Internship contract – 6 months | Fulltime/40h | From 01.09.2025 on | Hautcharage
Are you passionate about research? So are we! Come and join us
The Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST) is a Research and Technology Organization (RTO) active in the fields of materials, environment and IT. By transforming scientific knowledge into technologies, smart data and tools, LIST empowers citizens in their choices, public authorities in their decisions and businesses in their strategies.
How will you contribute?
The context you will intervene in:
· Polyurethane (PU) polymers are widely used due to their versatility and high performance. However, their synthesis traditionally involves toxic isocyanates and relies on petroleum-derived monomers, raising significant health and environmental concerns.
· Non-isocyanate polyurethanes (NIPUs) have emerged as safer and more sustainable alternatives, typically based on the polyaddition of cyclic carbonates and amines. These systems not only eliminate the use of isocyanates but also exhibit improved hydrolytic and chemical resistance, making them promising candidates for bio-based, environmentally friendly materials.
· At LIST, a novel family of fast-polymerizing polyhydroxyurethane (PHU) materials has been developed thanks to innovative monomers.
· you will focus on gaining a deeper kinetic and mechanistic understanding of those reactions and potentially unlock new strategies for optimizing them.
Your objectives:
· Evaluate the reaction kinetics of new monomers.
· Identify potential rate-limiting steps in the mechanism.
Your tasks and activities:
· Study reaction kinetics by NMR under varying conditions (temperature, solvent, isotopic substitution).
· Combine NMR kinetic data with FTIR measurements to support mechanistic interpretations.
· Analyze experimental data using kinetic modelling to identify possible rate-limiting steps.
· Study kinetic isotope effects (KIE) by selectively deuterating reactants with D₂O and assessing the impact on the reaction pathway.
· Use combined spectroscopic approaches (e.g. FTIR) to track structural evolution.
Technics and tools:
· Wet chemistry techniques for D/H exchange.
· NMR spectroscopy (¹H, ²H) for kinetic monitoring and structural analysis.
· FTIR spectroscopy for complementary in situ tracking.
· Kinetic modelling and activation energy extraction from time-resolved data.
Is Your profile described below? Are you our future colleague? Apply now!
Education
· You are a last year undergraduate student (Master 2) in Organic Chemistry or in Polymer Engineering and Science (including processing
Experience and skills
· You are passionate about chemistry and spectroscopy.
· Have a strong desire to perform experimental research in a lab environment.
· Display a clear commitment to safe working practices.
· You communicate effectively and work well with others.
· Have knowledge of NMR, FTIR and reaction mechanism.
· Additionally to a previous experience with synthesis would be an asset
Language skills
· Good level both written and spoken English is mandatory
Your LIST benefits
An organization with a passion for impact and strong RDI partnerships in Luxembourg and Europe that works on responsible and independent research projects;
Sustainable by design, empowering our belief that we play an essential role in paving the way to a green society;
Innovative infrastructures and exceptional labs occupying more than 5,000 square metres, including innovations such as our Viswall, high-scale incubators and top of the range 3D/4D printings that are part of our toolkit for excelling in all we do;
Multicultural and international work environment with more than 45 nationalities represented in our workforce;
Diverse and inclusive work environment empowering our people to fulfil their personal and professional ambitions;
Gender-friendly environment with multiple actions to attract, develop and retain women in science;
32 days’ paid annual leave for a full time internship, 11 public holidays per annum, flexible working hours,
An environment encouraging curiosity, innovation and entrepreneurship in all areas.
Apply online
Your application must include a motivation letter oriented towards the position and detailing your experience.
Application procedure and conditions:
We kindly request applicants to provide their nationality for statistical purposes only, as part of our commitment to promoting diversity and ensuring equal opportunities in our workforce. This information will be kept confidential and will not be used for any discriminatory purposes.
LIST is dedicated to maintaining an inclusive work environment and is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to attracting, hiring, and retaining a diverse workforce. All applicants will be considered for employment without discrimination based on national origin, race, color, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, religion, age, or disability.
Applications will be continuously reviewed until the position is filled. An assessment committee will thoroughly evaluate applications, adhering to guidelines designed to ensure equal opportunities. The primary criteria for selection will be the alignment of the applicant's existing skills and expertise with the requirements mentioned above.
Your diploma must be recognized in Luxembourg. Please refer to:
https://www.uni.lu/en/admissions/diploma-recognition/