Shared PhD Student (f/m/d)

With cutting-edge research in the fields of ENERGY, HEALTH and MATTER, around 1,500 employees from more than 70 nations at Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) are committed to mastering the great challenges facing society today.
The Institute of Fluid Dynamics is conducting basic and applied research in the fields of thermo-fluid dynamics and magnetohydrodynamics in order to improve the sustainability, the energy efficiency and the safety of industrial processes. The Helmholtz Institute Freiberg for Resource Technology pursues the objective of developing innovative technologies for the economy so that mineral and metalliferous raw materials can be made available and used more efficiently and recycled in an environmentally friendly manner. The Department of Research Technology develops dedicated research equipment ranging from experiment equipment to the level of complex and large research facilities.
The Departments “Processing”, “Transport Processes at Interfaces”, and “Research Technology” are looking for a shared PhD Student (f/m/d) Thin film interferometry for resource processes.
Your tasks:
In flotation and various other multiphase processes in chemical engineering, liquid film rupture is a key element for an efficient process performance and control, and needs to be better understood. This task will be performed in a highly attractive interdisciplinary environment. Concrete focus of the project is:

• Apply thin film interferometry to study the impact of heterogeneous surface properties on three phase contact formation and film rupture dynamics
• Perform supporting measurements to detail the physico-chemical mechanisms on the solid surface, e.g. Atomic Force Microscopy and inverse Gas Chromatography
• Support further development of existing thin film interferometry setups
• Apply thin film interferometry to study the stability and rupture of a liquid film under the presence of hydrophobic particles
• Measure the time scales for particle entry and dewetting for different hydrophobicities, surface heterogeneities and particle morphologies

Your profile

• Completed university studies (Master/Diploma) in the field of Chemical Engineering, Process Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Chemistry, Physics or a comparable discipline
• Strong experimental skills, including setup construction, documentation, and data evaluation
• Interest in interface and surface science, particle properties, fluid dynamics and optics/image processing
• Self-dependent working style, problem-solving skills
• Good teamwork and communication skills in an interdisciplinary project team
• Good written and spoken English
• Basic programming skills for data evaluation/image processing (e.g. MATLAB)

Our offer:

• A vibrant research community in an open, diverse and international work environment
• Scientific excellence and extensive professional networking opportunities
• A structured PhD program with a comprehensive range of continuing education and networking opportunities - more information about the PhD program at the HZDR can be found here
• Salary and social benefits in accordance with the collective agreement for the public sector (TVöD-Bund) including 30 days of paid holiday leave, company pension scheme (VBL)
• We support a good work-life balance with the possibility of part-time employment, mobile working and flexible working hours
• Numerous company health management offerings
• Employee discounts with well-known providers via the platform Corporate Benefits
• An employer subsidy for the "Deutschland-Ticket Jobticket"

We look forward to receiving your application documents (including cover letter, CV, diplomas/transcripts, etc.), which you can submit via our online-application-system: https://www.hzdr.de/db/Cms?pNid=490&pLang=en&pOid=72162