• European Project,
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Apply alongside Centrale Nantes for the MSCA 2025 postdoctoral fellowship call for proposals and join us!

Are you a postdoctoral fellow interested in contributing to cross-sectoral, interdisciplinary and/or international research projects? Centrale Nantes, recognised worldwide for its academic and scientific excellence, invites you to apply together for the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowships (MSCA) 2025.

From January 27, 2025 to March 31, 2025 All day

Centrale Nantes invites promising postdoctoral fellows to express their interest in joining us in preparing an application for a prestigious Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship (MSCA PF) under Horizon Europe. The successful candidate will work closely with the research teams to submit a strong and competitive proposal for the HORIZON-MSCA-2025-PF-01-01 call (call opening April 2025).

► How MSCA PFs work

The research project must be innovative and may tackle any of the topics defined below in the ‘Research topics’ section. There are no nationality restrictions: applicants may be of any nationality. Please consult our institution before submitting your application.

Requirements

The candidate must:

  • Hold a PhD at the time of the application deadline (10 September 2025) and have a maximum of 8 years' equivalent full-time research experience (self-assessement tool here);
  • Not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in France for more than 12 months during the three years immediately preceding the application deadline;
  • Have a strong research track record, as evidenced by publications in high-impact journals;
  • Be committed to conducting innovative research that goes beyond the state-of-the-art and involves interdisciplinary or international collaboration.

Research topics

Centrale Nantes is particularly interested in applications on the topics below.

Interdisciplinary approaches are also welcome if they align with the topic listed, and Horizon Europe priorities. Please read in detail the topic you want to apply for before submitting your application.

Architectural and Urban Ambiances Laboratory (AAU)

AAU topics
Ref. Topic, Supervisors and Research unit Download topic
AAU1
  • Mapping urban walkability perception through hybrid sensing and Deep Learning
  • Myriam SERVIERES, Vincent TOURRE, Thomas LEDUC - Urban Architecture Nantes Research Centre (CRENAU)
  • The goal is to create a walkability perception map contributing to sustainable mobility planning and improving urban quality of life. We propose to develop a hybrid method for capturing pedestrians' perception of urban space (visual, air quality, noise, thermal experience) by combining on-site qualification with interviews and sensors (e.g., eye tracking). These measurements will be extrapolated to the full urban area with deep learning based on specific embedding models.   
 AAU1_Crenau_MSCA_PostD Application_Servieres-Tourre-LeDuc
 

Research Institute in Civil and Mechanical Engineering (GeM)

GeM topics
Ref. Topic, Supervisors and Research unit Download topic
GeM1
  • Macroelements in Earthquake Engineering
  • Panagiotis KOTRONIS - Dynamics of structures, processes and earthquakes (DYNAST)
  • Macroelement modeling simplifies the global behavior of a system by condensing it into a single, integral constitutive equation that links the evolution of resultant forces to the corresponding displacements. The Postdoctoral Researcher will integrate all macroelements developed by the team into a unified numerical environment, implement automated procedures for generating 3D interaction diagrams, and extend the macroelements to account for various environmental conditions.   
 GeM1_Dynast_MSCA_PostD Application_Kotronis
GeM2
  • Experimental characterization of the sealing properties of caprock formation for CO2 underground storage
  • Giulio SCIARRA - Environmental geomechanics (GEOMEC)
  • In global modeled pathways limiting global warming to 2°C, almost all electricity is supplied from low-carbon sources, such as renewables or fossil fuels with CO2 capture and storage (CCS). CCS in deep geological formations has emerged as an option to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The project will develop an experimental campaign to understand the behavior of fine-grained geomaterials constituting the geological tight caprock that guarantees the sealing of the CO2 reservoir against leakage.
 GeM2_Geomec_MSCA_PostD Application_Sciarra
GeM3
  • Deep Learning Reduced Order Models for Numerical Simulation in Mechanics
  • Lucas LESTANDI - Couplings and Numerical Methods for Complex Structures (MECNUM)
  • In the last decades, ROM techniques have proved successful at tackling simulation cost in fluid dynamics and engineering. Several approaches have been developed (POD, PGD or DMD) which mainly rely on linear algebra. Since 2015, a huge interest in machine learning has emerged in the community both for solving of PDEs or interpolating solutions with various levels of accuracy. The goal of this project is to find the synergies between these approaches and apply them to a problem of your choice.   
 GeM3_Mecnum_MSCA_PostD Application_Lestandi
GeM4
  • Data-driven multiscale mechanics as a paradigm for representing history-dependent material behaviours
  • Laurent STAINIER - Mechanics and multiscale physics of materials (MULTIX)
  • Model-free data-driven approaches offer an interesting alternative to classical constitutive model-based approaches, and to machine-learning approaches. They require less training effort than the latter, and work on flexible data sets. This is specially true in the multiscale context, where data can be constructed on-the-fly from microscale information. Applying this paradigm to general history-dependent / rate-dependent behaviours still remains challenging and will be addressed in this project.
 GeM4_Multix_MSCA_PostD Application_Stainier
GeM5
  • Metallic additive manufacturing in space
  • Tugdual LE NEEL - Rapid Manufacturing (RAPMAN)
  • Space, the new frontier: what if the absence of gravity revolutionised materials? It has been shown that manufacturing materials off Earth can improve their properties. Our project aims to model these phenomena on Earth, design experiments to simulate them and then validate them in microgravity. Join us as we push back the boundaries of science and transform the way we imagine manufacturing in the universe!
 GeM5_Rapman_MSCA_PostD Application_LeNeel
 

