PhD Candidate in Calculus of Variations

Employment

1.0 FTE

Gross monthly salary

€ 2,541 - € 3,247

Required background

Research University Degree

Organizational unit

Faculty of Science

Application deadline

04 May 2023

Apply now
With leading research into mathematics, we can answer important questions about the world of today and tomorrow. This requires curious individuals who want to push the boundaries of science. As a PhD Candidate, you will learn cutting-edge techniques in calculus of variations and study problems in materials science. This will advance the understanding of the mathematics of composite materials.
The project will be supervised by Riccardo Cristoferi and is funded by one of the 19 grants for innovative projects (link is external) allocated by the Dutch Research Council in this year's open science competition.
You will deepen your knowledge in the calculus of variations by working on cutting-edge projects in materials science and on phase separation in heterogeneous media in particular. You will contribute to the activities of the department and an international network of researchers. The position includes funding for traveling to international conferences and visiting collaborators worldwide.
Your teaching duties will be restricted to 10% of the usual teaching load. This means you will only serve as a teaching assistant in Bachelor's and Master's degree courses during the first three years, leaving you free to complete your PhD in the last year. This is a good opportunity for you to gain teaching experience. In the first year, you will take care of tutorials together with the other PhD candidate.
Profile

• You hold a Master's degree in Mathematics or will have obtained one around the starting date of the project.
• You took classes in analysis, calculus of variation, functional analysis, and measure theory.
• You are motivated, enthusiastic, proactive, and willing to learn.
• You should be able to work in a team as well as independently.
• You have good written and oral communication skills.

We are
The Department of Mathematics at Radboud University is part of the Institute for Mathematics, Astrophysics and Particle Physics in the Faculty of Science . Several activities are organised jointly with all the departments in the Institute to foster interdisciplinary interaction.
The Department of Mathematics represents a broad range of areas, including pure and applied analysis, numerical analysis, applied stochastics, mathematical physics, algebraic geometry, algebraic topology, non-commutative geometry, and number theory. Take a look here for more information about the research conducted at the Department. The Department of Mathematics has a friendly and welcoming atmosphere, with a good balance of senior and young staff, as well as of Dutch and international researchers. There are regular research seminars , as well as informal events.
There are around 25 PhD candidates in the Mathematics Department, who together organise several academic (PhD colloquia, reading groups) and social activities.
PhD candidates at Radboud University are given many opportunities for continuous development and support during their PhD and for finding a job afterwards, both in academia and in industry. See here for more information. Moreover, the PhD Organisation Nijmegen organises educational and social activities, especially focusing on the wellbeing of PhD candidates.
Nijmegen is the oldest city in the Netherlands and students form a large part of its population: old city, young vibe (link is external) . The BBC called it 'The progressive city that few know' in a recent article (link is external) , and it won the title of European Green Capital 2018 (link is external) ). It offers many events during the year (e.g. the InScience Film Festival (link is external) , the 4 Day March (link is external) , concerts and art events (link is external) ) and it has the advantage of being surrounded by nature and close to international airports (Schiphol, Eindhoven).

Radboud University

We want to get the best out of science, others and ourselves. Why? Because this is what the world around us desperately needs. Leading research and education make an indispensable contribution to a healthy, free world with equal opportunities for all. This is what unites the more than 24,000 students and 5,600 employees at Radboud University. And this requires even more talent, collaboration and lifelong learning. You have a part to play!
We offer

• It concerns an employment for 1.0 FTE.
• The gross starting salary amounts to €2,541 per month based on a 38-hour working week, and will increase to €3,247 in the fourth year (salary scale P ). 
• You will receive 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus.
• You will be employed for an initial period of 18 months, after which your performance will be evaluated. If the evaluation is positive, the contract will be extended by 2.5 years (4 year contract).
• You will be able to use our Dual Career and Family Care Services . Our Dual Career and Family Care Officer can assist you with family-related support, help your partner or spouse prepare for the local labour market, provide customized support in their search for employment and help your family settle in Nijmegen.
• Working for us means getting extra days off. In case of full-time employment, you can choose between 30 or 41 days of annual leave instead of the legally allotted 20.

Additional employment conditions
Work and science require good employment practices. This is reflected in Radboud University's primary and secondary employment conditions . You can make arrangements for the best possible work-life balance with flexible working hours, various leave arrangements and working from home. You are also able to compose part of your employment conditions yourself, for example, exchange income for extra leave days and receive a reimbursement for your sports subscription. And of course, we offer a good pension plan. You are given plenty of room and responsibility to develop your talents and realise your ambitions. Therefore, we provide various training and development schemes.
Would you like more information?
For questions about the position, please contact Riccardo Cristoferi, Assistant Professor, at r.cristoferi@math.ru.nl .
Practical information and applying
You can apply until 4 May 2023, exclusively using the button below. Kindly address your application to Riccardo Cristoferi. Please fill in the application form and attach the following documents:

• A letter of motivation.
• Your CV, including the contact details of two academic references.
• A Transcript of grades obtained at undergraduate and graduate level.
• An abstract of your Master's thesis (even if not yet completed).

The first round of interviews will take place on Thursday, 11 May. You would preferably begin employment on 1 September 2023.
We can imagine you're curious about our application procedure . It offers a rough outline of what you can expect during the application process, how we handle your personal data and how we deal with internal and external candidates.
Apply now Application deadline 04 May 2023

We would like to recruit our new colleague ourselves. Acquisition in response to this vacancy will not be appreciated.

Dr Cristoferi, R. (Riccardo)
Assistant Professor
r.cristoferi@math.ru.nl
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When are you an internal candidate?
You are an internal candidate if you:

• Work at Radboud University (i.e. have an employment contract with Radboud University).
• Are a former Radboud University employee receiving unemployment (WW/BWNU) benefits paid by Radboud University (which started less than two years ago or resulted from the discontinuation of your job/redundancy).
• Currently work as a student employee at Radboud University through the campus employment office.
• Work as a temporary employee at, or have been seconded to, Radboud University.

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Last modified: 28 March 2023
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