4 fully funded Ph.D. positions in MSCA doctoral network MATCH

Multicore fiber Applications and TeCHnologies (MATCH) is a doctoral training network funded by the European Commission, under the MSCA Doctoral Networks 2023 | Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, and proposed by a multidisciplinary and intersectoral consortium of international experts.

MATCH aims at developing leading solution for scaling future optical fibre communication networks towards emerging information capacities, while offering the potential to lower costs, reduce power consumption and significantly boost network capacity by over tenfold;

MATCH programme outlines a comprehensive set of research and training objectives tailored to 13 doctoral candidates (DCs);

The cohort of DCs will be hosted by 14 partners (10 from academia and 4 from the industrial sector);

The planned training activities of DCs include 32 secondments, 7 mini-symposiums, 3 transferable skills workshops, summer schools, and tutorials, among others.

In MATCH program, DCs will acquire expertise in diverse areas, encompassing:

(i) Design and fabrication of MCFs with transmission capacities surpassing the state-of-the-art;

(ii) Design and implementation of MCF components and subsystems, with a focus on optical amplifiers and switches, multiple frequency comb sources, and parallel-scalable signal processing architectures;

(iii) Development and implementation of machine learning techniques for end-to-end performance optimization of MCF networks;

(iv) Design and evaluation of coexistence of telecom and non-telecom signals in MCF networks.

Positions (doctoral candidates)

DC 1 – Open

Project Title: Impact of extra-light scattering on coupling in MCF
Host institution: CNRS-PhLAM, France
Supervisors: Prof. L. Bigot (CNRS-PhLAM), Prof. Y. Quiquempois (CNRS-PhLAM)

DC 4 – Open

Project Title: Innovative MCF amplifier approaches for telecommunications
Host institution: UNILIM, France
Supervisors: Prof. P. Roy (UNILIM)

DC 10 – Open

Project Title: Design of wavelength space division multiplexing MCF-based passive optical networks 
Host institution: Iscte, Portugal 
Supervisors: Prof. T. Alves (Iscte), Prof. D. Zibar (DTU)

DC 12 – Open

Project Title: Design of application-aware high-capacity optical networks
Host institution: INF, Portugal
Supervisors: Dr. J. Pedro (INF), Prof. L. Cancela (Iscte)

What We Offer:

Contract: Each Doctoral Candidate will receive a 36-month contract to cover living costs. The gross amount is based on a living allowance adjusted according to the country correction coefficient, reflecting the cost of living and statutory costs in the recruiting institution’s country.

Fully Funded Training Activities: All costs related to training activities, including travel and accommodation for annual meetings and other network-organized events, will be covered by the Horizon Europe MSCA-DN grant.

Access to Research Facilities: Candidates will have access to dedicated workspaces and state-of-the-art research facilities to support their projects.

Research Expenses Covered: Bench/consumables costs necessary for executing the research project will be fully covered by the recruiting institutions.

The consortium of MATCH doctoral programme represents a multidisciplinary and intersectoral team with large experience in training and innovative research deployment. MATCH comprises some of the most renowned European universities, spanning across 6 different European countries. All these universities have high educational and research standards and suitable infrastructures to host and training DCs. Private sector is represented by 2 high-tech research institutes and 4 European cutting-edge companies with a strong position on the optical fibre communications and optical components segment. 

The MATCH methodology includes cross-disciplinary methods and practical experience to all DCs by granting access to top laboratory and test-bed facilities, in both host and secondment institutions within academia and industry.

The most talented candidates will be selected for advanced multidisciplinary and intersectoral research training, starting on September 2025 (the latest).

Key Features of the PhD Positions

Multidisciplinary training: Training of DCs will exploit multidisciplinary consortium expertise spanning design, modelling and simulation of photonic systems, sensor systems, signal processing and device manufacturing, development of machine learning algorithms and design of optical communication networks or power consumption and energy saving.

Secondments activities: Each DC will experience at least two secondments, with at least one in a country different from that one of the host institution. MATCH comprises a total of 32 secondment actions, from which 25 are hosted by academic partners and 7 by industrial partners.

Personalized Career Development Plans: Each DC of MATCH network has a personalized training program established. The program describes the research training goals of the DCs, transferable skills to attain, collaboration with partners and engagement in MATCH outreach activities, publication in journals and international conferences, and opportunities for the DC’s future career development. The career development plan will be adjusted to DC’s personal circumstances that may arise and updated along the Ph.D. programme.

MATCH consortium is looking for outstanding and motivated Doctoral Candidates (DCs) with the skills, knowledge and enthusiasm to develop innovative and breakthrough research in the field of multicore fibre (MCF) technology.

Education Level: Master Degree or equivalent

Research Field: Physics, Applied Physics/Optics, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, and other relevant areas

Skills/Qualifications:

• Applicants must be proficient in English language.  
• Students currently in the final year of a Master’s degree are encouraged to apply.

Candidate’s Requirements

• Must have completed the master's studies at the time of incorporation;
• Must not have a doctoral degree at the date of their recruitment;
• Can be of any nationality;
• Should be enrolled in a doctoral program during the project;
• Should comply with the mobility rules: in general, he/she must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country of the recruiting organization for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before their recruitment date.