M2 Internship – Development of gas sensors based on perovskites and perovskite/polymer composites

Public establishment belonging to IMT (Institut Mines-Télécom), placed under the supervision of the Ministry of Economy, Finance and Industrial and Digital Sovereignty, IMT Nord Europe has three main objectives: providing our students with ethically responsible engineering practice enabling them to solve 21st century issues, carrying out our R&D activities leading to outstanding innovations and supporting territorial development through innovation and entrepreneurship. Ideally positioned at the heart of Europe, 1 hour away from Paris, 30 min from Brussels and 1h30 from London, IMT Nord Europe has strong ambitions to become a main actor of the current industrial transitions, digital and environmental, by combining education and research on engineering and digital technologies.

Located on two main campuses dedicated to research and education in Douai and Lille, IMT Nord Europe offers research facilities of almost 20,000m² in the following areas:

•              Digital science,

•              Energy and Environment,

•              Materials and Processes.

For more details, visit the School’s website : www.imt-nord-europe.fr

The successful applicant will work in the research centre of IMT Nord Europe in Douai, Centre for Energy and Environment (CERI EE), and be part of the Laboratoire Capteurs, that conducts research on sensor development and their metrological qualification. The lab counts 3 research engineers, 2 PhD candidates and 2 postdoctoral researchers working on several regional, national and international projects around air quality monitoring. This internship is part of a starting collaboration between IMT Nord Europe (Dr Alberto GREGORI) and Universidad Austral do Chile (Prof Caroline SILVA DANNA). The opportunity to contribute to publications in peer-reviewed scientific journals will be offered.

PROJECT:

Due to its adjustable band gap, high optical absorption coefficient, low exciton binding energy, and high carrier mobility, metal halide perovskites have affirmed themselves as an important optoelectronic material. Today, they are used as active materials in several optoelectronic devices including solar cells, light-emitting devices, photodetectors, and electrochemical biosensors. Perovskite based gas sensors exhibit high response, selectivity, fast response/recovery time at room temperature, and acceptable stability at low concentrations, attracting considerable attention from researchers. Leveraging the Laboratoire Capteurs expertise in conductive polymer sensors and gas sensing measurement, this internship aims to develop new perovskite (MAPbCl3 and MAPbBr3) and hybrids (perovskite/ polymers) chemiresistors for reducing gas (NH3, H2S, etc.) sensing, improving the sensing properties at room temperature. This work is part of a starting collaboration between IMT Nord Europe and Universidad Austral do Chile.

Objectives and methodology: The internship will involve these main steps:

·         Perovskite/polymers formulations;

·         Thin film deposition (dropcasting, deepcasting, spincoating, bladecoating,…) and characterization (SEM, XRD,…);

·         Sensor fabrication and characterization (gas exposure test bench and data analysis).

Requirements

Required profile: We are looking for an enthusiastic and motivated Engineering/MSc/M2 student, with solid basis in materials science, formulation and thin film deposition willing to engage in applied research for sensors development. Strong analytical, organisation and communication skills, and proficiency in English language are required. Aptitude and/or appeal for experimental work is essential. Additional desirable skills (not mandatory) would be: basic programming skills (Python, LabView) and data analysis, prior experience with formulation and thin films deposition, sensor characterization, ability to read and speak French.

Skills : Thin film deposition and characterization, formulation of nanoparticles inks, programming and data analysis

Knowledge : Organic electronics, Colloids, Sensors (in particular chemiresistor)

CONDITIONS :

The job is to be filled as to 01/03/2026 for a period of 6 months.                                                       

INFORMATION AND APPLICATION METHODS :

For any information on the missions, please contact  GREGORI, Alberto, Chargé de Recherche, [email protected]

For any administrative information, please contact the Human Resources Department: [email protected]

This job is offered to civil servants on a mobility basis, or on a contractual basis under public law.

In addition, the position can be adapted for a disabled person.

DEADLINE DATE FOR SUBMISSIONS: 11/01/2026