Master Student / Internship (m/f/d) | Ionic Liquids / Polymers

 

The Department of Colloid Chemistry (Markus Antonietti) at the Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces in Potsdam, Germany invites applications from outstanding young students for a Master Student / Internship (m/f/d).

We are looking for a highly motivated master student in the field of ionic liquids / polymers. This master project is institute-industry collaboration project (one of leading company in chemical industry). The purpose of this research is to look into the compatibility, new functionalities, and fundamental mechanisms (e. g., electrochemistry, surface/interface, ionic conductivity) of sustainable ionic electrolytes incorporated into polymer materials.

The candidate should have a B.Sc. degree in Chemistry or closely related fields, with an outstanding profile, a strong background, and interests in

• Ionic liquids / electrolytes
• Electrochemical characterization
• Physico-chemical characterization

To submit your candidature please send an email to: roza.bouchal@mpikg.mpg.de, with the subject ILs-MSc – [Name, Surname], with attached PDF version of your CV, an updated transcript of record and your bachelor certificate.

Please send us your application in English until April 30, 2023.

The accepted candidate will join the Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Colloid Chemistry Department, in the group of Advanced electrolytes for sustainable batteries led by Dr. Roza Bouchal.

The Max Planck Society strives for gender equality and diversity. We welcome applications from all backgrounds. The Max-Planck Society is committed to increasing the number of individuals with disabilities in its workforce and therefore encourages applications from such qualified individuals. Furthermore, the Max Planck Society seeks to increase the number of women in those areas where they are underrepresented and therefore explicitly encourages women to apply.

Bachelor or Master project: Enzymatic profiling of bark and ambrosia beetle fungi

 We are currently looking for a motivated student (m/f/d) for a B.Sc. or a M.Sc. project at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology in Jena. In this project, the student will work with symbiotic filamentous fungi of bark and ambrosia beetles under laboratory conditions. The student will explore and describe the possibility of these fungi to decompose the major woody polysaccharides and compare findings with other non-insect associated fungi as well as with competitive and wood-degrading fungi.

Project description

Both bark and ambrosia beetles, which typically colonize rather nutrient-poor woody substrate (like phloem or xylem of weakened trees), are associated with a broad range of microbes such as filamentous fungi, bacteria, and yeasts. To date, only little is known about the role of these microbes and how they support the survival of their beetle hosts. Especially some of the associated filamentous fungi are believed to be of high nutritional value for the beetles, and thus are ensuring the successful development of beetles in such a challenging environment. In many cases, the beetles themselves are even unable to survive without their fungal partners. However, our current knowledge about the ability of these fungi to decompose the main carbon sources in woody tissue (such as Cellulose, Xylan, Mannan, Lignin, Pektin) is limited as detailed studies are lacking. Therefore, a comparative study on the ability of different symbiotic and non-symbiotic fungi will be of crucial importance to understand how these beneficial fungi support their beetle hosts.

Research goal

Within this project, a student will examine which carbon sources in wood are playing a role for several bark and ambrosia beetle fungi and how deep these fungi are growing into the wood focussing on:

• Cultivation of fungi under sterile conditions and varying C-sources
• Enzymatic assays
• Microscopic analyses of colonized wood
• Comparison of results between different tested fungi

Position and application

The student will first be employed as a HiWi-student for around 2 months (10 hours/week) in aim to get to know each other and to introduce him/her to this exciting project.
If you are generally interested in microbiology, mycology and ecology, and want to find out more about this project (e.g. details, start date), don´t hesitate to get in contact with us.

Contact:
Dr. Maximilian Lehenberger                 
E-Mail: mlehenberger@ice.mpg.de

Master Thesis | Process simulation and analysis of the Chemical Recycling Process of Nylon66 using supercritical water

 The Max Planck Institute for Dynamics of Complex Technical Systems (MPI) is looking for a student willing to write a master thesis in the Max-DePoly project in collaboration with BASF. The Max-DePoly project deals with the chemical recycling of polymers, especially polyamides (PA).

Further information about the project.

Motivation

In the future, closed cycles in the chemical industry represent an essential contribution to the sustainable development of our society as it counteracts environmental pollution and depletion of fossil raw materials. Engineering thermoplastics such as polyamide 66, also called Nylon 66, are often unsuitable for the most popular mechanical recycling strategy. This is due to their very high-quality requirements and the degradation of the polymers, the so-called downcycling. Moreover, mixed or contaminated plastic waste is a considerable challenge in mechanical recycling.

Therefore, chemical recycling processes are needed that can tolerate a certain amount of contamination and depolymerise the polymer into its respective monomers. As opposed to mechanical recycling, chemical recycling avoids the polymer's quality loss, thereby acting in favour of a circular economy with multiple polymerisation–depolymerisation cycles. Different chemical recycling options exist, such as hydrolysis, alcoholysis or aminolysis. In this project, the hydrolysis of PA66 using supercritical water is to be investigated. In the literature, a process simulation and analysis in terms of carbon footprint, as well as the determination of the influence of specific process variables, is missing. Hence, this project aims to simulate and analyse the process in order to improve the understanding and find possible opportunities for optimisation of the process.

Task description

• Simulation of PA66 Depolymerisation Process using Aspen Plus
  • Complete mass and energy balance of process
  • Close recycle loops
  • Define purge and waste streams
  • Define PA66 polymer using segment approach in Aspen Plus
  • Estimate missing physical properties
  • Incorporate the kinetics of the hydrolysis reactions (reverse polycondensation)
• Process Analysis
  • Investigate equilibrium chain length distribution and composition of monomers and oligomers depending on stoichiometry (comparison with experimental data provided by BASF SE)
  • Sensitivity analysis (temperature, water:polymer ratio, ..)
  • Product carbon footprint (PCF) calculation
  • Optional: optimisation of process conditions with regard to PCF

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Process Engineering, Chemical and Energy Engineering, Process Safety and Environmental Engineering or a similar technical degree program with above-average grades
• Good skills and experience with Aspen Plus
• Desirable is a successful completion of the courses: process systems engineering (SVT) and/or advanced process and systems engineering (APSE), as well as process simulation with Aspen
• Experience in process optimisation is an advantage
• Dedication and enthusiasm for innovative research
• Independent, results-oriented and systematic working approach

Start: from 02.01.2023 at the earliest

Work mode: preferably home office

The Max Planck Society is committed to increasing the number of individuals with disabilities in its workforce and therefore encourages applications from such qualified individuals. Furthermore, the Max Planck Society seeks to increase the number of women in those areas where they are underrepresented and, therefore, explicitly encourages women to apply.

Please note the information regarding the storage of personal data.

If you are interested, please get in touch with us at aminor@mpi-magdeburg.mpg.de with your resume and a grade summary so we can schedule an interview.

Master Thesis - Optimized sintering of advanced tungsten-based SMART materials for fusion reactors using field assisted sintering technology and finite element modelling

 The master thesis contains two parts:

In the first part, FEM is used to investigate the temperature and current density distribution of a square and a polygon-shaped FAST/SPS sample. The linear size of the samples is 100 mm. Based on the results, geometrical parameters like wall thickness of die and thickness of thermal insulation material will be systematically varied to find the optimum tool dimensions and shape for reducing thermal gradients to a minimum.
In the second part, deformation behavior of a mechanically alloyed W-11.6Cr-0.6Y powder in this tool is modelled for ensuring full and homogeneous densification of square and polygon shaped samples with linear size of up to 100 mm.
The FEM modeling of FAST/SPS process and the subsequent model validation in the dedicated FAST/SPS experiments is extremely important for physics and engineering understanding of FAST/SPS technique.

• Adapting an existing FEM model to square and polygon shaped FAST/SPS tools
  
• Investigation and optimization of the temperature and current density distribution of such tools depending on geometrical features like wall thickness of the die and thermal insulation
  
• FEM modelling of the densification behavior of a mechanically alloyed W-11.6Cr-0.6Y powder in a square or polygon shaped tools
  
• FAST/SPS experiments to measure the input parameters for the densification model at the RWTH Aachen University
  
• Verification of the model by producing large samples in an optimized tool at Forschungszentrum Jülich
  

Your Profile:

• Studies of material science, mechanical engineering or a related field
  
• Basic knowledge of FEM modelling
  
• Basic knowledge of material processing and working in the lab
  
• Independent work in a motivated team
  
• Good command of written and spoken English
  

Our Offer:

We work on the very latest issues that impact our society and are offering you the chance to actively help in shaping the change! We support you in your work with:

• Participation in a cooperation between RWTH Aachen and Forschungszentrum Jülich
  
• The main working place will be the IWM, RWTH Aachen
  
• A highly motivated, interdisciplinary work environment at both institutions, a well-recognized technical university and one of the largest research institutions in Europe
  
• Participation in the worldwide collaboration on development of advanced materials
  
• Professional support of qualified supervisors
  
• Working on a topic with high relevance for future energy systems
  

Place of employment: Aachen

We welcome applications from people with diverse backgrounds, e.g. in terms of age, gender, disability, sexual orientation / identity, and social, ethnic and religious origin. A diverse and inclusive working environment with equal opportunities in which everyone can realize their potential is important to us.

