Summary: PhD-stipend scholarship under the FIRST TEAM FENG project at the Institute of Physical Chemistry PAS, Warsaw, focused on developing desymmetrized ligands and AI-driven models to control selectivity in hydrofunctionalization (hydrocyanation and hydroformylation) catalysis, with a large-scale catalyst library and in silico optimization.
PhD Scholarship Opportunity: Designation & Research Area Highlight, ICHF, Poland
Designation: PhD student-stipend holder
Table (key details)
- Project: Smart Engineering of Catalysts for Hydrofunctionalization Reactions: From Selectivity Control to a Predictive Model (First Team, project no. FENG.02.02-IP.05-0063/25)
- Project Leader: Dr. Dawid Lichosyt
- Institute: Institute of Physical Chemistry PAS, Team 7, Warsaw
- Funding: European Funds for a Modern Economy Program, Priority 2
- Salary: 7000 PLN per month
- Planned start: 1 October 2026
- Contract: 39 months (extendable to 46 months)
- Number of vacancies: 1
- Recruitment deadline: 3 August 2026, 12:00 CEST
- Contact/apply: rekrutacja@ichf.edu.pl (subject: “Recruitment no 23/2026”)
- Website: lichosytlab.com
Research Area: Chemistry: Homogeneous catalysis, Organic chemistry, Computational chemistry, Combinatorial chemistry; data-driven chemistry and machine-learning applications for catalyst design.
Location: Institute of Physical Chemistry PAS, Warsaw, Poland (Team 7)
Eligibility / Qualification:
- Scientific discipline: Chemistry (Homogeneous catalysis, Organic chemistry, Computational chemistry, Combinatorial chemistry)
- Candidate profile: First Stage Researcher (R1)
- Education: MSc in chemistry (or closely related discipline) required; strong interest in chemical synthesis, catalysis, and the application of machine learning in chemistry
- Status: PhD student at a doctoral school at the start; PhD enrollment in a recognized program preferred
- Skills: Independent problem solving, teamwork, meticulous experimental work; advantageous: prior experience in organic/coordination chemistry, basic programming (e.g., Python), and good English
Job Description:
- Prepare a catalyst/ligand library (>100 catalysts) and perform extensive structural characterization
- Evaluate catalyst properties across broad substrate–catalyst–condition combinations ( >1000 datasets)
- Analyze outcomes to identify key factors controlling selectivity
- Conduct mechanistic studies (kinetics, spectroscopy) to rationalize trends
- Standardize and curate experimental datasets
- Develop and validate machine-learning models for in silico prediction of optimal combinations
- Iterative, model-guided design of improved catalysts with experimental verification
- Prepare reports and disseminate results (conferences, manuscripts)
How to Apply:
- Applications should include: Scientific CV, cover letter, and proof of Master’s degree (or plan to obtain by recruitment end)
- Email applications to: rekrutacja@ichf.edu.pl
- Subject line: “Recruitment no 23/2026”
- Applications deadline: 3 August 2026, 12:00 CEST
- Additional details and documents: web page and linked materials from the Institute; follow the official application process as described on the job page
Last Date for Apply: 3 August 2026, 12:00 (CEST)
Notes:
- The scholarship is funded under the FIRST TEAM FENG project (FENG.02.02-IP.05-0063/25) and requires status as a doctoral student throughout the project period.
- The recruitment results are planned to be announced on 15 September 2026.
