PhD Position in Microstructural and Fracture Characterization of Welded Green Steels

Join pioneering research to make green steel safe for application in future sustainable infrastructure

Job description
Green steel is a significant step in upcoming energy transition towards decarburization and sustainable future. We are seeking an ambitious experimental PhD candidate to join EU-funded project MOWSES (https://www.mowses-steel.eu/), which aims to enhance the safe application of green steels in critical European infrastructure by focusing on welded joints.

Future green steels will be manufactured using an increased amount of scrap, likely of lower quality and containing higher concentrations of residual elements. This will modify the chemical composition and thus the response of the material to thermal cycles, such as imposed by welding. There is therefore a need to identify what amount of residual elements can be tolerated in the weld, particularly in the HAZ of future clean steels. The ultimate goal of this project is to create steels with improved weldability, toughness, and strength, even when recycled from lower-quality scrap. Advanced microstructure and mechanical characterization will play a key role for this development, ensuring the steel can meet thorough safety and performance standards.

Your particular focus will be to deeply understand and possibly mitigate fracture nucleation and propagation micromechanisms in welded green steels at various concentrations of residual elements. To address this goal, a multi-scale experimental correlative characterization of microstructural and mechanical properties (e.g., strength and toughness) will be used. You will work closely with various consortium partners, in particular Ocas, Dillinger and University of Ghent.

For this PhD position we are looking for a candidate with master degree in Materials Science or related disciplines, with good knowledge of metallurgy, metal science and experimental mechanics of materials.

Job requirements
It is highly recommended that the candidate is familiar with (or has a strong interest in):

• Microstructural characterisation techniques;
• Thermo-mechanical processing;
• Experimental research, more specifically mechanical testing.

Other job requirements:

• Excellent analytical skills, initiative, inventiveness, curiosity, diligence, and critical thinking;
• Ability to work with scientific and industrial partners;
• Strong communication skills (high English proficiency), team player, and good social behaviour.

TU Delft (Delft University of Technology)
Delft University of Technology is built on strong foundations. As creators of the world-famous Dutch waterworks and pioneers in biotech, TU Delft is a top international university combining science, engineering and design. It delivers world class results in education, research and innovation to address challenges in the areas of energy, climate, mobility, health and digital society. For generations, our engineers have proven to be entrepreneurial problem-solvers, both in business and in a social context.

At TU Delft we embrace diversity as one of our core values and we actively engage to be a university where you feel at home and can flourish. We value different perspectives and qualities. We believe this makes our work more innovative, the TU Delft community more vibrant and the world more just. Together, we imagine, invent and create solutions using technology to have a positive impact on a global scale. That is why we invite you to apply. Your application will receive fair consideration.

Challenge. Change. Impact!

Faculty Mechanical Engineering
From chip to ship. From machine to human being. From idea to solution. Driven by a deep-rooted desire to understand our environment and discover its underlying mechanisms, research and education at the ME faculty focusses on fundamental understanding, design, production including application and product improvement, materials, processes and (mechanical) systems.

ME is a dynamic and innovative faculty with high-tech lab facilities and international reach. It’s a large faculty but also versatile, so we can often make unique connections by combining different disciplines. This is reflected in ME’s outstanding, state-of-the-art education, which trains students to become responsible and socially engaged engineers and scientists. We translate our knowledge and insights into solutions to societal issues, contributing to a sustainable society and to the development of prosperity and well-being. That is what unites us in pioneering research, inspiring education and (inter)national cooperation.

Click here to go to the website of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering. Do you want to experience working at our faculty? These videos will introduce you to some of our researchers and their work.

Conditions of employment
Doctoral candidates will be offered a 4-year period of employment in principle, but in the form of 2 employment contracts. An initial 1,5 year contract with an official go/no go progress assessment within 15 months. Followed by an additional contract for the remaining 2,5 years assuming everything goes well and performance requirements are met.

Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities, increasing from € 2872 per month in the first year to € 3670 in the fourth year. As a PhD candidate you will be enrolled in the TU Delft Graduate School. The TU Delft Graduate School provides an inspiring research environment with an excellent team of supervisors, academic staff and a mentor. The Doctoral Education Programme is aimed at developing your transferable, discipline-related and research skills.

The TU Delft offers a customisable compensation package, discounts on health insurance, and a monthly work costs contribution. Flexible work schedules can be arranged.

For international applicants, TU Delft has the Coming to Delft Service. This service provides information for new international employees to help you prepare the relocation and to settle in the Netherlands. The Coming to Delft Service offers a Dual Career Programme for partners and they organise events to expand your (social) network.

Additional information
If you would like more information about this vacancy or the selection procedure, please contact Vera Popovich, via v.popovich@tudelft.nl .

Application procedure
Are you interested in this vacancy? Please apply no later than 15 January 2025 via the application button and upload the following documents:

• Your detailed CV,
• Cover (motivation) letter, two references and the abstract of your MSc thesis in English.

You can address your application to Vera Popovich.

Doing a PhD at TU Delft requires English proficiency at a certain level to ensure that the candidate is able to communicate and interact well, participate in English-taught Doctoral Education courses, and write scientific articles and a final thesis. For more details please check the Graduate Schools Admission Requirements.

Please note:

• You can apply online. We will not process applications sent by email and/or post.
• A pre-employment screening can be part of the selection procedure.
• A knowledge security check will be part of the selection procedure (for details page 45: national knowledge security guidelines).
• Please do not contact us for unsolicited services.

36 - 40 hours per week

Mekelweg 5