Empa, Materials Science and Technology
Dübendorf
Yesterday
PhD student in the field of numerical simulation of plasma-based methane decomposition
- Publication date:14 November 2025
- Workload:100%
- Contract type:Unlimited employment
- Place of work:Dübendorf
Job summary
Join Empa, a leading research institution passionate about materials science. Be part of cutting-edge work contributing to a sustainable future.
Tasks
- Conduct numerical simulations for methane pyrolysis processes.
- Optimize hydrogen production through advanced CFD modeling.
- Publish research findings and supervise student projects.
Skills
- Master's degree in engineering or materials science with CFD experience.
- Strong technical knowledge in process and chemical engineering.
- Fluent in German and English, with an interest in teamwork.
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About the job
Materials science and technology are our passion. With our cutting-edge research, Empa's around 1,100 employees make essential contributions to the well-being of society for a future worth living. Empa is a research institution of the ETH Domain.
PhD student in the field of numerical simulation of plasma-based methane decomposition
To strengthen our team and enhance our knowledge and understanding in pyrolysis processes we are looking for a PhD student for scientific analysis, investigations and optimization of hydrogen production via methane pyrolysis for decarbonization of industrial high-temperature processes with potential for negative carbon emissions.
Your tasks
- Setup of Computational Fluid Dynamics CFD environment and simulations including:
- Computation of the microwave field, Coupling of the microwave field with the plasma
- Computation of elementary ionization, recombination and diffusion processes in the plasma resulting in the ionization of the initial gas
- The decomposition of CH4, including detailed reaction sequence and chemical kinetics in a multiphase environment and flow field interactions - Tuning of the CFD models with experimental results
- Artificial Neural Network training and development
- Scientific publications in journals and at conferences
- Supervision of students
Your profile
- University Master's degree in process engineering, chemical engineering, mechanical engineering or materials science with some (CFD) experience.
- Good technical knowledge and/or high interest in scientific work with CFD.
- Interest in working in interdisciplinary teams.
- Good knowledge of the German and English language.
Our offer
- Interesting and responsible tasks in the field of applied research.
- Development opportunities in an economically and socially important field.
- Contacts to international partners, customers and suppliers.
- Attractive working conditions of the ETH Domain.
We live a culture of inclusion and respect. We welcome all people who are interested in innovative, sustainable and meaningful activities - that's what counts.
We look forward to receiving your complete online application including a letter of motivation, CV, diplomas with references and contact details of two reference persons. Please submit these exclusively via our job portal. Applications by e-mail and by post will not be considered.
