmentalization enhances photocatalytic efficiency.
Beyond research, the PhD candidate will actively participate in the collaborative activities of the group, prepare laboratory reports and scientific presentations, contribute to scientific publications, present research at national and international conferences, and, when appropriate, assist in the mentoring of undergraduate and MSc students.
Candidate profile
We are looking for an enthusiastic and motivated young researcher with a strong background in chemistry and an interest in developing innovative materials for artificial photosynthesis.
Applicants should have:
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A Bachelor's degree in Chemistry.
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An MSc in Chemistry, Nanoscience or a closely related discipline.
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Experience in one or more of the following areas:
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Organic synthesis
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Inorganic synthesis
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Coordination chemistry
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Molecular catalysis
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Photochemistry
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Photocatalysis
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Polymersome chemistry
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Familiarity with molecular characterization techniques such as:
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NMR spectroscopy
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IR spectroscopy
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UV–Vis spectroscopy
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Fluorescence spectroscopy
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Electrochemistry
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Microscopy
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Experience with Schlenk techniques and handling air-sensitive compounds under inert atmosphere will be considered an asset.
Desired skills
The ideal candidate should demonstrate:
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Excellent laboratory skills and enthusiasm for experimental research.
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Strong motivation to work at the interface of chemistry, nanoscience and materials science.
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Curiosity and creativity to solve challenging scientific problems.
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Excellent written and oral communication skills in English (minimum B2 level).
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Strong analytical and critical thinking abilities.
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Good organizational and time-management skills.
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Ability to work both independently and as part of an interdisciplinary international research team.
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Motivation to contribute to scientific publications and present research at conferences.
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Interest in mentoring undergraduate and MSc students when appropriate.
What we offer
Joining the Casadevall Lab means becoming part of an ambitious and international research team working on frontier topics in artificial photosynthesis, molecular catalysis and soft nanomaterials.
The successful candidate will benefit from:
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A fully funded four-year ERC PhD position.
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Competitive PhD salary according to Spanish regulations.
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Access to state-of-the-art research facilities and instrumentation.
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An international, collaborative and multidisciplinary research environment.
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Training in advanced synthetic chemistry, spectroscopy, photocatalysis and soft nanomaterials.
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Opportunities to present research at international conferences.
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Strong support for scientific publishing and professional development.
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The opportunity to contribute to a highly ambitious ERC-funded project with significant scientific impact.
How to apply
Applications should include:
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A cover letter describing your motivation and research interests.
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A complete Curriculum Vitae.
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Academic transcripts (BSc and MSc).
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A full publication list.
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Contact details of two professors willing to provide letters of recommendation.
Please send your application to carla.casadevall@urv.cat indicating "PhD_ArtificialPhotosynthesis" in the subject line.
Application deadline: 31 August 2026.
ERC-funded Postdoctoral Position in Microfluidics for the Assembly of Polymersomes for Artificial Photosynthesis
The Casadevall Lab is seeking a highly motivated and ambitious Postdoctoral Researcher to join our team within the framework of the ERC Starting Grant BIOPOLE (ERC-2025-STG), Bioinspired Photocatalytic Polymersomes for Photocatalytic Applications.
We offer a fully funded two-year postdoctoral position focused on the development of advanced microfluidic technologies for the fabrication of functional polymeric vesicles (polymersomes) for artificial photosynthesis. This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge research at the interface of microfluidics, soft matter chemistry, supramolecular chemistry, molecular catalysis, and artificial photosynthesis, while working in a dynamic, international, and multidisciplinary research environment.
The successful candidate will join the Department of Physical and Inorganic Chemistry at Universitat Rovira i Virgili and will have access to state-of-the-art research facilities and fully equipped laboratories located in Buildings N4 and N5 of the Sescelades Campus. As part of the BIOPOLE team, the researcher will collaborate closely with experts in photocatalysis, supramolecular chemistry, and artificial photosynthesis, contributing to the development of innovative compartmentalized photocatalytic systems inspired by natural photosynthetic membranes.
About the project
Artificial photosynthesis has emerged as one of the most promising strategies for the sustainable conversion of solar energy into chemical fuels. Inspired by the sophisticated compartmentalization found in natural photosynthetic systems, the BIOPOLE project aims to develop functional photocatalytic polymersomes capable of spatially organizing molecular catalysts, photosensitizers and electron-transfer components to achieve highly efficient photocatalytic transformations.
To accomplish this ambitious goal, we are looking for an outstanding researcher with expertise in microfluidics who will lead the development of innovative methodologies for the controlled fabrication of highly functionalized polymeric vesicles.
The successful candidate will play a central role in the design, optimization and implementation of in-house microfluidic platforms for the reproducible fabrication of polymersomes and related soft vesicular systems with controlled size distributions, membrane architectures and encapsulation efficiencies.
