PhD Research Assistant – Diffusion in Doped Ceria

Bannwarth Lab; Of; On-site; TRY 2,913,000 - 3,922,000; Part time

Job summary

RWTH Aachen University invites applications for a Research Assistant / PhD Candidate in the Chair of Physical Chemistry I. The project focuses on diffusion of host and dopant cations in doped ceria using both experimental and computational methods including DFT and MD simulations.

The candidate will explore ion transport in materials for energy applications, publish results, and present at international conferences. The position is 3 years, with a fixed-term appointment and TV-L-based salary.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree or equivalent in chemistry, materials science, physics, or a related field.
• Ability to work independently in a scientific context and address complex research questions autonomously.
• Interest in application-oriented basic research for energy and information technologies.

Responsibilities

• Combine experimental and computational methods to elucidate ion diffusion and cation ordering in doped CeO₂.
• Experimentally investigate cation diffusion and determine diffusion coefficients from diffusion profiles (SIMS).
• Perform and evaluate computer simulations — DFT, ML potentials, and MD — to determine defect energies and diffusion coefficients.
• Investigate cation ordering and its evolution and its influence on grain boundary conductivity.
• Systematically study effects of temperature, oxygen partial pressure and dopant concentration on cation diffusion.
• Publish in peer-reviewed journals and present at international conferences.

Skills

Independence

Teamwork

English proficiency

Attention to detail

Learning mindset

Solid-state physics

Materials characterization

Computational simulations

Python basics

Education

Master’s degree in chemistry/ materials science/ physics

Tools

Python

HPC

Job description

RWTH Aachen University invites applications for a Research Assistant / PhD Candidate in the Chair of Physical Chemistry I. The project focuses on diffusion of host and dopant cations in doped ceria using both experimental and computational methods including DFT and MD simulations.

The candidate will explore ion transport in materials for energy applications, publish results, and present at international conferences. The position is 3 years, with a fixed-term appointment and TV-L-based salary.