Postdoc Impact & Damage Tolerance of Cold Spray Repairs

Cold spray is a promising repair technology for aircraft components. But how well does such a repair hold up to impact? And how long can we use it safety? Join the team and help us find out!

Job description

Cold spray is an additive manufacturing technology that can be a real game changer for MRO of civil aircraft. However, its wide-spread application is hindered by a lack of understanding of the impact and damage tolerance properties of cold spray repairs.

In this position you will help change this situation, by investigating the impact behaviour of cold spray repairs. You will also collaborate with a PhD candidate on the development of a prediction methodology for fatigue of such repairs, leading to a comprehesive evaluation methodology for the durability and damage tolerance of cold spray repairs.

This project will involve both experiments and modelling, including manufacturing your own specimens using our medium pressure cold spray system. Depending on which approach proves to be more feasible and your own experience, the modelling focus can be either analytical or numerical.

You will conduct this research within the Aerospace Structures and Materials Department of the Faculty of Aerospace Engineering of TU Delft. Direct supervision will be provided by Dr. ir. J.A. Pascoe. As part of the project you will also work directly together with ir. M.A. Patrick, a PhD candidate working on fatigue of cold spray. You will also work with ir. E. Koufis, a PhD candidate working on process monitoring of cold spray in a different project.

This position is a part of the 'Damage Tolerance of Cold Spray Additive Repairs' (CSAR) project. You will also collaborate with the industrial partners in the User Committee of CSAR. Within the ASM department there are currently 2 PhD candidates working on cold spray, which is growing as a topic. There is also a larger community of PhD candidates and post-docs working on fatigue and damage tolerance of aerospace materials and structures.

Tasks and responsibilities of this position include:

• Conducting independent research into impact behaviour of cold spray repairs, with guidance from the supervisor.
• Communicating the results of your research via journal articles, conference presentations and meetings with the project's User Committee.
• Assisting in the supervision of MSc thesis projects on the topic of cold spray.
• Potentially assisting in other educational tasks.     

Requirements

Need to have:

• A PhD degree in a relevant field, e.g. Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or similar, with a thesis topic relevant to the topic of the research.
• Affinity with the topics of impact and damage tolerance of structures and materials.
• A desire to acquire the new skills and knowledge needed to complete the project.
• A critical attitude towards your own work and that of others.
• Good written and oral communication skills, with the ability to communicate the value of your work in both academic and industry settings.
• English proficiency as described on the Graduate School admission page

Nice to have:

• Prior experience with cold spray.
• Prior experience with impact testing.
• Prior experience with impact modelling, particularly on composites or multi-material systems.
• Experience with repair of aircraft components.
• Experience in analytical or numerical modelling of fatigue and/or fracture.

TU Delft

Delft University of Technology is built on strong foundations. As creators of the world-famous Dutch waterworks and pioneers in biotech, TU Delft is a top international university combining science, engineering and design. It delivers world class results in education, research and innovation to address challenges in the areas of energy, climate, mobility, health and digital society. For generations, our engineers have proven to be entrepreneurial problem-solvers, both in business and in a social context.

At TU Delft we embrace diversity as one of our core values and we actively engage to be a university where you feel at home and can flourish. We value different perspectives and qualities. We believe this makes our work more innovative, the TU Delft community more vibrant and the world more just. Together, we imagine, invent and create solutions using technology to have a positive impact on a global scale. That is why we invite you to apply. Your application will receive fair consideration.

Challenge. Change. Impact!

Faculty Aerospace Engineering

The Faculty of Aerospace Engineering at Delft University of Technology is one of the world’s most highly ranked (and most comprehensive) research, education and innovation communities devoted entirely to aerospace engineering. More than 200 science staff, around 270 PhD candidates and close to 3000 BSc and MSc students apply aerospace engineering disciplines to address the global societal challenges that threaten us today, climate change without doubt being the most important. Our focal subjects: sustainable aerospace, big data and artificial intelligence, bio-inspired engineering and smart instruments and systems. Working at the faculty means working together. With partners in other faculties, knowledge institutes, governments and industry, both aerospace and non-aerospace. Working in field labs and innovation hubs on our university campus and beyond. 

Click here to go to the website of the Faculty of Aerospace Engineering.

Conditions of employment 

• Duration of contract is 30 months.
• A job of 38 hours per week. 

Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities. The TU Delft offers a customisable compensation package, discounts on health insurance, and a monthly work costs contribution. Flexible work schedules can be arranged. 

Will you need to relocate to the Netherlands for this job? TU Delft is committed to make your move as smooth as possible! The HR unit, Coming to Delft Service, offers information on their website to help you prepare your relocation. In addition, Coming to Delft Service organises events to help you settle in the Netherlands, and expand your (social) network in Delft. A Dual Career Programme is available, to support your accompanying partner with their job search in the Netherlands.  . 

Additional information
If you would like more information about this vacancy or the selection procedure, please contact Dr. ir. John-Alan Pascoe, via j.a.pascoe@tudelft.nl.

Application procedure
Are you interested in this vacancy? Please apply no later than 9 June 2025 via the application button and upload the following documents:

• CV
• Motivational letter, in which you describe your interest in the project and why you think you would be a good fit for this position. Additionally, describe briefly what aspects or phenomena you think will make predicting the impact behaviour of a cold spray repair more challenging than predicting the impact behaviour of a monolithic metal part.
   

You can address your application to Dr. ir. John-Alan Pascoe. Based on the submitted cover letters and CV, a shortlist of suitable candidates will be invited for an (online) interview, within about 2 weeks of the closing date of the vacancy. During this interview you will be asked to present your prior research experience, and to provide a short research proposal for the post-doc project.

Please note:

• You can apply online. We will not process applications sent by email and/or post. 
• A pre-employment screening can be part of the selection procedure.
• For the final candidates, a knowledge security check will be part of the application procedure. For more information on this check, please consult Chapter 8 of the National Knowledge Security Guidelines. We carry out this check on the basis of legitimate interest.
• Please do not contact us for unsolicited services.