PhD Student

ABOUT GHENT UNIVERSITY

Ghent University is a world of its own. Employing more than 15.000 people, it is actively involved in education and research, management and administration, as well as technical and social service provision on a daily basis. It is one of the largest, most exciting employers in the area and offers great career opportunities.
With its 11 faculties and more than 85 departments offering state-of-the-art study programmes grounded in research in a wide range of academic fields, Ghent University is a logical choice for its staff and students.

For the (faculty/department/research group) we are looking for a m/f/x
Doctoral fellow

YOUR JOB

• Belgium has been taking a leading position in the transition towards a hydrogen economy thanks to many companies and research institutes active in hydrogen technologies. In addition, Belgium has currently the second largest hydrogen pipeline network in the world and has a strategic position in Western Europe as an import and transit hub for renewable H2 molecules.
  In the context of these global and local evolutions, Ghent University (UGent) focuses on an important link in the future hydrogen economy, being the storage of hydrogen in pressurized composite tanks, both in the vehicle itself as in refueling stations. Indeed, the success of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles depends both on the development of safe storage options in the vehicle, as well as a supporting refueling infrastructure.
• UGent-MMS is partner in a large new research project with several leading companies in the automotive industry. This research project aims at developing composite solutions for future hydrogen storage tanks. This PhD vacancy is focused on the experimental characterization of composites for hydrogen tanks. This includes measurement of physical and mechanical properties, instrumentation and data acquisition on full tanks and assessment of solutions for Structural Health Monitoring. The research will be done in close collaboration with the involved industrial partners.
• The PhD researcher will also closely work together with the other doctoral and postdoctoral colleagues that work on composite hydrogen tanks, to form a strong and complementary team for this highly challenging research topic.

Job profile

• You hold a Master’s degree (preferably) in Engineering (Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Materials Science, Computational Mechanics, etc.)
• You should have a strong interest in experimental mechanics of composite materials, and should be enthusiastic to work in a collaborative project between industry and academia.

WHAT WE CAN OFFER YOU

• We offer a full-time position as a doctoral fellow, consisting of an initial period of 12 months, which - after a positive evaluation, will be extended to a total maximum of 48 months.
• Your contract will start on 01/01/2025 at the earliest.
• The fellowship amount is 100% of the net salary of an AAP member in equal family circumstances. The individual fellowship amount is determined by the Department of Personnel and Organization based on family status and seniority. A grant that meets the conditions and criteria of the regulations for doctoral fellowships is considered free of personal income tax. Click here for more information about our salary scales
• All Ghent University staff members enjoy a number of benefits, such as a wide range of training and education opportunities, 36 days of holiday leave (on an annual basis for a full-time job) supplemented by annual fixed bridge days, bicycle allowance and eco vouchers. Click here for a complete overview of all the staff benefits.

Send your CV, transcripts of records of Bachelor and Master studies, copy of your diploma (if already in your possession) and a motivation letter to wim.vanpaepegem@ugent.be .
We do not accept late applications.
For more information about this vacancy, please contact Prof. Wim VAN PAEPEGEM (wim.vanpaepegem@ugent.be , +32(0)9/331 04 32)