PhD in Computational Impact Analysis of Composites

NLR; Delft; Hybrid; EUR 32,000 - 40,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

45 days off

8% end-of-year bonus

Healthcare cost contribution

Parental leave

Work from home where possible

Job summary

The Netherlands Aerospace Centre (NLR) is seeking a PhD candidate to join the Computational Mechanics team to study high-velocity impact events on advanced composite structures. You will investigate FEM, mesh-free methods, and SPH to capture delamination, fiber breakage, and matrix cracking, and conduct a comprehensive literature review.

You will implement and refine methods, develop material models, and translate high‑fidelity results into fast surrogate tools for a design optimisation

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in a relevant field.
• Experience with Finite Element Modelling (FEM), aerospace structures, and damage mechanics.
• Excellent communication skills in spoken and written English.
• Able to balance broad research scope and real‑world application.

Responsibilities

• Research available computational methods and open-source software for simulating high-velocity impact events.
• Implement and further develop the selected method and develop material models.
• Translate high‑fidelity models into fast surrogate models for design optimisation and certification.

Skills

FEM modelling

Aerospace structures

Damage mechanics

English proficiency

Education

Master’s degree in Aerospace/Mechanical/Civil Engineering (computational mechanics focus)

Job description

The Netherlands Aerospace Centre (NLR) is seeking a PhD candidate to join the Computational Mechanics team to study high-velocity impact events on advanced composite structures. You will investigate FEM, mesh-free methods, and SPH to capture delamination, fiber breakage, and matrix cracking, and conduct a comprehensive literature review.

You will implement and refine methods, develop material models, and translate high‑fidelity results into fast surrogate tools for a design optimisation