These microfluidic platforms will be used to assemble compartmentalized photocatalytic reactors capable of mimicking the structural organization of biological photosynthetic membranes, providing powerful model systems to investigate artificial photosynthesis at unprecedented levels of complexity.
Working in close collaboration with researchers developing new molecular photocatalysts and catalytic systems, the postdoctoral researcher will contribute to establishing robust fabrication protocols while correlating vesicle structure, composition and architecture with photocatalytic performance.
Beyond research, the successful candidate will actively participate in the supervision and day-to-day mentoring of MSc and PhD students, contribute to the establishment of standardized fabrication and characterization protocols, and collaborate in the preparation of scientific publications, conference presentations and competitive research proposals through data analysis, scientific writing and dissemination of research results.
Candidate profile
We are looking for an enthusiastic scientist with a strong background in microfluidics and soft matter, capable of working both independently and collaboratively in an interdisciplinary research environment.
Applicants should have:
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A PhD in Chemistry, Nanoscience, Chemical Biology, Soft Matter, Nanotechnology, Materials Science, or a closely related discipline.
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Demonstrated expertise in microfluidic technologies for the fabrication of polymersomes, liposomes and other soft vesicular systems.
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Proven experience in the design, fabrication and operation of microfluidic devices for the controlled production of soft materials.
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Extensive experience in double emulsion droplet microfluidics. Experience with automated microfluidic systems will be considered a strong advantage.
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A strong understanding of polymersome self-assembly, vesicle engineering and the physicochemical principles governing compartmentalized systems.
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Experience preparing and characterizing functional vesicles, including catalyst-loaded, enzyme-loaded, stimuli-responsive or otherwise functionalized polymersomes or liposomes.
Applicants should also have experience with several characterization techniques commonly employed for soft vesicular materials, including:
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Optical and fluorescence microscopy
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Confocal laser scanning microscopy
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Cryo-TEM and/or TEM
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SEM
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Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS)
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Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis (NTA)
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Zeta potential measurements
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SAXS and/or SANS
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Fluorescence spectroscopy
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Experience with quantitative image analysis using ImageJ/Fiji (or equivalent software) is highly desirable.
Additional assets include:
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Knowledge of amphiphilic block copolymer self-assembly.
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Experience incorporating molecular catalysts, nanoparticles or biomolecules into vesicular systems.
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Previous experience in photocatalysis or artificial photosynthesis (desirable).
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Experience in the synthesis and spectroscopic characterization of molecular complexes (NMR, IR, UV–Vis, etc.).
Desired skills
The ideal candidate should demonstrate:
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Excellent experimental skills and the ability to independently design and optimize complex microfluidic workflows.
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Strong analytical and troubleshooting abilities.
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Excellent written and oral communication skills in English (minimum B2 level).
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A solid publication record, including peer-reviewed publications and/or submitted manuscripts.
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The ability to work effectively within interdisciplinary collaborations.
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Motivation to supervise and mentor MSc and PhD students.
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Strong organizational and time-management skills.
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Curiosity, creativity and resilience when tackling challenging scientific problems.
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Excellent teamwork and leadership potential.
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Previous experience writing scientific papers, presenting research at conferences and participating in collaborative projects will be considered highly valuable.
What we offer
Joining the Casadevall Lab means becoming part of an ambitious and international research team working on frontier topics in artificial photosynthesis, soft matter chemistry and microfluidics.
The successful candidate will benefit from:
-
A fully funded two-year ERC postdoctoral position.
-
Access to state-of-the-art research facilities and instrumentation.
-
An international and highly collaborative research environment.
-
Opportunities to supervise students and develop leadership skills.
-
Strong support for scientific publishing, conference participation and career development.
-
The opportunity to contribute to an exciting ERC-funded project with significant scientific impact.
How to apply
Applications should include:
-
A cover letter describing your motivation and research interests.
-
A complete Curriculum Vitae.
-
A full publication list.
-
Contact details of two professors willing to provide letters of recommendation.
Please send your application to carla.casadevall@urv.cat indicating "Postdoc_Microfluidics" in the subject line.
Application deadline: 31 August 2026.
ERC-funded Postdoctoral Position in Photochemistry for Interfacial Reactivity and Charge-Transfer Mechanisms
The Casadevall Lab is seeking a highly motivated and ambitious Postdoctoral Researcher to join our team within the framework of the ERC Starting Grant BIOPOLE (ERC-2025-STG), Bioinspired Photocatalytic Polymersomes for Artificial Photosynthesis.
We offer a fully funded two-year postdoctoral position focused on mechanistic photochemistry studies of functionalized photocatalytic polymeric vesicles (polymersomes) for artificial photosynthesis. This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge research at the interface of photocatalysis, soft matter chemistry, supramolecular chemistry, molecular catalysis, and artificial photosynthesis, while working in a dynamic, international, and multidisciplinary research environment.
