Phd Student : Observation-based evaluation of the factors influencing ozone formation across Europe - doctoral contract 36 month at IMT Nord Europe

Laboratory: Centre of Education, Research and Innovation on Energy and Environment (CERI EE)

Supervisors: Dr. Thérèse SALAMEH, Dr. Anna FONT

Type of contract and duration: 3 years

Workplace: Bourseul Campus, Douai, France

Context:

Public establishment belonging to IMT (Institut Mines-Télécom), placed under the supervision of the Ministry of Economy, Finance and Industrial and Digital Sovereignty, IMT Nord Europe has three main objectives: providing our students with ethically responsible engineering practice enabling them to solve 21st century issues, carrying out our R&D activities leading to outstanding innovations and supporting territorial development through innovation and entrepreneurship. Ideally positioned at the heart of Europe, 1 hour away from Paris, 30 min from Brussels and 1h30 from London, IMT Nord Europe has strong ambitions to become a main actor of the current industrial transitions, digital and environmental, by combining education and research on engineering and digital technologies.

Located on two main campuses dedicated to research and education in Douai and Lille, IMT Nord Europe offers research facilities of almost 20,000m² in the following areas:

•              Digital science,

•              Energy and Environment,

•              Materials and Processes.

For more details, visit the School’s website : www.imt-nord-europe.fr

This position is vacant within the CERI EE, in the research axis “Observations, Sources and Processes in the Atmosphere”. OSPA’s research focus is on the physico-chemistry of atmospheric trace species through laboratory and field experiments, aiming to achieve a better understanding of air pollutant characteristics, origins and fate. The CERI EE offers a multicultural working environment, with labs based in Douai, a mid-sized town close to Lille, a cosmopolitan metropolis with a thriving cultural scene and lively atmosphere.

Brief role description:

Tropospheric ozone (O3), a short-lived climate forcer, is a secondary pollutant produced through multiple complex reactions from anthropogenic and natural precursors. O3 is formed from the photochemical oxidation of methane (CH4), carbon monoxide (CO), Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) – anthropogenic and biogenic -, in the presence of nitrogen oxide (NOX = NO + NO2). O3 can also be transported over large distances for periods of days to several weeks due to its relatively long-lived characteristics. Acute exposure to O3 was estimated to cause 24,000 premature deaths in Europe in 2020, and several epidemiological and toxicological studies showed that the exposure to ozone can cause a wide range of respiratory, cardiovascular, and systemic problems. Ozone also damages plants and trees and leads to substantial losses in agricultural crop yields.

Among these precursors, VOCs are key species in atmospheric chemistry, emitted from anthropogenic and biogenic sources, as precursors of ozone but also of secondary organic aerosols (SOA), and can have significant impacts on health, the environment, and the climate. Several European studies have helped improve the understanding of VOC origins and impacts on atmospheric chemistry, however, access to speciated observational data remains limited, with a lack of knowledge about the levels and composition of VOCs at urban and rural sites.

The 2nd pan European intensive measurement period (IMP) on VOCs EUROVOC (EUROpe-wide intensive campaign on Volatile Organic Compounds) took place for an extended period of one month in September 2024. The campaign was organized by the TFMM-EMEP and ACTRIS CiGas at IMT Nord Europe (https://www.actris.eu/; https://www.actris.eu/topical-centre/cigas) and aimed at gaining deeper insights into VOC emissions, including their temporal development and speciation. High-time resolved measurements were obtained by instruments such as PTR-MS and GC-FID/MS at sites near emission sources (i.e., urban, industrial, traffic, harbour, and forest areas) and at twin measurement regional sites. Overall, EUROVOC sampled VOC, NOx, ozone, and other ancillary measurements at 45 urban and rural sites across Europe (ACTRIS NF, EMEP, GAW, Local Air Quality Monitoring Networks, ACTRIS/ICOS sites, etc.).

Data from multiple research infrastructures and international programs monitor long-term concentrations of O3 alongside other trace gases (NO2, CO, VOC …) at regional sites in Europe and include The Global Atmosphere Watch Programme of the World Meteorological Organization (GAW-WMO), the Aerosol, Clouds and Trace Gases Research Infrastructure (ACTRIS), and the European Monitoring and Evaluation Programme (EMEP). However, a complete list of VOCs is not always routinely measured at the measurement sites.

Using the EUROVOC campaign data, and also existing in-situ observations from existing research programs and networks, and combined with Machine Learning algorithms, this thesis aims to study long-term temporal trends in tropospheric ozone (O3) in Europe across different type of environments (background, rural, urban), while focusing on some periods with rich speciated VOC data (September 2024). The influence of weather, long-range transport and ozone precursors (methane, carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxides) on the temporal trends will be assessed and quantified to predict the role of the different affecting factors on tropospheric levels in a climate change scenario.

The PhD student will work mainly within IMT Nord Europe team, and will collaborate with local and European partners (ACTRIS, EMEP, ICOS, GAW…) and established consortium.

Requirements

Profile of the candidate:

The candidate must hold a Master's or Engineering degree (Bac +5) in the field of environmental data analysis; environmental sciences; physical chemistry, etc.

Skills

·  Competence in metrology and quality assurance

·  Previous experience with gas and/or aerosol data analysis

·  Project management skills (communication and interpersonal skills, motivation, time management, …)

·  Good level of English, oral and written

Knowledge

· Good knowledge in atmospheric science

· Good level of statistical data analysis

· Knowledge of scientific programming (e.g. Python, R, Matlab, ...)

· knowledge related to research infrastructure would be an asset

CONDITIONS:

The PhD funding is offered on a full-time basis for 36 months (temporary contract) with a starting date aimed on 01-Oct-2025, the candidate will be employed by IMT Nord Europe.

The successful student will be part of the SMRE Doctoral School (Sciences de la Matière, du Rayonnement et de l'Environnement) and graduate from IMT Nord Europe at the end of their contract.

INFORMATION AND APPLICATION:

For any information on the duties, please contact Dr. Thérèse SALAMEH (therese.salameh@imt-nord-europe.fr), Dr. Anna Font (anna.font@imt-nord-europe.fr).

For any administrative information, please contact the Human Resources Department: jobs@imt-nord-europe.fr  

Shortlisted candidates will be requested to provide their BSc and MSc grades, as well as two letters of recommendation (or 2 reference contact info), and be invited for a one-hour video interview where they will present their academic and professional experience in 1 or 2 slides followed by discussion.

DEADLINE DATE FOR SUBMISSIONS:  April 30th, 2025. The position is open until filled. We will begin reviewing applications as they are received.