4 postdoctoral and 3 PhD positions at Tyndall National Institute, Cork and Queen's University Belfast

Theory and simulation of thermoelectric materials near structural phase transitions

4 postdoctoral and 3 PhD positions are available at the Tyndall National Institute, Cork, Ireland (2 postdoc + 2 PhD positions) and Queen's University Belfast, UK (2 postdoc + 1 PhD positions). The positions are fully funded for up to 4 years and will commence in September 2016 or soon thereafter.

The goal is to develop a range of computational methods to model thermoelectric transport properties of materials near phase transitions. This will involve state-of-the-art electronic structure methods (based on density functional and many body perturbation theory) to describe electronic and vibrational degrees of freedom and their interactions. Simpler tight-binding approaches will also be implemented. Thermoelectric transport processes will be simulated using the Boltzmann transport equation and molecular dynamics simulations.

This is a highly collaborative project between the groups at Tyndall (Prof. Stephen Fahy and Dr Ivana Savic; http://www.tyndall.ie/content/materials-theory-group) and Queen's (Prof. Jorge Kohanoff, Dr Myrta Gruening and Dr Tchavdar Todorov; http://titus.phy.qub.ac.uk) funded by Science Foundation Ireland (Republic of Ireland) and Department of Education and Learning (Northern Ireland). It will also involve collaboration with experimental groups at Tyndall, Ben Gurion University (Israel) and Stanford (USA), working on material synthesis and characterisation, including ultrafast X-ray techniques.

Postdoctoral applicants must hold a PhD in Physics or a related discipline before the start of the contract. They should have experience in material modelling and computer code development. Preference will be given to candidates with strong background in at least one of the following areas: density functional theory, GW, molecular dynamics, TDDFT and/or modelling of electronic and thermal transport properties of materials. (Please note that the QUB application profile will include some further areas.)

PhD applicants must hold a first class honours degree or Masters in Physics or a related discipline before the start of the studentship. A strong background in solid state physics and interest in material modelling and computer simulation are required, as well as proficiency in English. PhD positions in Belfast are restricted to UK/EU residents only.

Applicants are encouraged to contact informally the following e-mail addresses with a cover letter (e-mail) and a CV. Details of the official application process will be communicated to the candidates on return.

1) [email protected] and [email protected] if interested in the positions in Cork;

2) [email protected], [email protected] and [email protected] if interested in the positions in Belfast;

3) all the emails above if interested in the positions both in Cork and Belfast.