Instability and pattern selection in confined active nematic fluids

Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research; Italia; On-site; EUR 42,000 - 54,000; Full time

Job summary

The Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II invites applications for a research position focused on active nematic fluids and confinement geometries. The project investigates boundary conditions and domain shapes to understand instability onset and flow pattern selection, extending previous work in annular and cylindrical domains.

Using stability analysis, bifurcation theory, asymptotic methods, and numerical techniques, the fellow will help develop a unified framework to control emergent

Qualifications

• Qualifications are evaluated based on relevance of previous research and publications.

Responsibilities

• Perform stability and bifurcation analysis for confined geometries.
• Apply asymptotic methods and numerical techniques to study active nematic flows.
• Contribute to building a theoretical framework for pattern control in confined systems.

Job description

Organisation/Company Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II Research Field Mathematics Researcher Profile Recognised Researcher (R2) Leading Researcher (R4) First Stage Researcher (R1) Established Researcher (R3) Application Deadline 12 Nov 2026 - 10:00 (UTC) Country Italy Type of Contract To be defined Job Status Not Applicable Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

ctive nematic fluids exhibit instability transitions strongly conditioned by confinement geometry. The project investigates the role of boundary conditions and domain geometry in the onset of instabilities and flow pattern selection, extending results obtained for annular domains and cylindrical surfaces. Using stability and bifurcation analysis, asymptotic methods, and numerical techniques, the project will study how curvature and geometric confinement modify instability thresholds. The goal is to build a unified theoretical framework for controlling emergent patterns, with applications in confined biological systems and active microfluidic devices.

Evaluation based on qualifications and interview: a) relevance of previous research (up to 30 points); b) quality and originality of publications (max 5, up to 40 points); c) interview assessing research suitability and English language skills (up to 30 points). Minimum score for qualifications: 35/70. Minimum overall score: 60/100.

• Italy

Eligibility of fellows: country/ies of residence:

• EUROPE

Eligibility of fellows: nationality/ies: