PhD Position in MSCA Doctoral Network ASSESS at DII-UNINA/Novotech, Italy

PhD Vacancy for a Doctoral Candidate (DC9) in Automated online monitoring of manufaturing defects on smart CFRP in the MSCA Doctoral Network ASSESS - at Università degli Studi di Napoli Fed II, Italy

Job description
This DC will develop an online ML-based ultrasonic monitoring system for automated diagnosis of manufacturing defects typically occurring during the laid-up process (e.g., voids, debonding, ply wrinkling and porosity). Such inspection system will be applied to smart CFRP monolithic and stiffened panels with integrated PZTs, fabricated using AFP and LRI methods. To reduce the signal-to-noise ratio and enhance accuracy of the diagnosis method, GW and acoustic emission features extracted from the acquired waveforms will be processed using proper transformation metrics such as the PCA algorithm prior to ML analysis. Benchmark manufacturing defects will include (1) debonding simulated by circular Teflon patches of various diameters inserted in between plies during manufacturing, (2) ply gaps intentionally introduced at tow boundaries during the layup process, which can lead to surface wrinkling and waviness, and (3) hollow glass microspheres with an average diameter of 50 micron to simulate porosity zones. The successful deployment of the proposed monitoring system will reduce the efforts in quality inspection of smart FRP structures and will contribute to significantly increase process reliability. Verification is by deliverable reports and scientific publications. This PhD is part of the ASSESS project, you can read more about this here.

Research Fields:

Smart composites that are manufactured with advanced automatic processes (AFP-Automatic Fiber Placement and cutting-edge sensing technologies, using both piezo patches and fiber optics.

Use of digital twins and Industry 4.0 innovations that are supported by the previous and current application on some of R&D projects running at Novotech and DII-UNINA.

Secondments:

Politecnico di Torino –Torino (Italy)- PANEPISTIMIO PATRON – Patras – (Greece)

Key Responsibilities

• Conduct research as outlined in the project’s objectives under the supervision of Prof. Leonardo Lecce, his collaborators at Novotech and Dr. Giuseppe Petrone at University of Napoli -DII
• Engage in secondments as part of the project’s training activities at Politecnico di Torino and Patras University.
• Contribute to academic publications, project reports, and other dissemination activities.
• Participate in structured training programs and network-wide events organized by the consortium.
• Collaborate with international partners and other Doctoral Candidates within the network.

Principal Supervisor:

Prof. Leonardo Lecce (leonardo.lecce@novotech.it) - Dr. Giuseppe Petrone (DII-UNINA) -Dr. Michele Damiano (BLW)-Prof. Francesco Franco (DII-UNINA

Requirements
Eligibility Criteria

• A Master's degree (or equivalent).
• Not in possession of a doctoral degree at the date of the recruitment.
• Recruited applicants can be of any nationality and must undertake trans-national mobility (i.e., move from one country to another) when taking up the appointment. In particular, at the time of selection, the recruited applicant for this position must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in Italy for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately prior to their recruitment. You will be asked to enclose evidence to prove this. Short stays, such as holidays, are not taken into account.

Required Skills:

• Background on material science with particular emphasis on composite material;
• Some experience on composite manufacturing process (mainly automated AoA process : AFP, RTM, CM, LRI and others);
• Basic knowledge of SHM technologies;
• Strong conceptual and analytical skills
• The ability to work both independently and as part of a team

Optional Skills:

• Capabilities to use computer programming and possible knowledge of software for digital signal processing and FEM analysis of composite materials;
• Some practical experiences on conventional manufacturing of composite structural components.
• Some experience with structural testing of aeronautical components and use of strain-gauges, fiber optics and other sensors.

English Requirement: High level of proficiency in English (will be tested at interview).

Academic Host
Università degli Studi di Napoli “Federico II” / Faculty of Engineering – Department of Industrial Engineering -Naples – Italy

