Open PhD position in thermodynamics of ammonia-water mixtures at PoreLab NTNU

About the job

For a position as a PhD Candidate, the goal is a completed doctoral education up to an obtained doctoral degree.

The period of employment of this position is 3 years, with possible extension due to teaching. The position will be in the Thermodynamics group at the Department of Chemistry at NTNU.

Ammonia (NH3) is deemed by many to be a promising energy carrier to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from transport and a viable solution for global H2 transport. A challenge is the consequences of possible spills of liquid ammonia into water when it is transported on ships.

Ammonia is often transported at a temperature well below the freezing point of water. A spill of ammonia in water will therefore rapidly evaporate. It will also react with water through a highly exothermic reaction. The interfacial dynamics and the thermo-physical properties will play a key role in how fast the ammonia spreads in both water and air, and where it ends up.

The PhD candidate will work with the fundamental details of the mixing process, in particular the interfacial thermodynamics both at and beyond equilibrium and how the exothermic reaction comes into play into the spreading and dissolution of ammonia in water.

This challenging topic will give the candidate the opportunity become proficient in an arsenal of different modeling tools, which may include equations of state, classical density functional theory and molecular simulation.

Your immediate leader is Prof. Øivind Wilhelmsen.

Duties of the position

  • Carry out research within thermodynamics and interfacial phenomena.
  • Write academic papers and submit them to international scientific journals.
  • Participate in international scientific conferences.
  • Complete the mandatory courses for the PhD.
  • Write a PhD thesis using academic papers as basis.
  • Defend the PhD when completed.

Required selection criteria

  • You must have a professionally relevant background.
  • Your education must correspond to a five-year Norwegian degree program, where 120 credits are obtained at master’s level
  • You must have a strong academic background from your previous studies and an average grade from the master’s degree program, or equivalent education, which is equal to B or better compared with NTNU’s grading scale. If you do not have letter grades from previous studies, you must have an equally good academic basis. If you have a weaker grade background, you may be assessed if you can document that you are particularly suitable for a PhD education.
  • Master’s students can apply, but the master’s degree must be obtained and documented by starting date of the position.
  • You must meet the requirements for admission to the faculty’s doctoral program  (https://www.ntnu.edu/nv/phd)
  • Excellent written and oral skills in English.

The appointment is to be made in accordance with Regulations on terms of employment for positions such as postdoctoral fellow, Phd candidate, research assistant and specialist candidate and Regulations concerning the degrees of Philosophiae Doctor (PhD) and Philosodophiae Doctor (PhD) in artistic research national guidelines for appointment as PhD, post doctor and research assistant 

Preferred selection criteria

  • Excellent competence and background in thermodynamics.
  • Experience with and interest for programming.

Read more about the position and apply here: PhD Candidate in Thermodynamics of ammonia-water mixtures (254825) | NTNU – Norwegian University of Science and Technology (jobbnorge.no)