Research Assistant/Associate (f/m/d) - PostDoc

Weitere Informationen

The successful candidate will be employed under a regular employment contract.
The position is to be filled at the earliest possible date and offered for a fixed term of two years.
An extension is possible.
The fixed-term employment is possible as it constitutes one of the fixed-term options of the Wissenschaftszeitvertragsgesetz (German Act on Fixed-term Scientific Contracts).
This is a full-time position.
The salary is based on the German public service salary scale (TV-L).
The position corresponds to a pay grade of EG 13 TV-L.

Unser Profil

Materials Chemistry

Research philosophy: Quantum mechanically-guided materials design

Research aim: Materials design of thin films with tailored elasticity, ductility as well as phase stability. This design approach includes interactions between thin films and the environment during application (gas atmospheres, liquids, solids). Target applications are cutting and forming processes, tribological contacts and energy conversion processes.

Research strategy and methods: Computational ab initio methods allow prediction of materials properties, which are critically evaluated via thin film combinatorics. Thin films with multi-directional compositional gradients are synthesized by co-sputtering from multiple plasma sources and are characterized with respect to spatially-resolved chemical composition, crystal structure, elastic properties and phase stability.

Ihr Profil

Mandatory requirements:

• PhD degree in materials science or a related field
• Outstanding and documented expertise in thin film synthesis by physical vapor deposition (PVD) as well as characterization of morphology, chemical composition, crystal structure and mechanical properties, i.e. scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and nanoindentation
• Ability of excellent English communication (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, CEFR level C1)

Optional requirements:

• Expertise in focused ion beam (FIB) techniques for preparation of thin lamellae for transmission electron microscopy or specimens for atom probe tomography
• Ability of German communication

Ihre Aufgaben

As part of the quantum-mechanically guided materials design, you will independently carry out thin film synthesis experiments using physical vapor deposition (PVD). You are also responsible for the (local) characterization of the thin films you have synthesized regarding their (local) chemical composition and structure using SEM/EDX, XRD, FIB, and atom probe tomography. Moreover, you will experimentally examine the stability of the thin films in contact to solid, liquid and gaseous media using various physical tests.

Über uns

RWTH is a certified family-friendly University. We support our employees in maintaining a good work-life balance with a wide range of health, advising, and prevention services, for example university sports. Employees who are covered by collective bargaining agreements and civil servants have access to an extensive range of further training courses and the opportunity to purchase a job ticket.
RWTH is an equal opportunities employer. We therefore welcome and encourage applications from all suitably qualified candidates, particularly from groups that are underrepresented at the University. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability or age. RWTH is strongly committed to encouraging women in their careers. Female applicants are given preference if they are equally suitable, competent, and professionally qualified, unless a fellow candidate is favored for a specific reason.
As RWTH is committed to equality of opportunity, we ask you not to include a photo in your application.
You can find information on the personal data we collect from applicants in accordance with Articles 13 and 14 of the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) at http://www.rwth-aachen.de/dsgvo-information-bewerbung.

Besoldung / Entgelt

EG 13 TV-L