Postdoctoral Fellow for AI enhanced multiscale reactive transport simulations and digital twins of iron-cement systems
Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI)
Publication date:
30 January 2025Workload:
100%Contract type:
Permanent position- Place of work:Villigen PSI
The Paul Scherrer Institute PSI is the largest research institute for natural and engineering sciences within Switzerland. We perform cutting-edge research in the fields of future technologies, energy and climate, health innovation and fundamentals of nature. By performing fundamental and applied research, we work on sustainable solutions for major challenges facing society, science and economy. PSI is committed to the training of future generations. Therefore, about one quarter of our staff are post-docs, post-graduates or apprentices. Altogether, PSI employs 2300 people.
The direct costs related to corrosion of infrastructures in Europe are estimated at 250 billion EUR annually. Due to the considerable amount of greenhouse gas emissions attributed to the construction sector, large-scale impact can potentially be made by scientific based improvement of technology.
In the framework of a SNSF-funded Sinergia project “PRINCE: PRocesses at the INterface of iron and Cement”, we are investigating the experimental and theoretical studies of Fe-corrosion processes at iron-cement interfaces. The project is jointly implemented at PSI, EMPA, University Bern and ETHZ, and includes laboratory investigations of Fe oxidation kinetics; dissolution/precipitation processes; spectroscopic characterization of corrosion products at synchrotron facilities; Of great importance is the reactive transport modelling of these processes, at the pore and continuum scale based on state of the art numerical and machine leaning methods. At the Laboratory for Waste Management– Transport Mechanics group and within the scope of PRINCE we are looking for a
Your tasks
- Conduct pore scale reactive transport simulations in porous media such as cement
- Use AI and machine learning techniques to accelerate the numerical solvers and numerical analysis
- 2D/3D simulations using inhouse multicore CPU and GPU lattice-Boltzmann codes, inverse modelling and digital twins of the experiments
- Co-development of existing in-house multiscale codes, including benchmarking and validation
- Publication of results in journals and conferences
- Co-Supervise PhD and Master students
Your profile
- You are a reliable team player with a PhD degree in Natural Sciences / Environmental Sciences / Engineering
- You have strong experience in reactive transport simulations, idealy with Lattice Boltzmann method
- You possess advanced programming skills (C/Cuda/Python)
- First experience with machine learning tools would be beneficial
- A very good command of English is required (spoken and written)
We offer
Our institution is based on an interdisciplinary, innovative and dynamic collaboration. You will profit from a systematic training on the job, in addition to personal development possibilities and our pronounced vocational training culture. If you wish to optimally combine work and family life or other personal interests, we are able to support you with our modern employment conditions and the on-site infrastructure.
Your employment contract is initially limited to 3 years, with a possible extension depending on the performance and future project availability.
For further information, please contact Dr Nikolaos Prasianakis, phone +41 56 310 24 15.
Please submit your application online by 2 March 2025 (including list of publications and addresses of referees) for the position as a Postdoctoral Fellow (index no. 4403-00).
Paul Scherrer Institute, Human Resources Management, Serdal Varol, 5232 Villigen PSI, Switzerland
