PhD student position of developing soft magnetic metallic glasses - Hiring in process/Finished, not possible to apply

The research conducted at the Department of Physics and Astronomy encompasses a wide range of physics topics, distributed over ten divisions. The department is located in the Ångström laboratory and employs nearly 400 people, 125 of whom are doctoral students. It offers a broad physics curriculum to undergraduate and graduate students, participation in nationally and internationally leading projects for researchers, and opportunities for partnership with industry and various outreach activities.

Description of the project: The electrical power distribution system is today the bloodstream of our modern society.  Soft magnetic materials are used in all parts of that system, i.e. electrical motors, generators, transformers, and power electronics. Every time the magnetic flux is switched back and forth (typically 50 times per second), energy is lost inside the soft magnetic materials and transformed into heat. By developing better soft magnetic materials we can contribute to reducing these losses. Today, almost half of the electrical energy consumed globally, is consumed by an electrical motor, and the level of electrification needs to increase in order make it possible to reach the sustainable goals. Any small improvement in the efficiency of soft magnetic materials will therefore lead to large energy savings on the global scale.

The aim of this project is to develop novel soft magnetic metallic glasses with suitable properties for producing them with additive manufacturing (AM) methods. Additive manufacturing (a.k.a. 3D printing), where components are created layer-by-layer from a metal power that is rapidly heated and cooled down, is a disruptive technology suited for special components with strict requirements on e.g. weight and mechanical strength. Being able to produce also components with functional magnetic properties by AM is an important challenge. Additive manufacturing enables resource-efficient production, minimal material waste, and geometrical shapes that would be impossible to produce with traditional production methods. In this project, we will carry out combinatorial material studies, combined with high-throughput measurements, to find compositions with optimized properties among a large number of compositionally graded samples. The project have financial support from the Swedish Energy Agency. The position is fully financed and the salary is in accordance with local guidelines at Uppsala University.

Duties: Initially, combinatorial co-sputtering will be used to efficiently produce thin film samples of varying chemical composition on wafers. High-throughput characterisation of structural and magnetic properties will be performed, in order to systematically explore and efficiently scan for the chemical composition with the optimal physical properties. To develop efficient data handling and analysis tools will also be an important part of the work. Later in the project, sample preparation, advanced measurements and analysis will be the main duties.

The Doctoral student position is a 4-year appointment, and the candidate will primarily devote the time to his/her own research studies. Extension, up to a maximum of five years, is possible by including department duties at a level of at most 20%, typically teaching.

Qualifications: We are looking for a highly motivated candidate who, at the agreed start date, will have completed an undergraduate degree at Master’s level or equivalent (e.g. Civil Engineering), with specialization in physics, engineering physics, materials science, chemistry, or in another appropriate discipline.

The applicant must be eligible for Postgraduate studies at Uppsala University. Rules governing PhD students are set out in the Higher Education Ordinance chapter 5, §§ 1-7 and in Uppsala University's rules and guidelines.

Additional requirements: We give great importance to personal competences of the candidates. We are looking for a person with great ability to work independently as well as to function well in collaborations. It is also important that the candidate has enthusiasm for the doctoral program and is motivated to learn new methods and technologies. The candidate also needs to be confident to communicate research results and have a strong analytical ability. The candidate must also have good knowledge of English, both in oral and in writing. If you are not already fluent in Swedish, you are recommended to learn Swedish during the employment. Uppsala University offers Swedish courses.

Application procedure: The application should include a statement of research interest, CV, certificates of exams, degrees and grades, a copy of Master thesis, published article or relevant materials, if available. Also, contact information of at least two reference persons should be included.

Uppsala University strives to be an inclusive workplace that promotes equal opportunities and attracts qualified candidates who can contribute to the University’s excellence and diversity. We welcome applications from all sections of the community and from people of all backgrounds.

Salary: According to local agreement or PhD students.

Starting date: 01-04-2020 or as otherwise agreed.

Type of employment: Temporary position according to the Higher Education Ordinance chapter 5 § 7.

Scope of employment: 100 %

For further information about the position please contact: Petra Jönsson, 018-471 35 97, petra.jonsson@physics.uu.se

Please submit your application by 27th of March, UFV-PA UFV-PA 2020/706.

Are you considering moving to Sweden to work at Uppsala University? If so, you will find a lot of information about working and living in Sweden at www.uu.se/joinus. You are also welcome to contact International Faculty and Staff Services at ifss@uadm.uu.se.