PIF2025 - Synergistic investigation of Organic Pollutants in the urban Atmosphere - (PID2024-162194OB-I00)

We offer a 4-year contract for a PhD student, linked to the project Synergistic investigation of Organic Pollutants in the urban Atmosphere (PID2024-162194OB-I00), funded by the Spanish State Research Agency, and led by Dr María Cruz Minguillón and Dr Roger Seco. The candidate will participate in the entire scientific process, i.e. experiment design; instrumentation operation, calibration, and maintenance; data processing and analysis; data interpretation; and dissemination of results through scientific articles publication and communications in international conferences. The PhD student will use advanced scientific instrumentation like online mass spectrometers (PTR–ToF–MS and ACSM) for measuring the atmospheric concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and atmospheric aerosols (particulate matter) at our air quality urban supersite in Barcelona. Our goal is to generate simultaneous and continuous observations, for one-year period or longer, of fine particulate matter composition and VOCs with a high-time resolution and apply source apportionment techniques. This synergistic interpretation of both the aerosol and the gaseous phases of organic atmospheric pollutants will provide unmatched insight about the organic atmospheric pollution in the city of Barcelona, which can then be generalized to the urban areas of the Western Mediterranean. A visit of approx. 3 months in a foreign research center is planned, which will allow for an International Doctor