Doctoral student at the Division of Computational Chemistry - Hiring in process/Finished, not possible to apply

Subject description

The Department of Chemistry belongs to both the Faculty of Science and the Faculty of Engineering (LTH) at Lund University.  At the Department, all research and education are done at the Chemical Center. The Department of Chemistry has a unique strength for Sweden with education in all areas of chemistry and research by internationally leading research groups which ranges from basic to applied research areas. The department also has the advanced instrumentation needed in modern molecular research. The Department of Chemistry has about 345 employees, of whom about 150 are postgraduate students. The number of full-time students enrolled in undergraduate studies is almost 500.

At the division of Computational Chemistry (former division of Theoretical Chemistry) we study Statistical Thermodynamics, Suspension Dynamics, and Quantum Chemistry. While we have a strong focus on fundamental research and the development of approximate theories and computational tools, our methods are applied to a variety of systems such as clay, cement, oral environments, wood fibers, sand, and dairy products. We have a generous access to computer power in the form of supercomputer clusters. Computational Chemistry also has experimental activities in close collaboration with the research facilities Max IV and ESS.

The PhD project will be conducted in the group of Dr. Martin Trulsson, senior lecturer at the division of Computational Chemistry. The group’s research encompasses a broad range of problems in soft and flowing materials, with a special focus on the rheology of dense suspensions and surface forces between charged colloids. The theoretical and computational methods employed in the group encompass a wide range of various simulation and computational techniques,from Langevin and Brownian dynamics to Monte Carlo simulations and non-linear differential equations(primarily the Poisson-Boltzmann equation). The planned PhD project should fall within the broad topical range covered by the group's research, but can otherwise be adjusted to the interests and skills of the individual applicant. The group is currently very interested in (i) non-local theories of inhomogeneous granular flows, such as sand flows, and (ii) phonons and heat capacity of crystals composed of anisotropic particles with the aim of (i) having better predictions of when landslides occur and (ii) help designing materials with tailored properties. For more information about the groups, please see:

https://www.compchem.lu.se/people/seniors/trulsson

The project is funded by the Swedish Research Council, which supports fundamental research of the highest quality.

Selected references

- Optimum dissipation by cruising in dense suspensions. P. Acharya and M. Trulsson. arXiv:2302.08810 (2023). DOI: 48550/arXiv.2302.08810

- Orientational arrest in dense suspensions of elliptical particles under oscillatory shear flows. Z. Yousefian and M. Trulsson. Europhysics Letters 136, 36002 (2022). DOI: 10.1209/0295-5075/ac3e8a

- Directional shear jamming of frictionless ellipses. M. Trulsson. Physical Review E 104, 044614 (2021). DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevE.104.044614

- Local rheology relation with variable yield stress ratio across dry, wet, dense, and dilute granular flows. T. Pähtz, O. Durán, DN. De Klerk, I. Govender, and M. Trulsson. Physical Review Letters 123, 048001 (2019). DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.123.048001

- Ion and site correlations of charge regulating surfaces: a simple and accurate theory. M. Trulsson. Langmuir 39, 7642–7647 (2023). DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.3c00316

What we offer

Lund University is a public authority which means that employees get particular benefits, generous annual leave and an advantageous occupational pension scheme. Read more on the University website about being a Lund University employee Benefits for employees | Lund University

Work duties and responsibilities

The PhD student will extensively use and improve discrete particle/element simulations. The data obtained from these simulations will then be used to formulate new theories or scrutinise and improve old ones. The work also includes developing new particle interaction models and data analysis methods. The PhD program includes,besides participating in research projects, third-cycle courses equivalent to one year of full-time studies. Moreover, you will attend international conferences and participate in periodical project meetings. Progress is reported at conferences and as research articles in scientific journals. The work can also include teaching and other departmental duties (no more than 20%).

Admission requirements 

A person meets the general admission requirements for third-cycle courses and study programmes if he or she:

• has been awarded a second-cycle qualification, or
• has satisfied the requirements for courses comprising at least 240 credits of which at least 60 credits were awarded in the second cycle, or
• has acquired substantially equivalent knowledge in some other way in Sweden or abroad

A person meets the specific admission requirements for third-cycle studies in Theoretical Chemistry if he or she has completed courses comprising  

• at least 120 credits Chemistry, out of which at least 30 credits were awarded as an exam project at an advanced level

OR

• at least 60 credits Physics and 60 credits Mathematics

The specific requirements can also be obtained via other educations, resulting in a corresponding competence. This will be assessed on an individual basis.

Additional requirements:

• Very good oral and written proficiency in English.

Assessment criteria

Selection for third-cycle studies is based on the student’s potential to profit from such studies. The assessment of potential is made primarily on the basis of academic results from the first and second cycle. Special attention is paid to the following:

Knowledge and skills relevant to the thesis project and the subject of study. An assessment of ability to work independently and to formulate and tackle research problems. Written and oral communication skills. Other experience relevant to the third-cycle studies, e.g. professional experience.

Other assessment criteria:

Documented experiences within the following fields are considered as strong merits:

• particle simulations
• programming, preferably programming for scientific calculations
• development of theories or suitable approximations in the framework of Statistical Mechanics/Thermodynamics/Physis
• applications of mathematical tools on theoretical model systems.

Consideration will also be given to good collaborative skills, drive and independence, and how the applicant, through his or her experience and skills, is deemed to have the abilities necessary for successfully completing the third cycle programme.

Terms of employment 
Only those admitted to third-cycle studies may be appointed to a doctoral studentship. Doctoral studentships are regulated in the Higher Education Ordinance (1993:100), chapter 5, 1-7 §§.

Instructions on how to apply

Applications shall be written in English and include a cover letter stating the reasons why you are interested in the position and in what way the research project corresponds to your interests and educational background. The application must also contain a CV, degree certificate or equivalent, and other documents you wish to be considered (grade transcripts, contact information for your references, letters of recommendation, etc.).

The application will be evaluated based on scientific excellence, the adequacy of your career plan and your thesis project as well as your research experience.

Applications are to be submitted via the via the online recruitment system Varbi (www.varbi.com).

After a first screening, qualified applicants will be contacted for an interview.