The Università degli studi di Napoli “Federico II” (UNA) is the largest academic institution and one of the most important in Italy and in the continent. UNA is famous for being the oldest university founded by a State measure and is, therefore, the oldest public and secular university of the world. In the Faculty of Engineering, the new Department of Industrial Engineering has been founded on 1st January 2014 as a result of cooperative collaboration of previous academic institutions active in the fields of mechanical, nautical, aeronautics and space sciences. Stable collaborations with the most important EU and US Universities are the witness of an established tradition of education of aerospace sciences. The Non-Destructive Evaluation/Structural Health Monitoring (NDE/SHM) Laboratory of the Department of Industrial Engineering conducts research in the areas of Non-Destructive Evaluation and Structural Health Monitoring of structural components. Methods investigated include: ultrasonic testing, acoustic emission testing, vibrational testing, infrared thermography testing, laser metrology, and several strain/stress measurement techniques. The research group pasta-lab (laboratory for promoting experiences in aeronautical structures and acoustics) is an important part of the Department of Aerospace Engineering. Traditionally, the group serves all the didactic activities for the aerospace structure sector in the engineering aerospace degrees. The average number for the undergraduate (first level) students is about 200, for the undergraduate (second level) is about 50, and each year nearly 3 PhD studentships are made available.

Link to host: http://www.dii.unina.it

Employer:

Novotech – Aerospace Advanced Technology Srl – www.novotech.it

Conditions of employment
Salary: The successful candidate will receive a competitive and attractive academic remuneration package in accordance with MSCA regulations for doctoral candidates. The researcher will be employed under a contract that includes social security coverage and pension rights.

The financial package includes the following*:

• Monthly living allowance: €3,400/month, adjusted by applying the country correction coefficient for the country of recruitment (Italy). The coefficients are outlined in Table 1 of MSCA Work Programme 2023-24 version adopted on 6 December 2022 (European Commission Decision C(2022) 7550 (https://adaptmet.eu/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/FINAL-PUBLISHED_6Dec2022_-wp-2-msca-actions_horizon-2023-2024_en.pdf)
• Monthly mobility allowance: €600/month.
• Monthly family allowance (if applicable, depending on family situation): €660/month.
• The living allowance above represents the total EU contribution to the researcher’s salary costs. The estimated gross salary is approximately €3,311.60 per month (only considering the living allowance), inclusive of both employee and employer tax contributions. The net salary will be calculated by deducting these contributions and any other applicable national taxes (e.g., income tax) from the gross amount.

Other Benefits:

The doctoral candidate will also benefit from comprehensive training within the ASSESS network, including participation in at least six specialized Training Events organized by the MSCA-ASSESS network. Additional opportunities include secondments to partner laboratories, a range of advanced training courses (including transferable skills development), and active engagement in workshops and international conferences, providing a well-rounded and enriching research experience. Expected Start Date: Q2 2025

Additional information
If you would like more information about this vacancy or the selection procedure, please contact Prof. Francesco Ciampa, via francesco.ciampa@poliba.it.

Project Description
The Horizon Europe MARIE SKŁODOWSKA-CURIE ACTION Doctoral Network (DN) ASSESS (Automated online monitoring of Smart compoSitE StructureS - Grant Agreement Number 101168031) offers 12 exciting PhD positions to develop next-generation smart composites for strategic European industries such as aviation, space, and wind energy.

Composite materials with embedded sensors and nanomaterials hold the potential for real-time structural health monitoring. However, industrial adoption is hindered by challenges in sensor integration, automated data analysis, standardization, and operator training. ASSESS bridges the gap between research and industry by advancing the design, manufacturing, and testing of Fibre Reinforced Polymer (FRP) composites.

As part of a multidisciplinary consortium of 9 beneficiaries and 13 Associated Partners, you will engage in pioneering research on:

• Smart composites and cutting-edge sensing technologies
• Advanced simulations and AI-driven data analysis
• Digital twins and Industry 4.0 innovations

Through collaborative projects, international secondments, and specialized training, you'll contribute to safer, lighter, and more efficient composite components, reducing CO₂ emissions, enhancing wind energy production, and supporting Europe's green transition.

Application procedure
Are you interested in this vacancy? Please apply no later than 28 February 2025 via the application button and upload the following documents:

• Detailed CV, including information on the candidate’s proficiency in English
• Motivational letter (1 page), describing why the position fits the applicant
• Contact information of 2 references
• Copy of Master’s degree diploma
• Copies of any other relevant certifications listed within CV

Selection Criteria:

Candidates will be evaluated based on their academic background, research experience, and alignment with the project’s objectives. The selection process will be open, transparent, merit-based, impartial, and equitable.

Interview:

Shortlisted candidates will be invited for a structured interview with predefined questions and a scoring system.

You can address your application to Prof. Francesco Ciampa.

Please note:

• You can apply online. We will not process applications sent by email and/or post.
• Please do not contact us for unsolicited services.

40 hours per week

Mekelweg 5