Vacancy No. 568/2024

Chemist or Physicist or Material Scientist (w/m/d)

Metallic surfaces are usually thermodynamically unstable in aqueous environments and start corroding following processes that are highly dependent on the nature of the substrate and the prevailing geochemical conditions. For example, the temperature and the composition of the aqueous phase may affect the corrosion rate and the nature of the formed secondary phases. Information about corrosion behavior can be obtained by application of electrochemical methods with the metallic surface used as working electrode, and results correspond to reactions occurring over the whole exposed surface. The coupling with microscopy techniques, such as atomic force microscopy, provides further access to the exact location at the microscopic scale where the investigated processes occur preferentially. Such investigations find application at INE in the context of nuclear waste disposal where detailed information regarding degradation processes occurring at the exposed container surface is needed to improve the accuracy Safety Case of the repository.

The planned activities of the postdoctoral position at INE focus on the detailed and spatially resolved analysis of corrosion processes occurring in aqueous media for repository relevant systems and geochemical conditions. The electrochemical atomic force microscope available at INE shall be used for this purpose, with fundamental work being required to establish this technique.

Job description

Your responsibilities will include:

  • Your research area will focus on coupling electrochemical methods and the atomic force microscope (AFM)
  • You will be responsible for the setup and application of electrochemical components and cells, its coupling with AFM and the operation of the AFM as well as the preparation of samples, performing the experiments and the data analysis
  • You will carry out experimental corrosion studies on metallic materials in repository-relevant systems. This requires working under strict anoxic conditions, which implies working inside argon-filled glove boxes
  • Your duties include, but are not limited to, the preparation of samples and the monitoring of the development of spatially resolved surface topography during corrosion or electrochemical tests, and the analysis of the aqueous and solid phases (e.g., SEM-EDXS). Some of these analyses will be carried out in the controlled area of INE
  • You will also be responsible for reporting on the performed work and support the preparation of project reports as well as exchange with project partners
  • In addition to these activities, you will be responsible for the presentation and publication of the results and support the supervision of young scientists.
Personal qualification
  • You hold a Master degree in chemistry, physics or material sciences completed with a PhD in a closely related field, and have several years of professional experience
  • You have excellent expertise in electrochemistry, documented by publication in scientific journals, ideally in combination with knowledge of AFM and experience in operating and setting up an AFM instrument
  • You have experience in the analysis of corrosion processes in aquatic systems and ideally in working under inert gas atmosphere
  • Expertise in the use of a SEM-EDXS instrument and basic knowledge on research for the final disposal of radioactive waste would be an asset
  • You have good organizational and communication skills, are familiar with managing project related work and you can work independently in a chemistry laboratory
  • You have excellent knowledge of written and spoken English and at least basic knowledge of German.
Organizational unit

Institute for Nuclear Waste Disposal (INE)

Starting date

ab sofort / as soon as possible

Salary

Salary category 13 TV-L, depending on the fulfillment of professional and personal requirements.

Contract duration

2 years.

Application up to

17.01.2025

Contact person in line-management

For further information, please contact Dr. Nicolas Finck, phone +49 721 608-24321.

Application

Please apply online using the button below for this vacancy number 568/2024 .
Personnel Support is provided by 

Ms Ratzel
phone: +49 721 608-25544,

Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany

We prefer to balance the number of employees (f/m/d). Therefore we kindly ask female applicants to apply for this job.
Recognized severely disabled persons will be preferred if they are equally qualified.

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