Research Engineer (Postdoc) – Biocarbon Energy Storage

About the role

IMT Mines Albi, a school of the Institut Mines-Télécom, is looking for a research engineer (postdoc) for an 18-month fixed-term contract (CDD) in Albi. The work sits in the RAPSODEE Centre, a CNRS joint research unit on processes, materials and sustainable energies, under the supervision of Prof. Ange Nzihou and co-supervision by a colleague from Princeton University. It is part of an ERC Advanced Grant funded under Horizon Europe.

The project evaluates the storage capacity of innovative biocarbon (biochar) composites, a sustainable family of biomass-based carbon materials used to store energy, with the aim of reducing CO2 emissions and saving energy. The work takes place in an international setting, with regular visits to partner laboratories in France, the USA and India.

Key responsibilities

• Design and develop advanced, high-performance energy storage materials and devices using computational methods, artificial intelligence and experimental approaches.
• Develop and apply computational models, data-driven methods and AI-assisted tools to predict material properties, optimise composition and structure, and improve energy storage capacity and performance.
• Integrate theoretical and computational investigations with experimental synthesis, characterisation, validation and optimisation of energy storage solutions.
• Investigate the thermophysical, thermomechanical and thermal stability properties of graphitic-based biocarbon composites, linking structure, function and device performance.

Required profile

• PhD in Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Energy Engineering, Physics, Computational Science or a related field.
• Strong background in computational science, machine learning and AI-driven methods.
• Strong materials characterisation skills, experimental research and knowledge of energy storage technologies.
• Scientific rigor, analytical and synthesis skills, and ability to work in an interdisciplinary, international environment.
• Good written and oral English.

Required skills

• Computational science, machine learning and AI methods
• Materials characterisation and experimental research
• Programming skills

Applications close on 2 December 2026. Candidates must submit a CV, a cover letter and two recommendation letters.