Applications are invited for multiple PhD positions in the Applied Physics program at the Advanced Materials Group (Department of Control Engineering, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Czech Technical University in Prague) to work on the application of computational methods to the study of sliding contact properties of low-dimensional materials.

SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE GROUP:

Advanced Materials Group is a well-established group which pioneers solid lubrication, and, particularly, structural design of self-adaptive coatings. The computational subgroup consists of young and motivated researchers working on various but interconnected topics. Computational approaches adopted by the researchers range from ab initio electronic structure calculations to massive classical molecular dynamics simulations.

OBJECTIVES:

The project focuses on Computational Materials Science and the main goal is the modeling of properties of self-lubricant materials, with particular attention paid to transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs). Examples of research topic include (but are not limited to): i) empirical force field development and assessment for self-lubricant materials; ii) dynamical simulations of systems under sliding conditions; iii) ab initio calculations of electronic and dynamical properties of heterostructured TMDs; iv) study of the role of structural dynamics on heat diffusion, energy dissipation and layer exfoliation; v) defect diffusion in nanostructured materials; vi) charge current production in triboelectric-photoactive materials.

JOB REQUIREMENTS:

Successful candidates must have a MSc in Physics, Chemistry, Materials Science or closely related disciplines. We are seeking highly motivated individuals with a solid background in physical chemistry or physics. Knowledge of atomistic simulation codes is a plus. Programming experience in widely-used scientific languages (Fortran, C, C++) together with knowledge of shell scripting in UNIX environment is also desirable. Good knowledge of English, both written and oral, is compulsory.

CONTRACT DETAILS:

The salary will be competitive (approximately 1.000,- EUR net per month). The standard period for a PhD course is 4 years.

HOW TO APPLY:

The call is directed at EU applicants (although applications from outstanding candidates outside of the EU will also be considered) and the positions will be filled as soon as proper candidated are found – the starting date is expected to be in the first months of 2021. Applications should consist of a brief description of research interests and relevant experience (e.g. the transcript of studies, thesis etc), a CV and, optionally, letters of recommendation from academic referees. Inquiries and applications should be sent to: advamat@fel.cvut.cz