Open Positions

2

Time Span

01 Aug 2024 for 4 years

Application Deadline

20 May 2024

Financing

yes

Areas of study

Materials Science, Materials Technology, Materials Engineering, Theoretical Physics

Description

The following PhD projects are available:

• “High-Throughput Atomistic Simulations of Microstructure-Induced Failure”, Max-Planck-Institut for Sustainable Materials, Düsseldorf
• “Multimodal multiscale correlative microscopy of reduction processes”, Ruhr-Universität Bochum

What we do

Our structured, three-year doctoral program, conducted entirely in English, takes an intensive interdisciplinary approach and brings together scientists from across the globe in the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region of Germany.

Metallurgy has provided humankind since more than five millennia with materials, tools and the associated progress. It is not only a huge engineering success story, but has also become the biggest single industrial environmental burden of our generation. Disruptive innovations are required for alternative reduction processes that convert mineral ores into metals without today’s carbon based methods that release huge amounts of CO2. SusMet focuses on the exploration of carbon-free sustainable metallurgy, employing hydrogen as reducing agent, direct electroreduction (electrolysis) and plasma synthesis.

Correlating experimental, ab initio and multi-scale simulation as well as machine learning techniques is central to our mission:

• Development and application of advanced simulation techniques to explore and identify the fundamental structures and mechanisms occurring in these materials and their synthesis over all relevant length scales (e.g. cutting-edge ab initio methods, atomistic simulation methods, multi-scale modelling, machine learning)
• High resolution analysis, monitoring of chemistry, structure and transformations at the atomic scale of buried interfaces and defects by correlated experimental techniques in both space and time (e.g., correlated APT, TEM, FIM, EBIC, EBSD, XPS Kelvin probe microscopy, machine learning augmented analysis techniques)
• Experimental and computational analysis of transport and the reaction of surfaces and particles with reducing and oxidizing gas-phase species (e.g. laser-based imaging diagnostics, setup of model reactors, modeling of underlying reactions, multiscale simulation of reactive fluids, computational fluid dynamics)

What we offer

• Cutting-edge research in a dynamic work environment
• Well-structured curriculum and close supervision of the PhD projects including regular status meetings
• An international and open-minded community with outstanding opportunities for collaboration

Your profile

• Excellent master’s degree in materials science, physics, engineering or chemistry
• Very good English skills
• Not have been resident in Germany for the past 15 months
• Not have graduated longer than six years ago
• Not have completed a PhD

Required Documents

• Motivation letter
• CV
• Bachelor and Master degree certificates and transcript of records
• Certificate of very good English knowledge (IELTS, TOEFL, or similar)
• A recommendation letter from one of your university professors using the DAAD form
  To be sent by the professor to susmet@mpie.de

Scholarships are provided in the framework of the Graduate School Scholarship Programme (GSSP) of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD).

After nomination by IMPRS SusMet the successful candidates therefore have to formally apply to DAAD.

Please apply online here.  
We don't accept applications via post or e-mail.

We are committed to employing more handicapped individuals and especially encourage them to apply. The Max Planck Society strives for gender and diversity equality. We welcome applications from all backgrounds.