We look forward to receiving your application by 23.10.2022

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Master Thesis - Distributed memory parallelization of CubeLib library using MPI

 Cube, which is used as performance report explorer for Scalasca and Score-P, is a generic tool for displaying a multi-dimensional performance space consisting of following dimensions: performance metric, call path, and system resources. Each dimension can be represented as a tree, where the non-leaf nodes can be collapsed or expanded to achieve the desired level of granularity.

CubeLib, as a part of the Cube framework, is a general purpose library, which is used in the cube_server tool to access and process the Cube profile data. Currently the cube_server tool and the CubeGUI are using shared memory parallelization approach within the single compute node.
The goal of the master thesis is to develop a prototype of the CubeLib using distributed memory parallelization approach, incorporate it in the cube_server tool and conduct a performance analysis.

Your tasks will include:

• Development of the prototype of parallelization algorithm
  
• Its incorporation in the CubeLib and the cube_server tool
  
• Conducting performance measurements and comparisons using Score-p and other tools
  
• Investigation of theoretical maximal speedup and possible limitations of the algorithm

Your Profile:

• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in computer science, mathematics or related field
  
• Advanced skills in parallel programming using C++
  
• Solid knowledge of the MPI
  
• Interest in the High Performance Computing field
  
• Ability to communicate with colleagues and discuss various problems in the field
  
• Well-structured and systematic research approach
  

Please feel free to apply for the position even if you do not have all the required skills and
knowledge. We may be able to teach you missing skills during your training.

Our Offer:

We work on the very latest issues that impact our society and are offering you the chance to actively help in shaping the change! We support you in your work with:

• An interesting and socially relevant topic for your thesis with future-oriented themes
  
• Ideal conditions for gaining practical experience alongside your studies
  
• Excellent technical equipment and the newest technology
  
• Qualified support through your scientific colleagues
  
• The chance to independently prepare and work on your tasks
  
• Flexible work (location) arrangements, e.g. remote work
  
• A large research campus with green spaces, offering the best possible means for networking with colleagues and pursuing sports alongside work
  

The position is for a fixed term of 6 months.

We welcome applications from people with diverse backgrounds, e.g. in terms of age, gender, disability, sexual orientation / identity, and social, ethnic and religious origin. A diverse and inclusive working environment with equal opportunities in which everyone can realize their potential is important to us.

We look forward to receiving your application. The job will be advertised until the position has been successfully filled. You should therefore submit your application as soon as possible.

APPLY NOW

Master Thesis - Biochemical Modification of Conductive Protein Fibers for the Next-Generation Bioelectronics

 The Master thesis project aims to develop a novel biochemical approaches for the manipulation of conductive cable bacteria fibers. The secret of cable bacteria conductivity is in their periplasmic fibers, which are highly conductive. These fibers should be extracted from the cable bacteria for further processing. Electrical and electrochemical characterizations of these fibers will be performed to investigate their intrinsic properties. Furthermore, chemical cell fixation and fluorescence in situ hybridization protocols will be established and optimized to examine the internal structures of the fibers. In addition, the biocompatibility and long term stability under cell culture conditions will be evaluated. On the long term, these fibers will be used to decorate microelectrodes for the recording of action potentials from electrogenic cells.

