PhD Candidate in Interface-resolved CFD for boiling and condensation on engineered surfaces

Ntnu; Trondheim; Hybrid; NOK 522.000 - 638.000; Vollzeit

Benefits dieser Stelle

Norwegian language training (A2)

Open and inclusive working environment

Zusammenfassung

NTNU in Trondheim invites applications for a PhD Candidate in Interface-resolved CFD for boiling and condensation on engineered surfaces. The PhD will develop CFD models and validate against experiments within the SurPhase network, joining a team of researchers across several European institutions.

The successful candidate will have a strong background in fluid mechanics and heat transfer, programming experience (Matlab, Python, C), and a Master’s degree in a relevant field.

Qualifikationen

• Master’s degree in mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, applied mathematics/physics or equivalent.
• Strong programming experience with Matlab, Python, C or similar.
• Strong experience in CFD and numerical methods.
• Experience with model verification and experimental validation.
• Experience with interface-capturing or diffuse interface methods and phase-change modelling will be an advantage.
• Good oral and written presentation skills in English.

Aufgaben

• Develop and implement models for heat and mass transfer within diffuse and sharp interface methods.
• Contribute to academic publications, project reports and other dissemination activities.
• Participate in meetings with supervisors and colleagues.
• Engage in secondments as part of the project training activities.
• Participate in structured training programs and network events organized by the consortium.
• Collaborate with other doctoral candidates in the consortium.

Kenntnisse

CFD

Numerical methods

Matlab

Python

C

Ausbildung

Master’s degree in mechanical engineering or related field

Tools

UDF

CFD software

Jobbeschreibung

The Department of Energy and Process Engineering has a vacancy for a

PhD Candidate in Interface-resolved CFD for boiling and condensation on engineered surfaces

NTNU is a broad-based university with atechnical-scientific profile and a focusin professional education. The university is located in three cities with headquarters in Trondheim.

At NTNU, 8,6000 employees and 44,000 students work to create knowledge for a better world.

You will find more information about working at NTNU and the application process here.

Efficient boiling and condensation are fundamental to thermal management in refrigeration, air conditioning, electronics cooling and energy systems. The transition towards low Global Warming Potential refrigerants is essential for reducing environmental impact, but these fluids introduce new challenges associated with altered wetting behaviour, nucleation, liquid and vapour transport, dryout and flooding. This PhD project will develop advanced CFD models for boiling and condensation on engineered surfaces. The candidate will investigate how interfacial transport and surface characteristics can be represented reliably in numerical simulations and will validate modelling approaches against experimental evidence generated within the network.

The successful candidate will work atat the Thermal Two-Phase Flow Laboratory ( http://folk.ntnu.no/fernandi/ )at NTNU’s main Gløshaugen campus in Trondheim, Norway. Numerical simulations will be performed on both commercial packages and with in-house developed numerical codes. The candidate will be part of a friendly working environment, with close interaction with our postdoc, PhD and MSc candidates working in our group. The position will be supervised by Professor Maria Fernandino.

Are you motivated to take a step towards a doctorate and open up exciting career opportunities? As a PhD Candidate with us, you will work to achieve your doctorate, and at the same time gain valuable experience that qualifies you for a further career in higher education and research, in and outside academia.

Your immediate leader will be the Head of Department.

About the project

SurPhase is a Horizon Europe Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Doctoral Network training 12 doctoral candidates in surface engineering and phase-change heat transfer for low-global-warming-potential refrigerants.SurPhase brings together four academic beneficiaries: the University of Birmingham, Sabanci University, Norwegian University of Science and Technology and University of Padova, supported by Ericsson, Arçelik, Fraunhofer IFAM, ANSYS and Hexxcell. The programme combines academic and industrial research, international mobility, network-wide training and cross-sector secondments.

Duties of the position

• Develop and implement models for heat and mass transfer within diffuse and sharp interface methods
• Contribute to academicpublications, project reports and other dissemination activities
• Participate in meetings withsupervisors and colleagues
• Engage in secondments as part of the project training activities
• Participate in structured training programs and network events organized by the consortium
• Collaborate with other doctoral candidates in the consortium

Be prepared for changes to your work duties after employment.

Required selection criteria

To apply for these MSCA Training positions, applicants must fulfil the following criteria:

• At the time of recruitment by the host organisation, candidates must not have resided or carried out their main activity, such as work or studies, in the country of the recruiting beneficiary for more than 12 months during the 36 months immediately preceding their recruitment date.
• Applicants must be willing and able to undertake the planned international academic and industrial secondments within the SurPhase network.
• You must have a relevant Master's degree in mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, applied mathematics physics, applied physics,or equivalent. Your degree must include a major independent project (minimum 30 ECTS) equivalent to a Master’s thesis.
• Master students can apply, but the Master's degree must be obtained and documented before starting the position and no later than June 2027.
• You must have a strong and relevant academic background from your previous studies and have an average grade from your Master's degree study, or equivalent education, which is equal to B or better compared to NTNU's grading scale . If you do not have letter grades from previous studies, you must have an equally good academic foundation. If you have a weaker academic background, you may be considered if you can document that you are exceptionally suited for a PhD education, for example through relevant work experience and/or peer-reviewed academic works.
• Good oral and written presentation skills in the English language are required.

