Postdoctoral Position In The Modeling Of Soft Materials With Surface Energies

13 Oct 2023

Job Information

Organisation/Company

Czech Technical University in Prague

Research Field

Mathematics » Applied mathematics

Mathematics » Computational mathematics

Engineering » Civil engineering

Engineering » Mechanical engineering

Engineering » Aerospace engineering

Researcher Profile

Recognised Researcher (R2)

Established Researcher (R3)

Country

Czech Republic

Application Deadline

30 Nov 2023 - 23:59 (Europe/Prague)

Type of Contract

Temporary

Job Status

Full-time

Hours Per Week

40

Offer Starting Date

1 Jan 2024

Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme?

Not funded by an EU programme

Reference Number

#1-6

Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure?

No

Offer Description

We are excited to announce an opportunity for dynamic and highly motivated postdoctoral candidates to join a newly established research group led by Dr. Martin Horák. These positions are supported by the ERC CZ program, which targets exceptional researchers positively evaluated by expert panels of the European Research Council (ERC) but not funded due to budget constraints. The positions also benefit from synergies with the CTU Global Postdoc Fellowship, a selective program that offers outstanding researchers who have recently completed their Ph.D. an opportunity to advance their research careers at the Czech Technical University (CTU) in Prague.

Our research group is dedicated to exploring the theoretical and computational aspects of soft materials with surface energies. Surface stress, a phenomenon that can significantly influence the behavior of soft solids, is the core of our investigations. While many previous studies have considered constant and isotropic surface stress in soft material responses, recent experimental evidence has shown that the behavior of soft surfaces is strain-dependent. This phenomenon presents both exciting opportunities and challenges that we will explore during your postdoctoral appointment.

As a postdoctoral researcher on our team, you will play a pivotal role in developing a novel, mathematically rigorous approach to describing soft materials with strain-dependent surface energies. Your work will also involve the development and study of models incorporating curvature-dependent surface energy, an aspect mostly overlooked in soft solids. Beyond these foundational research goals, there is room for tailoring your focus based on your research interests. Potential avenues of exploration include:

Modeling techniques of surface instabilities in soft materials with surface energies to open up new possibilities for the design of soft materials and devices at small scales.

Investigation of theoretical questions related to the relationship between surface quasiconvexity, surface polyconvexity, and surface rank-one convexity, critical to establishing the appropriate mathematical framework for modeling such materials.

Exploring the surface effects in soft solids on departures from established macroscale theories such as the Griffith theory of fracture, the Johnson–Kendall–Roberts adhesive theory, and the Eshelby theory of composites.

Requirements

Research Field

Engineering » Civil engineering

Education Level

PhD or equivalent

Research Field

Engineering » Mechanical engineering

Education Level

PhD or equivalent

Research Field

Engineering » Aerospace engineering

Education Level

PhD or equivalent

Research Field

Mathematics » Applied mathematics

Education Level

PhD or equivalent

Research Field

Mathematics » Computational mathematics

Education Level

PhD or equivalent

Skills/Qualifications

Ph.D. degree (obtained not more than 7 years ago or to be completed soon) in computational mechanics, solid mechanics, structural mechanics, mathematics of solids, calculus of variations, or a related field,

Co-author of at least 3 papers published in impact factor journals,

Professional proficiency in spoken/written English is required.

Specific Requirements

Successful candidates should have a strong background in at least 2 of the following areas:

The modeling of elastic materials under large deformations, including modeling of instabilities,

The Finite element method and Isogeometric analysis,

Code development skills, preferably C++ or a related programming language (however, a strong interest in C++ programming is required),

Direct method of calculus of variations with applications in elasticity.

Languages

ENGLISH

Level

Excellent

Internal Application form(s) needed

Aplication form PDF.pdf

English

(102.35 KB - PDF)

Download

Additional Information

Benefits

We offer:

Collaboration with Dr. Martin Horák, Prof. Milan Jirásek, and Prof. Martin Kružík.

Initial appointment for one year with an extension to two years based on an annual evaluation.

Gross salary of approximately 73K CZK monthly; see the Numbeo database for the cost of living in Prague.

An informal and inclusive international working environment at the Department of Mechanics, Faculty of Civil Engineering.

Office facilities on the Czech Technical University in Prague's Dejvice campus. Prague regularly ranks among the top five European cities to live in (cf. Time Out Magazine index for 2022).

Full social and health insurance.

30 days of paid annual leave.

Children's corner, kindergarten, and elementary school operated by the Czech Technical University in Prague.

Additional benefits such as subsidized meals, annual supplementary benefits for recreational/sports activities, and health care.

Relocation assistance from the EURAXESS Czech Republic office.

Eligibility criteria

Ph.D. degree (obtained no more than 7 years ago or to be completed soon) in computational mechanics, solid mechanics, structural mechanics, mathematics of solids, calculus of variations, or a related field

Co-author of at least 3 papers published in impact factor journals

Professional proficiency in spoken/written English is required.

Selection process

Please use the provided link to submit your application:

https: // forms.gle/uqnxFL6c7kGtqAEb6

The application package should contain the following:

A completed application form (link above).

Academic curriculum vitae, including a detailed list of publications.

A list of three academic references, including name, affiliation, webpage, and email.

A motivation letter (up to two pages) stating personal goals and research interests.

Date when your Ph.D. awarded or expected Ph.D. defense date.

A copy of/link to your Ph.D. thesis (if Ph.D. completed).

A copy of your Ph.D. diploma.

For full consideration, complete applications must be received by 30 November 2023. We reserve the right to disregard incomplete applications.

Applications will be assessed by a committee based on documents sent by applicants. The mentor, Dr. Martin Horák. will play a key role in the selection process.

Review of applications will begin immediately upon receipt of your application, and review will continue no later than 14 December 2023. The evaluation committee will then invite shortlisted candidates to an interview (in-person for applicants living in the Czech Republic; remote for all other candidates).

By submitting an application form, the candidate agrees to the processing of personal data for the purposes of the selection procedure following the General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679 and, in particular, to the distribution of the submitted materials in electronic form to the members of the selection committee.

Additional comments

For more information:

About the fellowship program and research topics: please feel free to contact Martin Horák at [email protected].

About employment conditions or living in Prague : please consult the comprehensive info provided by EURAXESS Czech Republic or contact Eliška Blümlová at [email protected].

Work Location(s)

Number of offers available

2

Company/Institute

Department of Mechanics, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Czech Technical University in Prague

Country

Czech Republic

City

Prague

Postal Code

16629

Street

Thákurova 7

Where to apply

Website

https: // docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdKDTUaeQChgko5uqY8vwVPHTP8ap1QHH6WZ…

Contact

State/Province

Czech Republic

City

Prague

Website

https: // www. cvut.cz/en

Street

Jugoslávských partyzánů 1580/3

Postal Code

16000

E-Mail

[email protected]

STATUS: EXPIRED