Postdoc Microstructural Modelling of Hydrogen Effects at a Crack Tip

How does hydrogen concentration affect fatigue?

Job description 

Hydrogen can naturally diffuse in steel, where the hydrogen can interact with steel microstructures and advancing cracks. This raises questions as to whether existing natural gas pipelines can be repurposed for use with gaseous hydrogen. In this project, you will use and develop advanced Abaqus FEA subroutines to monitor hydrogen diffusion in complex steel microstructures in the vicinity of a crack tip stress field. You will use this hydrogen concentration to degrade the mechanical properties of the pipeline steel and to assess how the hydrogen will affect fatigue crack growth rates. You will work with an experimentalist to validate your hypotheses with their empirical results.
This project is part of a larger project called HYTROS, which can be found here: https://groenvermogennl.org/en/project/4783/
To participate in this project, you must have prior experience with microstructural modelling, including subroutine programming in an FEA context.

Job requirements 

• You must have a PhD degree in mechanical, civil, or materials engineering or a similar field.
• You must have prior programming experience in FEA subroutines.
• You must be creative and have an ability to work independently and as part of a team.

TU Delft (Delft University of Technology) 

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 Mechanical Engineering 

From chip to ship. From machine to human being. From idea to solution. Driven by a deep-rooted desire to understand our environment and discover its underlying mechanisms, research and education at the ME faculty focusses on fundamental understanding, design, production including application and product improvement, materials, processes and (mechanical) systems. 

ME is a dynamic and innovative faculty with high-tech lab facilities and international reach. It’s a large faculty but also versatile, so we can often make unique connections by combining different disciplines. This is reflected in ME’s outstanding, state-of-the-art education, which trains students to become responsible and socially engaged engineers and scientists. We translate our knowledge and insights into solutions to societal issues, contributing to a sustainable society and to the development of prosperity and well-being. That is what unites us in pioneering research, inspiring education and (inter)national cooperation. 

Click here to go to the website of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering. Do you want to experience working at our faculty? These videos will introduce you to some of our researchers and their work. 

Conditions of employment 

• Duration of contract is 2 years.
• A job of 38-40 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. 

For international applicants, TU Delft has the Coming to Delft Service. This service provides information for new international employees to help you prepare the relocation and to settle in the Netherlands. The Coming to Delft Service offers a Dual Career Programme for partners and they organise events to expand your (social) network. 

Additional information

If you would like more information about this vacancy or the selection procedure, please contact Carey Walters, via C.L.Walters@tudelft.nl.

Application procedure

Are you interested in this vacancy? Please apply no later than 5 Jan 2025 via the application button and upload the following documents:

• CV
• Motivational letter. Note that your motivational letter will be used to assess both your writing and reasoning skills, so please use it to explain clearly and logically why you are the correct person for this position.
• And a journal publication that you are personally responsible for and proud of. Applications sent by email will be ignored. 

You can address your application to Carey Walters.

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.
• A knowledge security check will be part of the selection procedure.
  (for details page 45: national knowledge security guidelines)
• Please do not contact us for unsolicited services.