Specific requirements for the proposed project:

• You must have an academically strong background within fluid mechanics and heat transfer, demonstrated through projects, activities, and/or theses.
• Good programming experience with Matlab, Python, C or similar.
• Strong experience in CFD and numerical methods
• Experience with model verification and experimental validation
• Experience in interface-capturing or diffuse interface methods, phase-change modelling, and UDF/user coding will be considered an advantage
• Strong fundamentals in condensation and two-phase flow heat transfer will be considered an advantage
• Previous experience writing and contributing to peer-reviewed journal articles will be considered an advantage

Personal characteristics

• Enthusiastic and highly motivated
• Show curiosity and a strong motivation for the subject
• Able to work independently and in a team
• Work constructively under pressure or in the face of adversity
• Flexible and open to adjusting the plan for the project as needed

Emphasis will be placed on personal qualities.

We offer

• Exciting and stimulating tasks in a strong international professional environment
• A strong group of researchers focused on fluid mechanics and heat transfer
• Open and inclusive working environment with committed colleagues
• Free, optional Norwegian language training at a basic level (A2)

Diversity is a strength, and at NTNU we aim to be an employer that reflects the diversity in society and that makes use of the potential of the population's collective skills. Our vision is Knowledge for a better world andour values are creative, critical, constructive and respectful. We believe that an organization that is equal, diverse and gender-balanced is essential for us to achieve our goals.

The Department of Energy and Process Engineering (EPT) has established EPT Women in Science . The group is focused on supporting female Research Assistants, PhD Candidates, Postdoctoral Fellows and permanent academic employees within the Department. This support aims to help develop the academic careers of female employees, and is also made visible to our student body, to encourage them to consider an academic path. As part of the EPT Women in Science initiative we continue to build on our international network, inviting prominent female academics within and beyond the field of Engineering to speak at our events.

We strive to attract employees with different skills, life experiences and perspectives to contribute to even better problem solving of our societal mission in research and education.

Salary and conditions

In the position of PhD Candidate, code 1017, your gross salary will normally be NOK 580 000,-per annum depending on qualifications and seniority. A 2% statutory contribution to the State Pension Fund is deducted from the salary.

The employment period is 3 years for the doctoral work.

For employment as a PhD Candidate, it is a prerequisite that you gain admission to the PhD programme in Engineering within three months of your employment contract start date, and that you participate in an organized doctoral programme through out the period of employment.

The position is conditional on external funding.

As an employee at NTNU, it is important that you keep yourself up to date with academic and organizational changes and adapt to them.

For the necessary professional and social interaction, it is a prerequisite that you are physically present and available to the institution on a daily basis.

The appointment is carried out in accordance with the principles of the State Employees Act , and Export control (legislation that regulates the export of knowledge, technology and services). Candidates who, after assessment of the application and attachments, are considered to bein conflict with the criteria in the latter act, will not be able to be employed.

About the application

The attachments (including a description of your scientific work) must accompany the application as these documents form the basis of the application assessment. The documents must be in English.

To be included in the application, you must provide the following:

• Transcripts and diplomas for Bachelor's and Master's degrees.If you have not completed the Master's degree, you must submit the most up-to-date transcript you have
• CV
• A “research statement” briefly describing your Master`s research or other previous research experience. This document should not exceed 1 page
• A “qualifications document” explicitly listing each of the “position specific criteria” and “preferred selection criteria” with a brief description of how you meet each one. This document should not exceed 2 pages
• Names and contact information of three relevant referees

If all, or parts, of your education have been taken abroad, we also ask you to attach documentation of the scope and quality of your entire education, both Bachelor's and Master's education, in addition to other higher education. If your institution uses “diploma supplement” (normal for most European institutions), you must attach this. A description of the documentation required can also be found here . If you already have a statement from Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills (HK-dir) , please attach this as well.

Joint work will be considered. If it is difficult to identify your contribution to joint work, you must attach a brief description of your participation.

When assessing the best qualified, we emphasize necessary qualifications such as education, experience and personal suitability. Motivation for the position, ambitions, and potential for research will also count when assessing the candidates.

NTNU recognizes a wide range of academic contributions and has committed itself to The San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment and CoARA (responsible assessment of research and recognition of a greater breadth of academic contributions in accordance with NTNU's social mission).

General information

A public list of applicants with name, age, job title and municipality of residence is prepared after the application deadline. If you wish to be exempt from entry on the public applicant list, this must be justified. Assessment will be made in accordance with current legislation . You will be notified if the exemption is not granted.

If you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact Megan Norris, [e-mail] .

For practical information about working at NTNU, please visit this webpage.

The city of Trondheim is located on the Trondheim Fjord in mid-Norway. It is a modern, Scandinavian city with a unique cultural scene. Trondheim has a growing and increasingly diverse population, currently of around 200 000, and is known as the tech capital of Norway . The Norwegian welfare state, including healthcare, schools and kindergartens, is among the best of its kind in the world. Professional, subsidized wrap-around care for school children in grades 1-4 is easily available. Trondheim has two International Schools, and the public school system offers Norwegian language support to international children whose families have relocated to Trondheim. Trondheim has low crime rates, clean air and water, and offers great opportunities for enjoying nature and culture.

Further information

The SurPhase project is a Horizon Europe Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Doctoral Network (Grant Agreement No. 101311533): Sustainable Surface Engineering with AI, Multiscale Modeling, and Additive Manufacturing for Enhanced Phase-Change Heat Transfer

NTNU - knowledge for a better world

NTNU - knowledge for a better world

The Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) creates knowledge for a better world and solutions that can change everyday life.

Department of Energy and Process Engineering