Postdoctoral Researcher in Battery Fire Safety – 20-month fixed-term contract – IMT Mines Alès

Come join IMT Mines Alès, a prestigious “grande école” ranked among the top engineering schools both nationally and globally, located in Alès—a welcoming, livable city and the capital of the Cévennes region, where residents highly value the quality of life.

Founded in 1843, IMT Mines Alès currently has 1,400 students (including 250 international students) and 380 staff members. The school has three high-level scientific and technological research and teaching centers, working in the fields of materials and civil engineering (C2MA), the environment and risk management (CREER), and artificial intelligence and industrial and digital engineering (CERIS). It operates 12 technology platforms and has 1,600 partner companies. For more information: https://www.imt-mines-ales.fr

You will be affiliated with the Mines Alès Materials Centre (C2MA) at IMT Mines Alès and the PCH research unit.

You will carry out work as part of the AMI ‘Skills and Professions of the Future’ (CMA) project, focusing on the fire safety of lithium-ion batteries, with the aim of gaining a better understanding of the interactions between battery thermal runaway and the polymer materials present in its environment.

Your main responsibilities:

• To participate in the design, development and implementation of an experimental test bench to study the effects of battery thermal runaway in the presence of polymeric materials

• To define experimental protocols, conduct test campaigns and analyse the results in order to improve understanding of fire propagation mechanisms

• Contribute to the development of IMT Mines Alès’s teaching programme in the field of battery fire safety

• Participate in the design and implementation of a training module dedicated to thermal runaway mechanisms, associated risks, test methods, and prevention and protection strategies

• Prepare teaching materials and deliver the associated courses

• Contribute to the scientific dissemination of the work carried out as part of the project

You can find more information in the job description below:

https://partage.imt.fr/index.php/s/PSkqHdroZXCFYKP

Minimum level of education and/or experience required:

• PhD

Required skills, knowledge and experience:

• Good command of scientific English, both written and spoken

• Ability to showcase one’s work through publications in international scientific journals and presentations at national and international conferences

• Good writing skills

Further information:

20-month fixed-term contract under public law – Position open to civil servants and contract staff

Information for internal use by staff on the IMT management system:

Reference job category for the post: II - P

This post is open to all. IMT Mines Alès is committed to putting in place the necessary arrangements for people with disabilities, in order to ensure an inclusive and accessible working environment.

Salary: €35,400 gross per annum.

Application deadline: September 11, 2026

Provisional date for the selection panel’s decision: September 25, 2026

Desired start date: November 1, 2026

We strongly recommend that you contact the individuals listed below regarding the ‘job description’ section.

Contacts:

Regarding the job description:

Marcos BATISTELLA, Senior Lecturer – Head of the PRINEC Master’s programme

Regarding administrative matters:

Géraldine BRUNEL, Director of Human Resources,

So join us and enjoy these numerous benefits:

• Generous holiday entitlement

• On-site catering

• 75 per cent of public transport costs covered

• Sustainable mobility allowance for car-sharing or cycling

• A stimulating innovation ecosystem (start-ups, students, research, businesses, etc.)

• An ideal environment for pursuing your passions (sea and mountains nearby)