MetacMed is a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Action (MSCA) Doctoral Network (DN) that offers world-class interdisciplinary training to 12 Doctoral Candidates (DCs) in the field of "Acoustic and mechanical metamaterials for biomedical and energy harvesting applications" (MetacMed). The consortium includes partners from four EU countries, Switzerland, and the UK, integrating academic, research centers, and SMEs, with a focus on interdisciplinary and inter-sectoral skill development. The project starts on March 1, 2024.

ABOUT THE RESEARCH PROGRAMME

MetacMed aims to connect basic research on acoustic and mechanical metamaterials (MMs) with health and well-being issues. DCs will explore how MMs can improve human health, such as enhancing the resolution of biomedical ultrasound imaging for cancer diagnostics, designing better spinal implants, monitoring bone healing, and developing insoles to aid walking. Another focus is on creating MMs for energy harvesting to power medical devices and reduce reliance on conventional power sources. These goals are supported by fundamental studies on MMs, ensuring a strong foundation for achieving these tasks. The network balances basic science and applications, incorporating industry input on MMs fabrication and exploitation. Comprehensive training events and tailored secondment periods at associated partners and beneficiaries are also included. For more details, visit www.metacmed.eu or refer to the "Call for applicants" document.

Beneficiaries:

• Università della Calabria (UNICAL), IT
• Instytut Maszyn Przeplywowych Im Roberta Szewalskiego Polskiej Akademii Nauk (IMP-PAN), PL
• Universita Degli Studi Di Messina (UNIME), IT
• Centre National De La Recherche Scientifique Cnrs (CNRS), FR

Associated Partners recruiting via SERI and UKRI:

• The University Of Warwick (UOW), UK
• University of Leeds (UNIVLEEDS), UK
• OrthoSens SA (OSens), CH
• Eidgenössiche Materialprüfungs- und Forschungsanstalt (Empa), CH

Associated Partners:

• Politecnico Di Bari, IT
• Amazemet SP. Z O.O., PL
• Ecole Polytechnique Federale De Lausanne, CH
• Universite De Lille, FR
• Skills4Science, ES

WHY APPLY?

Doctoral Networks (DNs) are funded by the European Commission (and SERI and UKRI where applicable) due to their excellent research, training, and career prospects. Benefits of being a PhD student in a doctoral network include:

• Participation in specially developed courses (e.g., specific techniques, academic soft skills, etc.)
• Early-stage professional network building through an extended academic network, including collaboration with SMEs and other DCs
• Guidance from excellent group leaders who are outstanding in their research and training

BENEFITS AND SALARY

The MSCA DN programme offers a highly competitive salary and working conditions. Successful candidates will receive a salary in accordance with MSCA regulations for early-stage researchers. The exact salary will be confirmed upon offer and will include:

• Living Allowance of €3400/month, adjusted per country with a correction factor
• Mobility allowance of €600/month for all DCs
• Family allowance of €660/month, depending on family situation

Taxation and Social Contribution deductions based on National and Institutional regulations will apply and will be deducted from the gross payment. In addition to their individual scientific projects, all fellows will benefit from further continuing education, including the opportunity to register for a PhD degree, scientific skills courses, transferable skills courses, active participation in workshops and conferences, and secondments to partner labs.

ESSENTIAL ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Applicants must fully comply with four essential eligibility criteria:

• Academic Qualification: The applicant must have a degree that entitles them to enrol for a doctorate in the host country, in fields such as Biomedical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Aeronautical/Aerospace Engineering, Material Science/Engineering or Physics, Applied Mathematics, Electrical and electronic engineering, Mechatronics, Computer Science, or related disciplines. Contact info@metacmed.eu for any other related experience/education.
• Doctoral Candidates: Applicants must not already possess a doctoral degree at the time of recruitment.
• International Mobility: At the time of appointment, researchers must not have resided or carried out their main activity in the host country for more than 12 months in the last 3 years. Short stays are not considered.

DC ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES

All DCs are expected to carry out the following tasks:

• Manage and complete their research projects within 36 months
• Write a PhD dissertation within the required timeframe of the specific university
• Participate in research and training activities within the MetacMed network
• Write articles for scientific peer-reviewed journals
• Participate in meetings of the MetacMed consortium bodies
• Disseminate research in the scientific community and to the non-scientific community through outreach and public engagement
• Liaise with other research staff and students in relevant areas and partner institutions
• Write progress reports and prepare results for publication and dissemination
• Attend progress and management meetings and network with other research groups
• Work full-time on the research activities specified in their Individual Research Project
• Cannot take on additional paid responsibilities to supplement their income

For further details, visit www.metacmed.eu and refer to the "Call for applicants" document.

LIST OF AVAILABLE POSITIONS WITH LINKS TO APPLY

IMPORTANT: As of mid-August 2024, 3 out of 12 positions are open. The positions at CNRS and the University of Leeds will open in the next couple of months. Check www.metacmed.eu regularly for updates, or follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook. For formal enquiries, contact info@metacmed.eu or the Project Coordinator Dr. Stefano Laureti stefano.laureti@unical.it.

Positions:

• DC1 - “Metamaterial lenses for ultrasonic sub-wavelength imaging in water” at UNICAL, Italy; STATUS: RECRUITMENT FINISHED
• DC2: “Artificial Intelligence for discovering novel acoustic/mechanical metamaterials designs and properties” UNICAL, Italy; STATUS: RECRUITMENT FINISHED
• DC3: “Noise reduction and energy harvesting from walking via metamaterials”, CNRS, FR; STATUS: TO BE OPEN
• DC4: “Metamaterial-based devices for energy harvesting and metamaterial insoles”, CNRS, FR; STATUS: TO BE OPEN
• DC5: “Metamaterial-enhanced ultrasonic GW monitoring for osseointegrated implants and fractured bone healing”, IMP-PAN, PL; STATUS: RECRUITMENT FINISHED
• DC6: “Metamaterial adaptive filters for harmonic imaging in clinical applications”, University of Leeds, UK; STATUS: TO BE OPEN
• DC7: “Filtering acoustic waves with multiphysics”, University of Messina, IT
• DC8: “Metamaterials and metasurfaces for improved ultrasonic clinical screening”, University of Warwick, UK; STATUS: RECRUITMENT FINISHED
• DC9: “Guiding and confining wave energy in 3D chiral metamaterials”, EMPA, CH
• DC10: “Metamaterials for spinal implants”, OrthoSens, CH
• DC11: “AI-aided topology optimization of phononic crystals”, IMP-PAN, PL; STATUS: RECRUITMENT FINISHED
• DC12: “Additively-manufactured metamaterial with embedded FBG sensors for human joints monitoring and rehabilitation”, IMP-PAN, PL; STATUS: RECRUITMENT FINISHED

This project was funded in the framework of the Horizon Europe Programme - MSCA DN (grant agreement n. 101119738)