The successful candidate will join the Department of Physical and Inorganic Chemistry at Universitat Rovira i Virgili and will have access to state-of-the-art research facilities and fully equipped laboratories located in Buildings N4 and N5 of the Sescelades Campus. As part of the BIOPOLE team, the researcher will collaborate closely with experts in photocatalysis, supramolecular chemistry, polymer chemistry, and artificial photosynthesis, contributing to the development of innovative compartmentalized photocatalytic systems inspired by natural photosynthetic membranes.
About the project
Artificial photosynthesis has emerged as one of the most promising strategies for the sustainable conversion of solar energy into chemical fuels. Inspired by the sophisticated compartmentalization found in natural photosynthetic systems, the BIOPOLE project aims to develop functional photocatalytic polymersomes capable of spatially organizing molecular catalysts, photosensitizers, and electron-transfer components to achieve highly efficient photocatalytic transformations.
To accomplish this ambitious goal, we are looking for an outstanding researcher with expertise in photochemistry who will lead the mechanistic studies of functionalized photocatalytic polymersomes. The successful candidate will play a central role in the rationalization of photocatalytic mechanisms and structure–activity relationships through advanced spectroscopic and photochemical studies.
Working in close collaboration with researchers developing new molecular photocatalysts and functional polymersomes, the postdoctoral researcher will investigate the relationships between vesicle structure, composition, and architecture and their photocatalytic performance.
Beyond research, the successful candidate will actively participate in the supervision and day-to-day mentoring of MSc and PhD students, contribute to the establishment of standardized characterization protocols, and collaborate in the preparation of scientific publications, conference presentations, and competitive research proposals through data analysis, scientific writing, and dissemination of research results.
Candidate profile
We are looking for an enthusiastic scientist with a strong background in photochemistry and the mechanistic study of photocatalytic reactions. The ideal candidate should have experience in organic and inorganic synthesis, spectroscopic techniques, and air-sensitive synthetic methods (Schlenk techniques and glovebox operation), and be capable of working both independently and collaboratively in an interdisciplinary research environment.
Applicants should have:
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A PhD in Chemistry, Photochemistry, Photocatalysis, or a closely related field.
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Demonstrated expertise in photochemistry and the mechanistic study of photocatalytic reactions.
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A strong track record in organic and inorganic synthesis, spectroscopic techniques, and air-sensitive synthetic methods (Schlenk techniques and glovebox operation).
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Demonstrated expertise in transient absorption spectroscopy, time-resolved and steady-state absorption spectroscopy, and steady-state and time-resolved emission spectroscopy.
Applicants should also have experience with several of the following characterization techniques for photocatalytic vesicular systems:
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Transient absorption spectroscopy
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Time-resolved absorption spectroscopy
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Steady-state UV–Vis absorption spectroscopy
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Steady-state and time-resolved emission spectroscopy
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Stern–Volmer analysis
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Charge separation and recombination dynamics
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Electron-transfer kinetics
Additional assets include:
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Previous experience in photocatalysis or artificial photosynthesis.
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Experience in the synthesis and spectroscopic characterization of molecular complexes (NMR, IR, UV–Vis, EPR, etc.).
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Experience working with supramolecular or self-assembled systems will be considered an advantage.
Desired skills
The ideal candidate should demonstrate:
-
Excellent experimental skills and the ability to independently design and optimize complex photochemical experiments.
-
Strong analytical and troubleshooting abilities.
-
Excellent written and oral communication skills in English (minimum B2 level).
-
A solid publication record, including peer-reviewed publications and/or submitted manuscripts.
-
The ability to work effectively within interdisciplinary collaborations.
-
Motivation to supervise and mentor MSc and PhD students.
-
Strong organizational and time-management skills.
-
Curiosity, creativity, and resilience when tackling challenging scientific problems.
-
Excellent teamwork and leadership potential.
-
Previous experience writing scientific papers, presenting research at international conferences, and participating in collaborative research projects will be considered highly valuable.
What we offer
Joining the Casadevall Lab means becoming part of an ambitious, dynamic, and international research team working on frontier topics in artificial photosynthesis, soft matter chemistry, supramolecular chemistry, and photocatalysis.
The successful candidate will benefit from:
-
A fully funded two-year ERC postdoctoral position.
-
Access to state-of-the-art research facilities and instrumentation.
-
An international and highly collaborative research environment.
-
Opportunities to supervise students and develop leadership skills.
-
Strong support for scientific publishing, conference participation, and career development.
-
The opportunity to contribute to an exciting ERC-funded project with significant scientific impact.
How to apply
Applications should include:
-
A cover letter describing your motivation and research interests.
-
A complete Curriculum Vitae.
-
A full publication list.
-
Contact details of two professors willing to provide letters of recommendation.
Please send your application to carla.casadevall@urv.cat with "Postdoc_Photochemistry" in the subject line.
Application deadline: 31 August 2026.