The Hamburg University of Technology and the Magnesium Innovation Center at our Institute of Materials Research in Geesthacht invites applications of highly motivated material scientists, physicists or chemists for a PhD Position (m/f) in the field of ‘Atomistic modelling of magnesium corrosion and its inhibition’. The position is initially limited for three years. The place of employment is in Geesthacht and Hamburg.

The work will focus on the integration, adaption and development of computational simulation methods (MD based) to describe surface phenomena (of chemical, electrochemical nature) occurring during corrosion of light metals and its alloys in contact with aqueous electrolytes at the atomic scale using ab-initio quantum chemistry methods and empirical force fields. The research should additionally shed light on the on the role of secondary phases in this context and offer insights into the working mechanism of e.g. organic corrosion inhibitor molecules. Complementary, the applicant will work in close collaboration with experimentalists and continuum modellers bridging the gap between simulation, continuum models and experiments. Therefore, advanced surface analysing techniques like SEM, IR, Raman, AFM, XRD and XPS are available at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht.

As a successful applicant, you should have a master or diploma in material science, physics, chemistry or a comparable research field and you are willing to work in a young and dynamic research group. In addition, know-how in classical and/or first principal molecular dynamics simulations, advanced sampling techniques and metal/metal oxide interphases would be advantageous.

Candidates should be used to work in a self-responsible and creative manner, eager to learn new things and to push science to new limits. This requires a fast perception of new knowledge, working interdisciplinary and establishing new links between research methodologies of different disciplines and own research tasks. The applicants should prove to be flexible, mobile and able to learn and adopt new methods.

This position which is hosted in the environment of interdisciplinary and internationality of a large research facility would suit a creative person with a good command of English who likes to work in a team but is also capable of working independently on a topic.

You have a highly degree of self-motivation, enthusiasm, good communication and soft skills as well as a target oriented working profile. You are interested in building new competencies at the institute and to participate in sharing these by internal and external co-operations. You have the ambition to work interdisciplinary in an international work environment offered at the institute which requires good language skills in English. Publishing of the achieved results in scientific journals and at international conferences is an important part of your work and to make your own research available to a broader scientific community. Your work is integrated in close cooperation with other research groups of Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht GmbH.

Informal enquiries can be directed to

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Robert Meißner ([email protected])

We offer you:

• multinational work environment with over 900 colleagues from more than 50 nations
• extensive options of vocational training (i. a. expert seminars, language courses or leadership seminars)
• flexible working hours and various models to ensure the compatibility of family and career
• excellent infrastructure, including a scientific in-house library as well as modern work spaces
• an appropriate salary (75% FTE) related to TV-AVH as well as the usual public sector social benefits

The advancement of equality at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht goes without saying; in particular, we are striving to increase the percentage of women in the science sector. Severely disabled persons with equal qualifications will be considered preferentially within the framework of legal requirements.

Please send your application indicating job offer code no. 2017/WZ 4 by email including a CV which explains the scientific education including copies of Master / Diploma university certificates, a list of courses which were attended during university, a list of skills which were acquired during university or elsewhere, a documentation of your English skills (e.g. by a TOEFL, IELTS or an equivalent test), copy of master / diploma thesis and a list of publications (if any) to our

human resources ([email protected])

Closing date for applications is November, 20th, 2017.