Research Laboratory in Hydrodynamics, Energetics & Atmospheric Environment (LHEEA)

LHEEA topics
Ref. Topic, Supervisors and Research unit Download topic
LHEEA1
  • Towards optimal automated multi-fidelity surrogate models for shape optimization
  • Jeroen WACKERS - Modelling of Incompressible Turbulent Flows at High Reynolds numbers and Couplings (METHRIC)
  • Multi-fidelity surrogate models are essential for simulation-based design optimisation. This project aims to automatically create surrogate models that are optimal for the behaviour of the data on which they are based, which is achieved through robust and noise-resistant error estimation that will pilot adaptive sampling of the data and selection of the optimal fidelity levels. The approach will be applied to the hydrodynamic shape optimisation of a bio-inspired underwater robot.
 LHEEA1_Methric_MSCA_PostD Application_Wackers

Laboratory of Digital Sciences of Nantes (LS2N)

LS2N topics
Ref. Topic, Supervisors and Research unit Download topic
LS2N1
  • Control of floating wind farms
  • Mohamed HAMIDA, Franck PLESTAN - Control, Observation, Analysis and Testing (CODEx)
  • The control plays an important role to operate the wind turbine near its optimal efficiency level, ensuring its dependability through fatigue load reduction. Most research on the control of wind turbines has focused on the single-turbine setting. Because of the aerodynamic interactions between the turbines, controlling an array of turbines in a wind farm is more difficult than controlling a single turbine.The aim of this project is to develop new control approaches for the floating wind farms.   
 LS2N1_Codex_MSCA_PostD Application_Hamida-Plestan
LS2N2
  • Frequency regulation and stability of future power systems with grid-forming inverters
  • Vinu THOMAS - Control, Observation, Analysis and Testing (CODEx)
  •  European Union has set a binding target of 42.5% renewable energy share for the year 2030. Grid-forming inverters are widely considered as a promising solution that can help to address the concerns of frequency regulation and stability issues in future electric grids. This research project aims to investigate and propose feasible control schemes that ensure the frequency regulation and stability in future electric grids with high renewable energy share.   
 LS2N2_CODEX_MSCA_PostD Application_Thomas
LS2N3
  • Investigating the Sustainability Impacts of Under Development Recycling Process Innovations and Transition to a Circular Economy
  • Yasamin ESLAMI - Systems design, control, monitoring and supervision (CPS3) et Thomas CORRE - Green Engineering Approach (GeM, INGVER)
  • The recycling industry is evolving with advanced, energy-efficient methods that recover materials in solid or near-solid states, reducing waste and energy consumption. There is a lack of comprehensive studies on their sustainability impacts. This proposal aims to fill that gap by developing a framework to assess the economic, environmental, and social outcomes of these technologies, using the aluminium sector as a case study to validate the approach and align it with circular economy principles.   
 LS2N3-GeM_CPS3-INGVER_MSCA_PostD Application_Eslami-Corre
LS2N4
  • Development of a robotic assistance platform for cryoablation procedures in interventional medicine
  • Juan SANDOVAL - Robots and Machines for Manufacturing, Society and Services (RoMAS)
  • Cryoablation is a minimally invasive procedure that uses extreme cold to destroy abnormal tissue in organs like the liver, kidney, or lung. Success depends on precise cryoprobe placement, guided by imaging techniques like ultrasound, CT, or MRI. This post-doc focuses on developing a robotic assistant to enhance cryoablation precision by adapting to probe puncture axes, integrating imaging for real-time guidance, customizing a redundant robot and validating the system's safety and performance.
 LS2N4_RoMas_MSCA_PostD Application_Sandoval
LS2N5
  • Deep learning for formal controller synthesis
  • Didier LIME and Pierre-Emmanuel HLADIK - Real Time Systems (STR)
  • We want to study how deep learning can be used in formal controller synthesis, in particular in the context of real-time systems. For instance, for timed automata with controllable and uncontrollable edges, and control objectives like reachability or safety of some set of states, the main idea would be to train a deep neural network to predict which controllable edges to enable/disable, and at what time, for the objective to hold.
 LS2N5_STR_MSCA_PostD Application_Lime-Hladik
Conditions of employment
  • Duration: 12 to 24 months
  • Remuneration: Approximately €6,000 (NB before employer and employee deductions) per month. The exact salary will be published in the MSCA PF call in April 2025.
  • Mobility and family support: Mobility allowance (€710 per month) + family allowance (€660 per month) if applicable - NB both allowances are before employer and employee deductions.
  • Secondment: Interdisciplinary and/or intersectoral mobility (from 3 months up to 1/3 of the grant) is possible where relevant.
  • Additional benefits:
    • Teleworking arrangements
    • Public transport costs reimbursed up to 75%
    • Sustainable mobility allowance (if cycling or car-pooling)
Selection process

