PhD position in ‘In situ probing of complex fluids in porous media’

Updated: over 2 years ago
Job Type: FullTime
Deadline: 29 Nov 2021

This is NTNU

NTNU is a broad-based university with a technical-scientific profile and a focus in professional education. The university is located in three cities with headquarters in Trondheim.

At NTNU, 9,000 employees and 42,000 students work to create knowledge for a better world.

You will find more information about working at NTNU and the application process here.


About the position

We have a vacancy for a PhD position to study ‘In situ probing of complex fluids in porous media’ at PoreLab, Department of Physics, NTNU. The appointment has a duration of 3 years with the possibility of until 1-year extension with 25% teaching duties in agreement with the department. The PhD student should start no later than February2022.

The position is organized at the Department of Physics in close collaboration with the Center of Excellence PoreLab.

Information about the Department of Physics

The department is currently in an expansion phase and incorporates a broad activity within physics with activities in solid state physics/material physics, soft/complex and biopolymer physics, medical physics, statistical physics, optics, atmospheric physics, university didactics and astroparticle physics. The department is also since 2017 the hosting institution of two national centers of excellence - Porelab and QuSpin. The department is responsible for the best recruiting physics study programmes in Norway, both within applied and fundamental physics. It also provides a large set of courses within physics for other study programmes at NTNU.

For more information about the department and its activities, see

https://www.ntnu.edu/physics

Information about PoreLab

PoreLab is a Norwegian Center of Excellence under the auspices of the Research Council of Norway. It was created in 2017 and it is situated at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in Trondheim, and the University of Oslo.

PoreLab is an interdisciplinary center with joint efforts in theory, computer simulations and experiments, both in fundamental and in more applied directions. The center works to advance the understanding of porous media by developing theories, principles, tools and methods to replace ad hoc approaches to porous media with a fundamental understanding of porous media with relevance in biology, chemistry, geology and geophysics based on fluid mechanics, non-equilibrium thermodynamics and statistical mechanics.

Further information about PoreLab can be found here: https://porelab.no/

The position reports to head of department Erik Wahlström.


Duties of the position

The PhD position will be primarily experimental, building ‘transparent’ colloidal networks with well-defined porosity in a microfluidic device as model system to study flow of complex fluids through them using video-microscopy. Thus, the student will first learn how to synthesize and surface-modify the colloids and set up a microfluidic channel where the colloid network is placed. Characterization will be done using a confocal microscope. Image analysis and video-microscopy are then established to reconstruct the topology of the network such that flow though it can be studied. In particular, liquid-liquid phase separation of the complex fluids through such nano-porous network will be investigated. The resulting data will be analyzed and compared to theoretical predictions in collaboration with Prof. Alex Hansen at PoreLab.


Required selection criteria
  •  
  • You must have a professionally relevant background in physics.
  • Your education must correspond to a five-year Norwegian degree programme, where 120 credits are obtained at master's level 
  • You must have a strong academic background in physical chemistry, or equivalent education, which is equal to B or better compared with NTNU's grading scale. If you do not have letter grades from previous studies, you must have an equally good academic basis. If you have a weaker grade background, you may be assessed if you can document that you are particularly suitable for a PhD education. 
  • You must meet the requirements for admission to the faculty's doctoral program.
  • The successful candidate should have a broad knowledge in experimental and computational physics, with focus on colloidal and soft matter science.
  • Hands-on (lab) experience in experimental physics is required.  
  • Good written and oral English language skills.

The appointment is to be made in accordance with the regulations in force concerning State Employees and Civil Servants  and Regulations concerning the degrees of Philosophiae Doctor (PhD) and Philosodophiae Doctor (PhD) in artistic research national guidelines for appointment as PhD, post doctor and research assistant  


Preferred selection criteria
  • Ability to synthesize colloids or nanoparticles are welcome.

Personal characteristics
  • The successful applicant is highly competent, motivated and ambitious.
  • We are looking for a positive and balanced personality open to new proposals.
  • We are looking for candidates who can think creatively and critically,
  • and who can work independently and consistently on the research project.
  • He/she should also enjoy interdisciplinary research.
  • He/she should take keen interest in learning and working in teams.