Your tasks will include:

• Performing and optimizing protocols for the chemical extraction of biological fibers and fixation of bacterial cells connected to microelectrodes
  
• Modification of microcelectrode surfaces with conducting protein fibers and their morphological characterization
  
• Electrical and electrochemical characterization of native and engineered conductive protein fibers
  
• Testing the stability and biocompatibility of the protein fibers for electrogenic cells
  
• Establishing and maintaining cell cultures
  
• Communication with other scientists from the EU project
  

Further information on the Microbial Electricity background:
https://www.microbial-electricity.eu/

Project Link:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/pringle-eic-pathfinder-94107323b/

Your Profile:

• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) chemistry, biotechnology, material sciences, physical chemistry or biology
  
• Interest in the field of Bioelectronics
  
• Ability to communicate with scientists and technicians from various disciplines
  
• Good written and spoken English
  
• Independent and analytical way of working
  
• Advantageous, yet not mandatory, are experiences in programming and data analysis
  
• Passion for science

Our Offer:

We work on the very latest issues that impact our society and are offering you the chance to actively help in shaping the change! We support you in your work with:

• An interesting and socially relevant topic for your thesis with future-oriented themes
  
• Ideal conditions for gaining practical experience alongside your studies
  
• Multifaceted work in an interdisciplinary and international setting, as well as a cooperative work environment
  
• Fantastic research equipment facilities
  
• International collaboration with the scientific groups from the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain and Cyprus
  
• Forschungszentrum Jülich located closely to Belgium and the Netherlands with strong links to the ABCD Region (Aachen, Bonn, Cologne, and Düsseldorf) which is one of the leading high-tech regions in Europe.
  

We welcome applications from people with diverse backgrounds, e.g. in terms of age, gender, disability, sexual orientation / identity, and social, ethnic and religious origin. A diverse and inclusive working environment with equal opportunities in which everyone can realize their potential is important to us.

We look forward to receiving your application. The job will be advertised until the position has been successfully filled. You should therefore submit your application as soon as possible.

APPLY NOW

Master thesis – Investigation of redox stability of a solid oxide cell stacks based on acoustic emission method

 In the department "Electrochemical Process and System Technologies" of IEK-9, research and development activities in the field of solid oxide cells (SOCs) focuses primarily on optimizing the performance and lifetime of stacks and systems for various applications. SOCs are electrochemical energy converters with a solid oxide ceramic electrolyte, which are typically operated at high temperatures and can achieve very high efficiencies. When operated as a fuel cell (Solid Oxide Fuel Cell: SOFC), electrolysis (Solid Oxide Electrolysis Cell: SOEC) or co-electrolysis, or even in reversible mode (reversible Solid Oxide Cell: rSOC), the SOC offers great potential for defossilization of a wide range of applications. In order to exploit this potential in the future, it is necessary to improve the competitiveness of SOCs by increasing performance, reducing degradation and minimizing manufacturing costs.

One challenge that restricts the lifetime of SOC is the stability of the fuel electrode during redox cycling (reduction-oxidation). For instance, during an unintentional fuel supply cut, high fuel utilization operation or in case of a leakage, the nickel-based fuel electrode can be subjected to oxygen and the nickel catalyst can undergo a reduction-oxidation process, which might inflict irreversible damage to the cell. Within the scope of this master thesis, the damage of SOC stacks by repeated reoxidation-reduction cycles will be investigated based on modeling and simulation. Among other things, current-voltage characteristics as well as measurement results of accompanying electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and an acoustic emission measurement will be evaluated and taken into account.

Your tasks include:

• Literature review on acoustic emission and redox stability of SOCs
  
• Investigation of acoustic wave propagation in different stack components and the transmission behaviour at the interfaces using numerical or analytical methods
  
• Experimental investigation of cell damage caused by redox cycling
  
• Evaluation of measurement data of acoustic emission and electrochemical characterizations
  
• Documentation of the work and the results within the framework of the master`s thesis

Your Profile:

• Ongoing master studies in mechanical engineering, physics, material science or related field
  
• Experience with modelling and simulation is required, preferably with MATLAB
  
• Knowledge of non-destructive testing is a great advantage, especially in structural mechanics and elastic wave in solid materials
  
• Knowledge of fuel cell and/or electrolyser is desirable
  
• Motivated and independent way of working
  
• Good communication and writing skills in German and English

Our Offer:

We work on the very latest issues that impact our society and are offering you the chance to actively help in shaping the change! We support you in your work with:

• An interesting and socially relevant topic for your thesis with future-oriented themes
  
• Ideal conditions for gaining practical experience alongside your studies
  
• An interdisciplinary collaboration on projects in an international, committed and collegial team
  
• Excellent technical equipment and the newest technology
  
• Qualified support through your scientific colleagues
  
• The chance to independently prepare and work on your tasks
  
• Flexible working hours as well as a reasonable remuneration
  
• A large research campus with green spaces, offering the best possible means for networking with colleagues and pursuing sports alongside work
  
• Flexible work (location) arrangements, e.g. remote work
  

We welcome applications from people with diverse backgrounds, e.g. in terms of age, gender, disability, sexual orientation / identity, and social, ethnic and religious origin.

