Postdoctoral position in in magnetic materials design

Uppsala University, Department of Physics and Astronomy

Postdoctoral position in magnetic materials design

The research conducted at the Department of Physics and Astronomy encompasses a wide range of physics topics, distributed over ten divisions. The department is located in the Ångström laboratory and employs nearly 400 people, 125 of whom are doctoral students. It offers a broad physics curriculum to undergraduate and graduate students, participation in nationally and internationally leading projects for researchers, and opportunities for partnership with industry and various outreach activities. Read more at www.physics.uu.se.

About us
The Division of Materials Theory offers broad expertise in materials modelling, code development, and the fundamental aspects of materials research within an international environment, featuring competent and friendly colleagues. The MaMMoS project is supervised by Dr. (Docent) Heike Herper, who has extensive experience in materials modelling, with a focus on predicting and characterizing magnetic materials. Her work includes research on permanent magnets, magnetocaloric systems, as well as DFT+ methods and x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS, XMCD) calculations.

About the position
We are looking for a highly motivated postdoc with outstanding qualifications in the field of computational magnetism and materials theory to work in the group of Dr. Heike Herper. The successful candidate will work for 2 years within the MaMMoS project focusing on ab initio modelling of magnetic phases relevant to the design of electric motors by our industrial partners.  The postdoctoral researcher will be responsible for performing high throughput ab initio, spin dynamics simulations and is expected to derive an approach to describe the finite temperature behavior of the magnetocrystalline anisotropy. The postdoc will organise the workflow within the subproject hosted at Uppsala University and participate in setting up software tools to ensure the data transfer to the project partners.

About the project
We are engaged in the field of computational materials science, with a focus on magnetic materials for energy applications. Our current project concentrates on developing sustainable permanent magnets for automotive applications. To identify new candidates, we will employ high-throughput and data mining studies. Our goal is to predict the intrinsic properties of materials across a range of operating temperatures by combining DFT codes with spin dynamics methods. hile finite-temperature approaches for calculating magnetization and exchange integrals are available, other key quantities, such as magnetocrystalline anisotropy, still lack suitable finite-temperature modelling on the same level as these other quantities. To enhance materials prediction, the postdoc will develop a new approach to describe the temperature dependence of magnetocrystalline anisotropy. The postdoctoral position is part of the European research project MaMMoS, funded through HORIZON EUROPE. Working on the MaMMoS project offers a unique opportunity to be part of a European research environment that spans materials modelling across various length scales, experimental work, and industrial implementation. For mare details about MaMMos see:

https://www.uu.se/en/department/physics-and-astronomy/research/materials-theory/news/archive/2024-03-05-innovative-open-source-simulation-software-platform-to-accelerate-design-of-greener-magnets is financed by HORIZON EUROPE 

Requirements

• PhD degree in physics (condensed matter) or a foreign degree equivalent to a PhD degree in this field. Note: The degree needs to be obtained by the time of the decision of employment. Those who have obtained a PhD degree three years prior to the application deadline are primarily considered for employment. The starting point of the three-year frame period is the application deadline. Due to special circumstances, the degree may have been obtained earlier. The three-year period can be extended due to circumstances such as sick leave, parental leave, duties in labour unions, etc.
• Strong background in theoretical magnetism
• Experienced in handling ab initio methods and spin dynamics codes
• Excellent programming skills (e.g., Python, C or Fortran)
• Excellent communication skills in English (written and oral)
• Capable to independently organize the work in the project
• Ability to work in a team

Additional qualifications

• Experience with high-performance computing

Requested Documents

• CV
• A short motivational letter (max. 1 page)
• Publication list
• Copy of doctoral certificate
• Contact details of 2 persons who might provide a reference letter

About the employment
The employment is a temporary position of two years according to central collective agreement. Full time position. Starting date 1 December 2024 or as agreed. Placement: Uppsala

For further information about the position, please contact: Dr. Heike Herper, +46 18 471 5876, heike.herper@physics.uu.se

Please submit your application by 16 September 2024, UFV-PA 2024/2841.

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