PhD Position – Inverse Design of Microstructures for Novel Sustainable Structural Metals

Conducting research for a changing society: This is what drives us at Forschungs­zentrum Jülich. As a member of the Helm­holtz Asso­ciation, we aim to tackle the grand societal challenges of our time and conduct research into the possi­bilities of a digitized society, a climate-friendly energy system, and a resource-efficient economy. Work together with around 7,500 employees in one of Europe's biggest research centers and help us to shape change

The development of complex materials with tailored properties as well as the understanding of the underlying mechanisms require reliable high-throughput simulation tools that can be combined with data analytics and material characterization. This will allow to predict the structure-property relation and to understand and evaluate experimentally obtained data sets. As a PhD student you will work at the Institute for Advanced Simulations – Materials Data Science and Informatics (IAS-9) that combines data analysis, materials simulation, research data management, and software development under one roof. It also benefits from a strong connection to the Ernst Ruska-Centre for Electron Microscopy and to the Jülich Supercomputing Centre. As such, it provides a multidisciplinary environment during your research that will help to develop your competencies in a range of scientific fields.

We are offering a
PhD Position – Inverse Design of Microstructures for Novel Sustainable Structural Metals
Aufgaben
Digital methods for inverse materials design are essential to efficiently create new, sustainable, and recycling-adapted structural metals. Alloys with a reduced number of elements, so-called lean alloys, and material systems with a high tolerance to impurities from the use of secondary raw materials are of particular relevance for improving recyclability and sustainability. Al-Ca is a promising lean alloy system for additive manufacturing, as the mechanical properties can be tailored through phase composition, distribution, and morphology by tuning process parameters. The work is carried out within the DFG Priority Programme "DaMic – Data-driven Alloy and Microstructure Design of Sustainable Structural Metals" (SPP 2489), in close collaboration with a research partner responsible for the manufacturing and characterization of material samples.

As Such, The Position Offers The Opportunity To Be Involved In Fruitful National Collaborations. In This Exciting Job You Can Expect

• To develop automated workflows for descriptor-based microstructure reconstruction
• To identify material parameters for crystal plasticity simulations from experimental data through inverse analysis
• To establish structure-property linkages based on numerical simulations and to transform them into AI- and ML-ready information
• To develop and implement an indirect inverse optimization framework to identify microstructures that exhibit desired macroscopic properties
• To publish and present research results in relevant journals and at international conferences

Profil

• A completed university degree (Master or equivalent) with excellent grades in the field of mechanical engineering, material science, physics, computational science, or similar, with experience in modeling and simulation
• Strong understanding of the (computational) mechanics of solids and the finite element method and/or spectral solvers
• Practical experience in at least one programming language (preferably Python) and experience with the use of Unix / Linux operating systems
• Structured and analytical thinking as well as a systematic, careful, independent, and reliable working method
• Interest in working closely with experimentalists
• Strong cooperation and communication skills and the ability to work as part of a team
• Excellent written and spoken English skills

Wir bieten
We Work On The Very Latest Issues That Impact Our Society And Are Offering You The Chance To Actively Help In Shaping The Change We Offer Ideal Conditions For You To Complete Your Doctoral Degree

• The opportunity to conduct exciting research in an international and multidisciplinary environment with outstanding infrastructure
• A creative work environment at a leading research facility, located on an attractive research campus at the TZA Aachen (tza-) and the Forschungszentrum Jülich
• The opportunity to gain your reputation in a dynamic and highly active research field
• Part-time position with 19.5 hours per week and flexible working hours
• 30 days of annual leave (depending on agreed working time arrangements)
• Further development of your personal strengths, e.g., through an extensive range of training courses; a structured program of continuing education and networking opportunities specifically for doctoral researchers via JuDocS, the Jülich Center for Doctoral Researchers and Supervisors: fz-
• Targeted services for international employees, e.g., through our International Advisory Service

In addition to exciting tasks and a collegial working environment, we offer you much more: fz-

Important note
Please be advised that a valid work permit for Germany is required for non-EU citizens. Unfortunately, applications without a valid work permit and sufficient German language skills may not be considered.

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