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Doctoral candidate (PhD student) in the field of materials physics

Doctoral candidate (PhD student) in the field of materials physics

Luxembourg 17 Feb 2021
University of Luxembourg

University of Luxembourg

State University, Browse similar opportunities

OPPORTUNITY DETAILS

Total reward
0 $
State University
Area
Host Country
Deadline
17 Feb 2021
Study level
Opportunity type
PhD
Specialities
Opportunity funding
Full funding
Eligible Countries
This opportunity is destined for all countries
Eligible Region
All Regions

About the University

The University of Luxembourg aspires to be one of Europe’s most highly regarded universities with a distinctly international and interdisciplinary character. It fosters the cross-fertilisation of research and teaching, is relevant to its country, is known worldwide for its research and teaching in targeted areas, and is establishing itself as an innovative model for contemporary European Higher Education. Its core asset is its well-connected world-class academic staff which will attract the most motivated, talented and creative students and young researchers who will learn to enjoy taking up challenges and develop into visionary thinkers able to shape society.

The Faculty of Science, Technology and Medicine (FSTM) contributes multidisciplinary expertise in the fields of MathematicsPhysicsEngineeringComputer ScienceLife Sciences and Medicine. Through its dual mission of teaching and research, the FSTM seeks to generate and disseminate knowledge and train new generations of responsible citizens, in order to better understand, explain and advance society and environment we live in. 

The PhD candidate will be a member of the PhyMS department within the FSTM, working under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Jan Lagerwall. S/he will be producing Cholesteric Spherical Reflectors (CSRs), spheres of cholesteric liquid crystal, by means of coaxial electrospray and microfluidic techniques. The CSRs will also be polymerized into solids or liquid crystal/solid composites and incorporated within transparent binder that is then polymerized into a coating. In addition to making the CSRs and the coatings containing them, the candidate will do an in-depth investigation of the resulting optical properties, in collaboration with a leading theoretical physics partner group. The overall aim is to identify a procedure that is amenable to massive upscaling of CSR production and controlled deposition within coatings, thereby opening application opportunities in diverse areas, from assisting robotic navigation and search-and-find rescue operations, via augmented reality, to secure authentication for anticounterfeiting purposes and person identification. While being firmly rooted in soft matter physics and photonics, the project thus branches into engineering, chemistry, machine vision and security research, requiring an interdisciplinary mindset, curiosity and ability to communicate with collaborators with complementary expertise.

Your Role


  • Write manuscripts for articles to be published in leading international scientific journals.

  • Write a thesis in the domain of physics, with strong interdisciplinary components.

  • Contribute to interdisciplinary research intersecting materials physics and engineering, as well as to teaching and public outreach activities.

  • Participate actively in the research project described above.

Your Profile


  • Master’s degree (or equivalent) in physics, or materials science/engineering with strong physics focus.

  • Experience in quantitative research methods and practical work in physics labs.

  • A genuine passion for scientific research and an awareness of the expectations on a Ph.D. candidate and on a Ph.D. thesis, including the need to show independence throughout the thesis work, the ability to write clearly and succinctly using your own words and illustrate with your own visuals, and to demonstrate an in-depth understanding at the thesis defence.

  • Good knowledge and understanding of materials physics, including polarized light optics/photonics. Knowledge in and experience of soft matter physics and chemistry, including aspects relevant to polymers, colloids and liquid crystals, are strong assets.

  • Openness to interdisciplinary research and commitment to teamwork.

  • Commitment and capacity to critical thinking and good research ethics.

  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.

Offer


  • Personal work space at the University. 

  • Dynamic and multicultural environment with high expectations and ambitions.

  • You will be part of an exciting interdisciplinary research project with potential to greatly benefit society if successful. You will experience real research, including all the hard work, long hours and failures that it comprises. With the right mindset you will learn from those failures and you will find support in overcoming them, to reach yet greater results by following new unexpected paths, hopefully identified by yourself. And you will then experience the immense joy of scientific success, celebrated within a coherent and supportive team.

In Short


  • Contract Type: Fixed Term Contract 36 Month (up to 48 months if required)

  • Work Hours: Full Time 40.0 Hours per Week

  • Location: Limpertsberg

  • Employee and student status

  • Job Reference: UOL03769 / C20/MS/14771094/ECLIPSE

Further Information

Candidates should submit the following documents:


  • Motivation letter (why do you want to work for a Ph.D. degree? Why at the University of Luxembourg and why in the Experimental Soft Matter Physics group?)

  • PDF version of your master thesis (file should be no larger than 20MB; compress images if necessary)

  • Curriculum vitae

  • List of publications (if available)

  • Copies of diplomas

The position remains open until filled. All applications submitted by 31/01/2021 will be reviewed.

Please apply ONLINE formally through the HR system. Applications by email will not be considered.

The University of Luxembourg embraces inclusion and diversity as key values. We are fully committed to removing any discriminatory barrier related to gender, and not only, in recruitment and career progression of our staff.

Here’s what awaits you at the University


  • Multilingual and international character. Modern institution with a personal atmosphere. Staff coming from 90 countries. Member of the “University of the Greater Region” (UniGR). 


  • A modern and dynamic university. High-quality equipment. WiFi on campus. Close ties to the business world and to the Luxembourg labour market. A unique urban site with excellent infrastructure.


  • A partner for society and industry. Cooperation with European institutions, innovative companies, the Financial Centre and with numerous non-academic partners such as ministries, local governments, associations, NGOs …

  • https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__wwwen.uni.lu_univer... rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Find out more about the University

  • https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__wwwen.uni.lu_contac... rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Addresses, maps & routes to the various sites of the University

Further information

For further information please see the website of the ESMP group, https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.lcsoftmatter.com... rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">">www.lcsoftmatter.com , or contact its leader, Prof. Jan Lagerwall, mailto:jan.lagerwall@uni.lu rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">jan.lagerwall@uni.lu


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