A diverse and inclusive working environment with equal opportunities in which everyone can realize their potential is important to us.

We look forward to receiving your application by 26.10.2022

APPLY NOW

Questions about the offer?

Master Thesis - Hardware-in-the-Loop Demonstrator for Particle Detector Read Out

 Our team is working on integrated circuits for the read out of particle detectors. Our main goal is to serve a wide range of sensor types, which requires highly adjustable electronics with scaling power consumption based on performance. We consider the complete processing chain, including analog front end, digitization stage and digital signal processing. For detailed studies of all components as system, we want to build a demonstration and verification setup that incorporates our custom analog to digital converter (ADC), together with a front end and a Field-Programmable-Gate-Array (FPGA) for the digital content. Specific tasks are:

• Setup of an arbitrary waveform generator as signal generator
  
• Setup of the ADC with control software
  
• Incorporating a FPGA as a hardware-in-the-loop model to be programmed and controlled by Matlab/Simulink
  
• Integrating all stages with our already existent Matlab software and perform measurements to demonstrate the system’s performance

Your Profile:

• Current Master studies at a university for Electrical Engineering, Physics or similar fields
  
• First experience in Matlab/Simulink (MathWorks)
  
• Knowledge of digital circuit description (VHDL/Verilog)
  
• First experience with software-controlled lab equipment
  
• Good English capabilities and preferably good knowledge of German
  

Please apply for the position even if you do not have all the required skills and knowledge.

Our Offer:

We work on the very latest issues that impact our society and are offering you the chance to actively help in shaping the change! We support you in your work with:

• Small, highly motivated working group where your contribution is highly valued
  
• Continuous scientific mentoring by your scientific advisor as well as a close integration in the international research group
  
• Work within one of the largest research centers in Europe
  
• Ideal conditions for gaining practical experience alongside your studies
  
• Excellent scientific and technical infrastructure
  
• The possibility to partially work from home
  
• Flexible working hours as well as a reasonable remuneration
  

The position is fixed for a limited time, including the introduction phase and the time to write your thesis (max. 9 months in total).

We welcome applications from people with diverse backgrounds, e.g. in terms of age, gender, disability, sexual orientation / identity, and social, ethnic and religious origin. A diverse and inclusive working environment with equal opportunities in which everyone can realize their potential is important to us.

We look forward to receiving your application. The job will be advertised until the position has been successfully filled. You should therefore submit your application as soon as possible.

APPLY NOW

Master Thesis - Towards measuring haemodynamic activity and electrophysiology at the patient bedside using simultaneous fNIRS/EEG

 Our group is working on a project on integrated fNIRS/EEG data acquisition in patients with psychiatric disorders. Psychiatry as research has shown that changes in brain networks occur at different levels during short and long term pharmaco- and psycho- therapeutic interventions. These different changes are important to capture and using fNIRS/EEG to capture these brain dynamics can pave the way to understanding psychiatric disorders at a much deeper level. To accomplish this, the proposed study involves a multidisciplinary approach to investigate the feasibility of transferring fMRI-derived outcomes to fNIRS/EEG in a simple resting-state measurement set-up. The outcome of this study will provide a valuable contribution for the optimization of the clinical care for psychiatric patient groups. Master’s students who are pro-active, capable of independent work and have interest in science and research are invited to apply. The project specific task includes:

• fNIRS/EEG data collection along with technicians in the institute
  
• fNIRS and EEG data analysis
  
• Maintaining study specific documentations
  
• Hands-on trainings required for the above tasks will be provided by the principle investigators of the project

Your Profile:

We look forward to master’s students from the fields of Engineering (Biomedical Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering), relevant Sciences (Computational Neuroscience, Medical Physics), or other study programs with specializations in Medical Imaging and/or Signal Processing. Considering the interdisciplinary knowledge and skills required for the position, students are expected to do an internship in the institute before commencing the master thesis.

