Postdoc PMI

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Summary: 
Do you (soon) have a PhD in plasma physics, mechanical engineering or metallurgy and want to continue your career in research on tungsten divertor lifetime? Read further!
Status: 
Open
Location: 
De Zaale 20 Eindhoven
Department: 
Theme Fusion Energy
Group: 
Plasma Material Interactions
Kind of contract: 
Temporary
Kind of function: 
postdoc
Working hours: 
1 FTE
Level of education: 
PhD
Level of experience: 
Medior
Scale: 
10
Vacancy id: 
991123
Publication date: 
March 28, 2023
Closing date: 
April 17, 2023
DIFFER

The Dutch Institute for Fundamental Energy Research (DIFFER) performs leading fundamental research on materials, processes, and systems for a global sustainable energy infrastructure. We work in close partnership with (inter)national academia and industry. Our user facilities are open to industry and university researchers. As an institute of the Dutch Research Council (NWO) DIFFER plays a key role in fundamental research for the energy transition.

We use a multidisciplinary approach applicable on two key areas, solar fuels for the conversion and storage of renewable energy and nuclear fusion – as a clean source of energy.

Differ is looking for a Postdoc on tungsten divertor lifetime

Scientific aim:

The design of the ITER divertor has been finalized and manufacturing of the European inner target has now commenced. What is still unclear is the expected performance of the divertor targets under the varying normal and transient loading conditions during ITER operation which are still subject to a large uncertainty. Additionally the topics of performance of irradiated materials and how well the ITER solution can be extrapolated for a demonstration power plant are receiving greater and greater prominence. The scientific focus of the community has therefore shifted to 1) understanding the lifetime and required plasma conditions to maximise this lifetime of the ITER plasma facing components 2) performance of tungsten which has been damaged (irradiated, cracked, melted) to define a clear lifetime limit and 3) development of advanced tungsten grades with improved properties for longer lifetime.

Research:

Your role will be to plan and carry out experiments and characterize tungsten materials, both standard grade and advanced, under different loading conditions using the unique DIFFER PSI facilities, in particular our flagship MAGNUM-PSI device. The tasks could include several or all of the following:

•            Determination of crack-growth propagation from pre-damaged tungsten

•            Evaluation of enhanced surface erosion and re-deposition of pre-damaged tungsten

•            Very high cycle number surface fatigue of tungsten monoblocks and material characterization thereof.

•            Performance evaluation of advanced tungsten grades under high flux loading conditions

As well as carrying out the above tasks your responsibilities would be to also support the research of PhDs within the PMI group and of visiting researchers to the DIFFER PSI devices using your expertise, and to act as daily supervisor for one or more masters students.

Position and requirements

We seek enthusiastic and highly talented candidates that are willing to work in an international and interdisciplinary team of theoretical and experimental physicists, engineers and technicians.

The applicant should have (or very soon will have)

• a PhD in plasma physics (Plasma Surface Interaction focus); mechanical engineering; materials science; or metallurgy
• Good verbal and written communication skills (in English) are mandatory.
• Expertise in (some of) the following skills:
  • Finite element analysis (mechanical/structural/thermal)
  • Linear plasma device operation/usage
  • Nuclear fusion physics and engineering
  • Scrape-off layer and sheath physics
  • (Micro)Mechanical testing
  • Micromechanical/nano indentation
  • Electron Backscatter Diffraction (EBSD)
  • Scanning Electron Microscopy
  • Energy Dispersive X-Ray Analysis (EDX)
  • Focused Ion Beam milling
  • (Laser) profilometry
  • X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS)
  • Optical/Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy
  • Other relevant surface/material analysis techniques

Terms and conditions

This position is for 1 FTE, will be for a period of 2 years and is graded in pay scale 10. The position will be based at DIFFER (www.differ.nl ) and the working location will be at TU Eindhoven. When fulfilling a position at DIFFER, you will have an employee status at NWO. You can participate in all the employee benefits NWO offers. We have a number of regulations that support employees in finding a good work-life balance. At DIFFER we believe that a workforce diverse in gender, age and cultural background is key to performing excellent research. We therefore strongly encourage everyone to apply. More information on working at NWO can be found at the NWO website (https://www.nwo-i.nl/en/working-at-nwo-i/jobsatnwoi/ )

Information and application

For more information concerning the position please contact Thomas Morgan via [email protected] . To apply for this position, please click the button underneath:

Closing date: 
April 17, 2023

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