The Cyprus Institute is seeking two highly motivated young scientists to join our research team.

  - Do you have a Master’s degree in atmospheric or computational science, or in similar fields?
  - Do you have knowledge on mass spectrometry?
  - Do you like problem solving and work well in a team?
  - Do you like to fieldwork and enjoy troubleshooting?
  - Do you want to work on an exciting ERC-funded project?

If yes, you should consider applying to one of our PhD positions, which offer excellent possibilities for professional development of highly motivated individuals in the framework of the ERC-StG project “The role of Base molecules in AErosol formation” (BAE, https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101076311) and the EU-H2020  “EMME-CARE” (Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East Climate and Atmosphere Research Centre; http://emme-care.cyi.ac.cy/; TEAMING Grant no. 856612), within which The Cyprus Institute established a “Centre of Excellence” in Climate and Atmosphere research for the EMME region in cooperation with EU Advanced Partners (Max Planck Institute for Chemistry in Germany; University of Helsinki in Finland; and CEA in France).

The Institute and the Graduate School

The Cyprus Institute (CyI) is a non-profit research and educational institution with a strong scientific and technological orientation, emphasizing international collaborations, cross-disciplinary research, innovation, and postgraduate education. CyI, through its established research centres, addresses challenging issues that are important at both the regional and international levels. Many of its research activities are being carried out in partnership with leading institutions in the respective thematic areas.

The Cyprus Institute actuates its educational mission through its Graduate School. It is a fully accredited, degree-granting institution of higher education offering exclusively postgraduate programs. It maintains a small number of students that are fully integrated into the research activities of the institute. This provides the students with the opportunity to acquire hands-on training in the use of the latest methods and techniques, have access to state-of-the-art infrastructure, and conduct research with internationally recognized research teams.

The successful applicants will be based at the Graduate School of The Cyprus Institute and at the Climate and Atmosphere Research Centre’s Environmental Observations Department. The selected applicants will be enrolled in the PhD program: Energy, Environment and Atmospheric Sciences. 

Possibility to complete a Joint PhD degree with the University of Helsinki can be discussed subject to the interest by the selected candidates.

Description of the Positions

The successful candidates will advance the CARE-C’s research and innovation agenda in its scientific focus of Environmental Observations area through experimental research of reactive aerosol precursor gases and ultrafine aerosols, particularly on basic aerosol precursor molecules and clusters. A newly acquired Multi-scheme chemical ionization – Time-of-Flight – Mass Spectrometer (MION-APi-TOF) or a MION-Orbitrap will be used, developed to monitor atmospheric base compounds, their oxidation chemistries, reaction products and role in new particle formation as cluster stabilizing compounds. The objectives of the two Ph.D. projects are:

1) To develop and test suitable methodologies to measure sub-pptv mixing rations of ammonia and amines, their oxidation products and clusters. 
2) To develop low concentration calibration and zero sampling methods for bases.
3) To investigate how particles form in various environments and how our methods could be applied outside our every day research topics.

The successful candidates will be responsible for the method development for the MION-APi-TOF/MION-Orbitrap together with the BAE research group. Other responsibilities of the candidates include supporting the Cyprus Atmospheric Observatory (CAO) long-term measurements and participation in national and international field campaigns and laboratory experiments (e.g. the CLOUD experiment at Cern in Switzerland). We appreciate active regional and international networking and support participating in educational programs of the Institute and training of our new research and technical staff.

 

Required Qualifications

  - Master’s degree in Atmospheric or Environmental Sciences, Chemistry, Physics, Engineering or related field
  - Excellent knowledge of the English language, both verbal and writing
  - Basic programming skills (e.g. Matlab, R, Python)
  - Independent and proactive thinking
  - Strong analytical and organizational skills
  - High interpersonal skills and ability to work in a team
  - Desire to travel

Preferred Skills

  - Research experience on mass spectrometers and ultrafine aerosol instrumentation
  - Publication record
  - Driving licence

Financial Support

The successful candidates will be employed as Graduate Research Fellows. We offer competitive financial support with the exact salary level to will be confirmed upon appointment. The position is fully-funded for 4 years.

Application Process

 During the application process, applicants will be asked to provide:

   - CV (max. 2 pages)
  - Electronic copies of academic degrees
  - Proof of English language proficiency
  - Examples of written work (e.g. link to your thesis, published articles, etc.
  - References list with two names, including a short description of your work affiliation with each contact.
  - Motivation letter where applicants should also mention why they are interested in this position and that they are applying for the PhD position with reference code: GS-EAS-ASC-ERC-23-1

Applicants should refer to the CyI website under the PhD in Energy, Environment and Atmospheric Sciences Admissions section for additional information and requirements pertaining to the application process.

Only applications that have been sent through the online application system of The Cyprus Institute Graduate School, will be considered. When applying through the online application, in Step 2 of the application, applicants should enter the specific PhD project reference code GS-EAS-ASC-ERC-23-1 in order to be considered for the position.

 
Application Deadline

The application deadline for this project is 1 May, 2024 for EU and international students and July 3 for applicants who do not require a visa. The positions will be filled immediately when suitable candidates are identified. The selected candidates will begin their graduate studies in the Energy, Environment and Atmospheric Sciences PhD program on October 2, 2024.

Contact Information

For further information, please contact Assistant Professor Dr. Tuija Jokinen (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.). For more information about postgraduate studies at The Cyprus Institute and admission requirements, please contact the Office of Graduate Studies of The Cyprus Institute at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or at tel: +357 22208614.