Qualifications and skills required:

• Basic programming skills (MATLAB or Python)
  
• Basic knowledge in Statistics and Microsoft/open office
  

Additional skills (beneficial, not mandatory):

• Technical and practical knowledge about neuroimaging techniques (fMRI, EEG, fNIRS) and / or signal processing methods / algorithms and multivariate data analysis
  
• Experience with software packages such as FSL, SPM, EEGLAB
  
• Since the position includes close interaction with psychiatric patients’ basic fluency in German language is expected

Our Offer:

We work on the very latest issues that impact our society and are offering you the chance to actively help in shaping the change! We support you in your work with:

• An interesting and socially relevant topic for your thesis with future-oriented themes
  
• Ideal conditions for gaining practical experience alongside your studies
  
• An interdisciplinary collaboration on projects in an international, committed and collegial team
  
• The position will be placed in an international team where team meetings and scientific presentations are routinely held in English. Students are expected to send a report on the project and take part in the students’ meetings and social/ team building activities of INM-4 every month
  
• Excellent technical equipment and the newest technology
  
• Qualified support through your scientific colleagues
  
• The chance to independently prepare and work on your tasks
  
• Flexible working hours as well as a reasonable remuneration
  
• The experiments will be performed primarily in Jülich, and the part of the project involving patients will be in performed at the University Hospital of the RWTH Aachen (distance Jülich-Aachen 35 km). Therefore, students will have access to offices both in Aachen and Jülich and hence will have the flexibility to decide where they would like to work
  

The position is for a fixed term, including the introductory phase and the time for writing the thesis (max. 12 months in total).

We welcome applications from people with diverse backgrounds, e.g. in terms of age, gender, disability, sexual orientation / identity, and social, ethnic and religious origin. A diverse and inclusive working environment with equal opportunities in which everyone can realize their potential is important to us.

We look forward to receiving your application by 31.8.2022

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Master Thesis - Development of a Biohybrid Synapse on Flexible Substrates

 Neural interfaces are electronic devices that interact with the nervous system to capture and control neural activity, aiming in this way to map neural networks, understand the principles behind neurodegenerative diseases, and/or restore sensorimotor functions. One of the main challenges of current neural interfaces is to achieve seamless integration and mimic from a mechanical, electrochemical, and physiological perspective different nervous tissues. To this end, a 6-month master thesis project is proposed for the development of flexible organic neuromorphic devices, mimicking not only synaptic responses and neural plasticity with organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs) but capturing neural activity with microelectrode arrays (MEAs), and integrating such devices into different nervous tissues (e.g.: retina and brain) using tissue-like materials.

Your tasks will include:

• The fabrication and implementation of joint OECTs and MEAs using flexible and organic polymers
  
• The electrical and electrochemical characterization of the biohybrid synapse
  
• The set-up of an experimental data acquisition system for transistors and electrode arrays

Your Profile:

• Bachelor’s degree in biomedical/electrical engineering, biology, physics, or related field
  
• Ability to communicate with scientists and technicians from various disciplines
  
• Well-structured and systematic research approach
  
• Passion for science
  
• Advantageous, yet not mandatory, is knowledge in microfabrication technology
  
• Interest in the field of Bioelectronics and Neuroscience
  

Please feel free to apply for the position even if you do not have all the required skills and knowledge. We may be able to teach you missing skills during your induction.

Our Offer:

We work on the very latest issues that impact our society and are offering you the chance to actively help in shaping the change!
We offer ideal conditions for you to complete your master’s degree:

• A pleasant working environment within a highly motivated and competent working group as well as an international and interdisciplinary team at one of the most prestigious research facilities in Europe
  
• You will be supported by outstanding scientific and technical infrastructure as well as closely scientific mentoring
  
• Flexible working hours as well as a reasonable remuneration
  
• Ideal conditions for gaining practical experience alongside your studies
  
• Excellent technical equipment and the newest technology
  
• The chance to independently prepare and work on your tasks
  

Further information on the project is available at:
https://www.fz-juelich.de/ibi/ibi-3/EN/Research/Neuroelectronics/ImplantableElectronics/_node.html

We welcome applications from people with diverse backgrounds, e.g. in terms of age, gender, disability, sexual orientation / identity, and social, ethnic and religious origin. A diverse and inclusive working environment with equal opportunities in which everyone can realize their potential is important to us.

We look forward to receiving your application. The job will be advertised until the position has been successfully filled. You should therefore submit your application as soon as possible.

