In March, we shared the news that FAroGels – Food-Grade Aerogels for Sustainable Food Systems had been selected for funding under the Horizon Europe Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Doctoral Networks programme. Over the past few months, our consortium has been preparing for the next stage of the project, and we're pleased to announce that applications are now open for 15 Doctoral Candidate positions.
Coordinated by Middle East Technical University (METU) under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Mecit Halil Öztop, FAroGels brings together 23 organisations from 8 countries, including universities, research institutes and industry partners. The project focuses on developing biodegradable and edible aerogels from renewable biopolymers and agro-industrial by-products, with potential applications in food production, processing and packaging.
The 15 positions are available at 11 recruiting organisations across Finland, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, Türkiye and the United Kingdom. Two of these positions will be hosted by our laboratory at METU in Ankara:
• DC5: Aerogel-Based Selective Adsorption of Anti-Nutritional Factors
• DC8: Moisture-Insensitive Aerogel Packaging for Mechanical Shock Protection
Each position offers a 36-month full-time employment contract and enrolment in a doctoral programme. Doctoral Candidates will work with academic and industrial supervisors, undertake approximately 7–8 months of secondments at partner organisations, and participate in research and training activities across the FAroGels network.
Applications are welcome from candidates of all nationalities, provided they meet the MSCA eligibility requirements, including the mobility rule.
Application deadline: 9 December 2026, 23:59 CET
Expected start date: March 2027 (earliest)
Full details on the available positions, eligibility requirements and application process can be found at farogels.eu/open-positions.
For general enquiries, please contact farogels@metu.edu.tr.
We're looking forward to welcoming our first group of doctoral researchers to the FAroGels network!