Choose a pre-defined topic and apply for one or two research topics proposed by the supervisors (tables above). Your application must be in English and must include:

  • A detailed curriculum vitae (including a list of publications);
  • A concise statement on the relevance of the research to the selected topic, accompanied by a detailed proposal outlining your project idea for the MSCA postdoctoral fellowship (maximum 3 pages);
  • A link to and/or information about your PhD thesis;
  • Contact details of two references (not compulsory, recommended).

Please submit your application by sending your dossier to pauline.rouaud2b8cad73-47e3-4929-a25b-23a62a22b631@ec-nantes.fr (European Affairs Officer, Centrale Nantes) and yolaine.lebeau240e8f89-ea9d-447a-83f7-7ebc3f3b1371@ec-nantes.fr (European Affairs Officer, Centrale Innovation) before 31 March 2025. Please be sure to include both contacts so that your application can be processed as quickly as possible.

If your application is successful (response by the end of April 2025 at the latest), the next step is to apply jointly for the MSCA PF grant (call launched by the European Commission - HORIZON-MSCA-2025-PF-01-01).

A Step-by-Step Guide through HORIZON-MSCA-2025-PF-01-01

Step 1: This call aims to create a working partnership between a postdoctoral fellow abroad and a Centrale Nantes supervisor to collaborate on a research topic defined by the supervisor.

Step 2: Once the partnership is established, both parties will sign a mutual confidentiality agreement and a memorandum of understanding, in order to start preparing and submitting an application for the HORIZON-MSCA-2025-PF-01-01 call to the European Commission (approximately 10 pages). The postdoctoral fellow and the supervisor will decide on the duration of the postdoctoral fellowship, which may vary between 12 and 24 months.

Stage 3 - Path A: If the project is selected by the European Commission, the postdoctoral fellow will be hosted at Centrale Nantes and will receive a salary of approximately €6,000 (before employer and employee deductions). Additional funding is available to support the planned research activities. A family allowance and a mobility allowance are also available.

Stage 3 - Path B: If the project is not selected but receives a label of excellence, Centrale Nantes will seek alternative, non-European funding to ensure that the mobility remains feasible.

Stage 3 - Path C: If the project is not funded, Centrale Nantes will help prepare a new submission to the European Commission the following year.

Published on January 27, 2025 Updated on January 28, 2025