Postdoctoral Research Associate in Computational Modelling to Optimize Concrete Crushing

We are seeking a full-time Postdoctoral Research Associate to join Prof. Emilio Martinez-Paneda’s research group (the Mechanics of Materials Lab) at the Department of Engineering Science (central Oxford).  This post is fixed-term for 12 months initially and  funded by a UK Government-funded project supporting Ukraine’s energy recovery.

You will join the Safe, Sustainable and Swift Reconstruction of Ukraine project (S3RU), funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), to upcycle the rubble into low-energy and low-carbon construction materials to create a circular economy. You will run advanced computational fracture mechanics calculations to optimise concrete crushing by minimising friction and maximising cracking. You will use phase field methods in combination with advanced explicit solvers. You will have the opportunity to use commercial finite element packages such as COMSOL or ABAQUS but also in-house or open-source codes such as FEniCS or MOOSE. You will also be expected to take part in collaborative work, take part in the activities of the research group, submit publications to reputed journals and liaise with academic collaborators and sponsors.

You must have obtained or be close to obtaining a PhD in engineering, mathematics, physics, materials science, or other closely related disciplines. Also, you should have experience in at least one of the following:

•            Finite element analysis

•            Multi-physics modelling

•            ABAQUS or COMSOL

•            Fracture Mechanics

•            Phase field models

•            Computational Mechanics

This post is offered with the possibility to underfill at Grade 6 (£32,332 - £38,205 p.a.) if the candidate holds a relevant degree/Masters and is working on PhD/DPhil) 

Informal enquiries may be addressed to Prof. Emilio Martinez-Paneda  (email: [email protected])

For more information about working at the Department, see

www.eng.ox.ac.uk/about/work-with-us/

 Only online applications received before midday on 12th July 2024 can be considered. You will be required to upload a covering letter/supporting statement, including a brief statement of research interests (describing how past experience and future plans fit with the advertised position), CV and the details of two referees as part of your online application.

The Department holds an Athena Swan Bronze award, highlighting its commitment to promoting women in Science, 

 Keywords Computational solid mechanics, Finite element analysis, Numerical analysis, Fracture mechanics, Phase field methods