APPLY NOW

Master Thesis - Modeling, parameter estimation and model validation of a structure model for porous transport layers

 The focus of this master thesis is the parametrization of a stochastic structure model of a porous transport layer of electrolysers. For validation three dimensional micro-structures of real material are available. Basic models of the micro-structure are available, also tools for transport simulation running on parallel computer clusters. The validation of the basic models shall be supported by phenomenological relationships from literature. Your tasks in detail:

• Literature review on characterization of porous material
  
• Generation of micro-structures, performing transport simulations, and analysis of the results
  
• Identification of relationships between micro-structure and macroscopic characteristics

Your Profile:

• Current master studies with excellent marks in Mathematics, Physics, Engineering or comparable subject
  
• Excellent knowledge in the field modeling and mathematical optimization
  
• Good knowledge of and some experience in a programming language, preferably C++ or Python
  
• Fluency in spoken and written English
  
• Fluency in German is advantageous
  
• Independent, self-motivated and responsible
  
• Excellent cooperation, communication and teamwork abilities

Our Offer:

We work on the very latest issues that impact our society and are offering you the chance to actively help in shaping the change! We support you in your work with:

• Comprehensive training courses and individual opportunities for personal and professional further development
  
• Extensive company health management
  
• Ideal conditions for balancing work and private life, as well as a family-friendly corporate policy
  
• Flexible work (location) arrangements, e.g. remote work
  

We welcome applications from people with diverse backgrounds, e.g. in terms of age, gender, disability, sexual orientation / identity, and social, ethnic and religious origin. A diverse and inclusive working environment with equal opportunities in which everyone can realize their potential is important to us.

We look forward to receiving your application. The job will be advertised until the position has been successfully filled. You should therefore submit your application as soon as possible.

APPLY NOW

Master Thesis - Engineering a Glutamate-Based Artificial Synapse

 Neural interfaces are electronic devices that interact with the nervous system in order to capture and control neural activity, aiming in this way to map neural networks, understand the principles behind neurodegenerative diseases, and/or restore sensorimotor functions. To this end, biomimetic in vitro platforms are being engineered at IBI-3 to investigate and characterize neurodegenerative processes involving synaptic plasticity loss. The 1-year project here proposed will be focused on engineering a glutamatergic artificial synapse exploiting organic electrochemical transistors (OECT) as neuromorphic device. The device will be fabricated by means of electrodeposition and glutamate enzyme will be then immobilized on the surface of the OECT to investigate glutamate detection as well as the neuromorphic response.

Your tasks will include:

• Fabrication of the organic neuromorphic device by means of electrodeposition
  
• Chemical functionalization with glutamate enzyme
  
• Electrical characterization of the functionalized neuromorphic device in presence of glutamate
  
• Communicate with internal and external as well as national and international project partners

Your Profile:

Scientific expertise and soft skills you should have:

• Bachelor Degree in the field of Chemistry, Biomedical Engineering, Material Engineering or a comparable course of study
  
• Ability to communicate with scientists and technicians from various disciplines
  
• Well-structured and systematic research approach
  
• Passion for science
  
• Interest in neuroelectronics, neural interface
  
• Willingness to familiarize yourself with new methods, technologies and environment
  
• Fluent English in writing and speaking
  

Further desirable qualifications:

• Interest in bioelectronics and fabrication technologies
  
• High degree of independence, motivation and reliability/independent and analytical working style
  
• Very reliable and conscientious style of working
  
• Excellent ability to cooperate and work in a team
  

Please feel free to apply for the position even if you do not have all the required skills and knowledge. We may be able to teach you missing skills during your induction.

Our Offer:

We work on the very latest issues that impact our society and are offering you the chance to actively help in shaping the change! We support you in your work with:

• An interesting and socially relevant topic for your thesis with future-oriented themes
  
• Ideal conditions for gaining practical experience alongside your studies
  
• An interdisciplinary collaboration on projects in an international, committed and collegial team
  
• Excellent technical equipment and the newest technology
  
• Qualified support through your scientific colleagues
  
• The chance to independently prepare and work on your tasks
  
• Flexible working hours as well as a reasonable remuneration
  
• A large research campus with green spaces, offering the best possible means for networking with colleagues and pursuing sports alongside work
  

We welcome applications from people with diverse backgrounds, e.g. in terms of age, gender, disability, sexual orientation/identity, and social, ethnic and religious origin. A diverse and inclusive working environment with equal opportunities in which everyone can realize their potential is important to us.

We look forward to receiving your application by 30.8.2022

APPLY NOW