PhD Position in Atomistic Simulations of Microstructure-Induced Failure

The mechanical properties of alloys, and thus their susceptibility to damage and failure, are determined by their chemical composition as well as by their process-dependent microstructure. While microstructural modifications are well-known to improve, e.g., the yield stress or fatigue lifetime by orders of magnitudes, no thorough atomistic methods for systematic high-throughput exploration of the microstructure space have been performed yet. 

The PhD project aims at i) the development of methods and workflows for high-throughput atomistic simulations of various microstructures and defect-defect combinations subjected to a multitude of loading scenarios as well as their analysis and organization into a publicly available database; and ii) the identification of mesoscale and atomic descriptors for weak regions of the microstructure and their interrelations.

The PhD candidate will be part of the International Max Planck Research School for Sustainable Metallurgy and work at the Max Planck Institute for Sustainable Materials in Düsseldorf, Germany.

The Scholarship is specifically aimed at students from developing countries.

Applicants should have demonstrated good programming knowledge, ideally in python; expertise in atomistic simulations (e.g. LAMMPS); a solid background in crystal defects and mechanical properties of materials.

For more information and how to apply see

Application Website