Doctoral student in Material and Structural Mechanics

Project description

Third-cycle subject: Solid Mechanics

We are seeking a highly motivated PhD student to develop advanced fracture models for predicting material degradation and failure in additively manufactured steel in nuclear reactor water environments.

The project focuses on modelling nucleation and evolution of damage under monotonically increasing or static loading in pressurized high-temperature water environments, with links to microstructure and manufacturing processes. The work combines material modeling using advanced plasticity theories and nonlocal micromechanics-based fracture models in a finite element framework to predict material degradation and failure. The project includes materials characterization of post-processed 3D-printed stainless-steel specimens and investigates synergistic effects between mechanical loading and electrochemical processes when the steel is subjected to static or increasing loading at slow or fast rates. The overall aim of the project is to establish additive manufacturing as a viable option to conventionally manufactured steel components in critical regions of nuclear reactors, supporting the long-term operation of both existing and new nuclear power plants.

You will work in an interdisciplinary team within a newly established research environment in nuclear technology at KTH entitled “Microstructural evolution, fatigue and fracture in metals from advanced manufacturing for long-term operation of nuclear reactors”. The research environment is funded by the Swedish Research Council and is a collaboration between the Department of Engineering Mechanics at KTH (project leader), Karlstad University, Lund University and the Swedish nuclear power industry. The research environment comprises four senior professors from the aforementioned institutions and industry as well as two junior researchers from KTH. The research environment includes, among others, three PhD students at KTH and Karlstad University and brings together solid mechanics and materials science in a dynamic research setting with close collaboration with industry.

Two of the PhD positions are based at KTH Royal Institute of Technology (the employing university), and one position is based at Karlstad University (the employing university) Doctoral student in materials engineering

Supervision: Jonas Faleskog and Mustafa Subasic are proposed to supervise the doctoral student. Decisions are made on admission

Admission requirements

To be admitted to postgraduate education (Chapter 7, 39 § Swedish Higher Education Ordinance), the applicant must have basic eligibility in accordance with either of the following:

• passed a second cycle degree (for example a master's degree), or
• completed course requirements of at least 240 higher education credits, of which at least 60 second-cycle higher education credits, or
• acquired, in some other way within or outside the country, substantially equivalent knowledge

In addition to the above, there is also a mandatory requirement for English equivalent to English B/6.

Selection

In order to succeed as a doctoral student at KTH you need to be goal oriented and persevering in your work. During the selection process, candidates will be assessed upon their ability to:

• independently pursue his or her work
• collaborate with others,
• have a professional approach and
• analyze and work with complex issues.

After the qualification requirements, great emphasis will be placed on personal skills. 

Target degree: Doctoral degree

Information regarding admission and employment

Only those admitted to postgraduate education may be employed as a doctoral student. The total length of employment may not be longer than what corresponds to full-time doctoral education in four years' time. An employed doctoral student can, to a limited extent (maximum 20%), perform certain tasks within their role, e.g. training and administration. A new position as a doctoral student is for a maximum of one year, and then the employment may be renewed for a maximum of two years at a time. 

As a doctoral student, you are entitled to a workplace with many employee benefits and monthly salary according to KTH’s Doctoral student salary agreement. Read more about Doctoral studies (PhD) | KTH | Sweden.

Union representatives

Contact information for union representatives.

Doctoral Students`network (Students’ union on KTH Royal Institute of Technology)

Contact information for doctoral section.

To apply for the position

Apply for the position and admission through KTH's recruitment system. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that the application is complete in accordance with the instructions in the advertisement.

Applications must be received at the last closing date at midnight, CET/CEST (Central European Time/Central European Summer Time).

Applications must include the following elements:

• CV including your relevant professional experience and knowledge.
• Application letter with a brief description of why you want to pursue research studies, about what your academic interests are and how they relate to your previous studies and future goals. (Maximum 2 pages long)
• Copies of diplomas and grades from previous university studies and certificates of fulfilled language requirements (see above). Translations into English or Swedish if the original document is not issued in one of these languages.Copies of originals must be certified.
• Representative publications or technical reports. For longer documents, please provide a summary (abstract) and a web link to the full text.

Other information

For information about processing of personal data in the recruitment process.

It may be the case that a position at KTH is classified as a security-sensitive role in accordance with the Protective Security Act (2018:585). If this applies to the specific position, a security clearance will be conducted for the applicant in accordance with the same law with the applicant's consent. In such cases, a prerequisite for employment is that the applicant is approved following the security clearance.

We firmly decline all contact with staffing and recruitment agencies and job ad salespersons.

Disclaimer: In case of discrepancy between the Swedish original and the English translation of the job announcement, the Swedish version takes precedence.

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