PhD position - very low clinker cements comprising local calcined clays

The PhD candidate will be coached by prof. Ruben Snellings and will be part of the Applied Mineralogy research group of the Division of Geology at the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences and the Department of Materials Engineering at the KU Leuven.

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Project

The PhD position will take place in an internationally reputed scientific environment with a competitive 48 month full-time grant. The position implies the following responsibilities and tasks:

• Conduct the PhD research in accordance with the KU Leuven objectives and work description within the multipartner project “CLEI” - addressing the hydration of very low clinker cements comprising local calcined clays ;
• Participate actively in the Applied Mineralogy group by attending group meetings and taking part in group activities and shared responsibilities;
• Follow the programme of doctoral training according to the rules of the KU Leuven Arenberg Doctoral School (through journal publications, conference participation, and coursework);
• Supervise MSc and BSc dissertations related to your research;
• Give limited support to the BSc or MSc education.

Profile

The candidate holds or will obtain in the near future a MSc in Geoscience; MSc in Engineering: Materials Engineering, Civil Engineering; or equivalent, preferably with background in construction materials. We are looking for a candidate with very good study results and a strong quantitative background, familiar with material characterisation and modelling techniques. The candidate is communicative and proficient in written and spoken English (complying to the KU Leuven language requirements, see: https://set.kuleuven.be/phd/applicants/languagerequirements).

Offer

The successful applicant will receive a full-time scholarship for four years to do research to obtain a PhD-degree in Science.

• You will work mainly in the Division Geology and collaborate with the Materials and Civil Engineering departments on the campus Arenberg of KU Leuven.
• You will receive training from the Arenberg Doctoral School at the University of Leuven, one of the top European Universities, providing an excellent research environment. 
• You will have access to state-of-the-art technologies, core facilities and technical support.
• You will be given the opportunity to acquire transferable skills and receive personalized mentoring.
• You will also have the opportunity to participate in local and international conferences and thus expand your scientific network.
• Funding is available but the successful candidate will be encouraged to also apply for additional fellowships.
• The position is available immediately.

Interested?

For more information please contact Prof. dr. Ruben Snellings, mail: ruben.snellings@kuleuven.be.

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