The University of Luxembourg (UL) invites applications for two PhD Fellows (Doctoral Candidate) positions (m/f) as part of the QuaC project funded by the FNR CORE funding instrument https://www.fnr.lu/funding-instruments/core/

Research Direction:

*Vision*: Unusual proximity effects (long-range interactions) are increasingly experimentally observed in a wide range of adhesive systems, e.g., for low-dimensional nanostructures, proteins, gecko feet suspended over semiconductor surfaces, or complex interfaces. The ability to effectively and accurately design interactions in adhesive interfaces would have a large impact on materials science, engineering, biology and medicine. This, however, requires a breakthrough in developing multiscale methodologies bridging a wide range of techniques from physics and engineering. 

(See https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-020-15480-w for an example of our recent joint work).

*Challenge*: You will take part in a multi-disciplinary journey across time- and length-scales, in the crucible between two vibrant research groups of Prof. Dr. Alexandre Tkatchenko and Prof. Dr. Stéphane Bordas. Through the continuous interaction between quantum physics, statistical and continuum mechanics, numerical techniques, and computational engineering, with the team, you will create methods designed to study the exciting scientific and technological problem of adhesive interactions from the microscopic to the macroscopic scales.

Position 1: The candidate will develop accurate and efficient approximate quantum-mechanical methods for applications to large-scale systems with 100,000 atoms. Subsequently, coarse-grained statistical techniques will be developed to scale up to large scales.

Position 2: The candidate will develop multiscale engineering approaches and apply them to study adhesive interactions at the macroscopic scale.

Strong collaboration between the two fellows is expected.

Supervision: You will be working as part of a team composed of one postdoc and two PhD fellows, led by Stéphane P.A. Bordas (computational mechanics) and Alexandre Tkatchenko (theoretical chemical physics), both being ERC grantees and ISI Highly Cited Researchers for several consecutive years now.

DPhyMS at Uni.lu is a quickly growing physics department composed of 18 dynamic research groups, spanning the broad domain of condensed matter, molecular, and quantum physics. The University of Luxembourg is a young, dynamic, and well-funded university rapidly growing in international rankings. Luxembourg is a small European country with a very high quality of living and is bordered by France, Belgium, and Germany.

 The positions are open to strong applicants with backgrounds in physics, engineering and/or multidisciplinary background. We offer competitive salary and attractive working environment in one of the most enjoyable European cities (http://www.euraxess.lu).

 For more information and applications contact: Prof. Dr. Alexandre Tkatchenko ([email protected]).

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