Active protection of multi-material assemblies for aircrafts

The Magnesium Innovation Center at our Institute of Materials Research in Geesthacht invites applications for a PhD Position (m/f) in the field of ‘Active protection of multi-material assemblies for aircrafts’. The position is initially limited for three years.

The work will be focused on the development of new active protective systems for future “green” aircrafts. Novel coatings will be based on “smart” release nanocontainers incorporated into the protective systems. Several possible candidates of nanocontainers will be tested: polymer capsules, layered double hydroxides, halloysites, mesoporous silica, etc. The self-healing ability of the coating will be investigated by localized electrochemical methods into the places of artificial defects.

The distribution of nanocontainers throughout the entire film thickness or concentration of the incorporated nanocontainers at the film surface will be checked by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM)-analysis. Scanning vibrating electrode technique (SVET) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) will be applied for the monitoring of corrosion activities and kinetics of self-healing processes in confined defects.

As successful applicant, you should have a master or equivalent diploma in chemistry, material science or a comparable research field. In addition, experience in localized corrosion measurements and electrochemistry would be advantageous.

Candidates should be used to work in a self-responsible and creative manner, eager to learn new things and to push science to new limits. This requires a fast perception of new knowledge, working interdisciplinary and establishing new links between research methodologies of different disciplines and own research task. The applicants should prove to be flexible, mobile and able to learn and adopt new methods.

This position which is hosted in the environment of interdisciplinarity and internationality of a large research facility would suit a creative person with a good command of English who likes to work in a team but is also capable of working independently on a topic.

You have a highly degree of self-motivation, enthusiasm, good communication and soft skills as well as a target oriented working profile. You are interested in building new competencies at the institute and to participate in sharing these by internal and external co-operations. You have the ambition to work interdisciplinary in an international work environment offered at the institute which requires good language skills in English. Publishing of the achieved results in scientific journals and at international conferences is an important part of your work. Your work is integrated in close cooperation with other research groups of Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht GmbH.

Informal enquiries can be directed to
Dr. Maria Serdechnova, email: maria.serdechnova@hzg.de or
Prof. Dr. Mikhail Zheludkevich, email: mikhail.zheludkevich@hzg.de.

We offer an appropriate salary related to TV-AVH as well as the usual public sector social benefits. The advancement of equality at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht goes without saying; in particular, we are striving to increase the percentage of women in the science sector. Severely disabled persons with equal qualifications will be considered preferentially within the framework of legal requirements.

Please send your application indicating job offer code no. 2015/WZ 1 including a CV which explains the scientific education including copies of master/diploma university certificates, a list of skills which were acquired during university or elsewhere, a documentation of your English skills (e.g. by a TOEFL, IELTS or an equivalent test) and a list of publications to our human resources personal@hzg.de

Closing date for applications is April, 15th, 2015.