Deadline: May the 31st, 2026
Job description
Applications are invited for PhD students in the Advanced Materials Group (Department of Control Engineering, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Czech Technical University in Prague), to work on the computational materials science topic “High-Velocity Dust Impacts on Tungsten Plasma-Facing Materials: A Predictive Multi-Scale Modeling Framework with Experimental Validation”, under the supervision of professor Tomáš Polcar, PhD. The PhD fellowship is co-funded by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions European program.
This project addresses high-velocity dust impacts on tungsten, the primary plasma-facing material in fusion reactors, which cause surface cratering and erosion and thereby endanger the performance and lifetime of these reactors. We will develop a predictive multi-scale modeling framework to understand and mitigate this damage. At the atomic scale, molecular dynamics simulations will capture key impact processes (shock-induced melting, defect formation), illuminating how dust kinetic energy translates into material damage. Complementary high-speed dust impact experiments on tungsten samples and candidate tungsten alloys will validate the simulations and guide the design of more dust-resistant materials. Finally, we will use machine learning to integrate simulation and experimental data into a predictive model for damage under varied impact conditions. Such integrated approach will yield a tool to predict dust-induced damage in plasma-facing materials, guiding the design of more resilient tungsten components for safer, more efficient fusion energy systems.
Information on how to apply, eligibility criteria, benefits and conditions are found on the web page https://international.cvut.cz/jobs-at-ctu/pictus-phd-fellowship-programme . When applying, select project 17 “High-Velocity Dust Impacts on Tungsten Plasma-Facing Materials: A Predictive Multi-Scale Modeling Framework with Experimental Validation” among the list of offered projects.
Besides following the procedure described in the web site above, applicants are invited to send the application material to professor Tomáš Polcar to the e-mail address polcar[u]@fel.cvut.cz[/u] .