We offer
Salary and conditions

PhD candidates are remunerated in code 1017, and are normally remunerated at gross from NOK 491 200 per annum before tax, depending on qualifications and seniority. From the salary, 2% is deducted as a contribution to the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund.

The period of employment is 3 years with the possibility of until 1 year extension with 25% teaching duties in agreement with the department of Physics.

Appointment to a PhD position requires that you are admitted to the PhD programme in [subject area] (Link to website, if applicable) within three months of employment, and that you participate in an organized PhD programme during the employment period.

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The engagement is to be made in accordance with the regulations in force concerning State Employees and Civil Servants, and the acts relating to Control of the Export of Strategic Goods, Services and Technology. Candidates who by assessment of the application and attachment are seen to conflict with the criteria in the latter law will be prohibited from recruitment to NTNU. After the appointment you must assume that there may be changes in the area of work.

It is a prerequisite you can be present at and accessible to the institution daily.


About the application

The application and supporting documentation to be used as the basis for the assessment must be in English.

Publications and other scientific work must follow the application. Please note that applications are only evaluated based on the information available on the application deadline. You should ensure that your application shows clearly how your skills and experience meet the criteria which are set out above. 

The application must include (Departments to choose from the following): 

  • A motivational letter explaining your interest in this particular position.
  • CV, certificates and diplomas 
  • transcripts and diplomas for bachelor's and master's degrees. If you have not completed the master's degree, you must submit a confirmation that the master's thesis has been submitted. 
  • A copy of the master's thesis. If you recently have submitted your master's thesis, you can attach a draft of the thesis. Documentation of a completed master's degree must be presented before taking up the position. 
  • Name and address of three referees 
  • If you have publications or other relevant research work 

If all, or parts, of your education has been taken abroad, we also ask you to attach documentation of the scope and quality of your entire education, both bachelor's and master's education, in addition to other higher education. Description of the documentation required can be found here . If you already have a statement from NOKUT, please attach this as well.

Joint works will be considered. If it is difficult to identify your contribution to joint works, you must attach a brief description of your participation.

In the evaluation of which candidate is best qualified, emphasis will be placed on education, experience and personal and interpersonal qualities. Motivation, ambitions, and potential will also count in the assessment of the candidates. 

NTNU is committed to following evaluation criteria for research quality according to The San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment - DORA.


General information

Working at NTNU

A good work environment is characterized by diversity. We encourage qualified candidates to apply, regardless of their gender, functional capacity or cultural background. 

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The city of Trondheim is a modern European city with a rich cultural scene. Trondheim is the innovation capital of Norway with a population of 200,000. The Norwegian welfare state, including healthcare, schools, kindergartens and overall equality, is probably the best of its kind in the world. Professional subsidized day-care for children is easily available. Furthermore, Trondheim offers great opportunities for education (including international schools) and possibilities to enjoy nature, culture and family life and has low crime rates and clean air quality.

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As an employee at NTNU, you must at all times adhere to the changes that the development in the subject entails and the organizational changes that are adopted.

In accordance with The Public Information Act (Offentleglova), your name, age, position and municipality may be made public even if you have requested not to have your name entered on the list of applicants.

If you have any questions about the position, please contact Professor Erika Eiser, PoreLab, department of Physics, NTNU, Phone: +44 7540496726 ([email protected] ). For questions about the recruitment process, please contact HR adviser Torunn Elena Myhr, [email protected] .

Please submit your application electronically via jobbnorge.no with your CV, diplomas and certificates. Applications submitted elsewhere will not be considered. Diploma Supplement is required to attach for European Master Diplomas outside Norway. Chinese applicants are required to provide confirmation of Master Diploma from China Credentials Verification (CHSI) .

If you are invited for interview you must include certified copies of transcripts and reference letters. Please refer to the application number NV 124/12 when applying.

Application deadline: 29.11.2021

NTNU - knowledge for a better world

The Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) creates knowledge for a better world and solutions that can change everyday life.

Department of Physics

Our research and teaching are both experimental and theoretical, covering a wide range of disciplines. Our activities contribute to development of new medical technology and to finding solutions for the next generation’s communication technology, energy utilization and development of materials. The Department of Physics  is one of eight departments in the Faculty of Natural Sciences .



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