Postdoctoral Researcher, Material Acceleration Platform for: Powders, Powder Metallurgy & Additive Manufacturing

Are you interested in material development for new powder metallurgical and additive manufacturing applications and looking for a postdoctoral opportunity in the field? VTT might be just the place for you.   

If you are an international talent searching for a new opportunity, read more about the benefits of living in Finland and VTT’s support for relocation here!  
VTT is one of the leading applied research organisations in Europe. What unites us are curiosity, a passion for learning and a purpose: to solve the biggest challenges of our time and turn them into sustainable growth and well-being. Our cross-disciplinary community of over 2300 brilliant minds from almost 60 different nationalities is focused on creating impact through science-based innovation. Get to know us further by exploring VTT's tech & infra.  

We are now looking for a Postdoctoral Researcher to join our Sustainable materials design team for a fixed-term three-year contract starting in January 2025!  

VTT started a Postdoc programme in 2023 to develop new ways to support scientific excellence and to strengthen career paths from universities to VTT. We want to provide development opportunities for recent university PhDs in applied research and industry collaboration. As a Postdoctoral Researcher at VTT, you are able to make an impact on our customers and society. Our researchers work closely together with industry, often in interdisciplinary research groups. VTT has excellent research infrastructure and internal services to support your research work.  

We are now recruiting four Postdoctoral Researchers in the Knowledge Driven Design research area to boost the concept of a Materials Acceleration Platform (MAP).  

The MAP concept is a next era of materials science beyond on integrated computational materials engineering. It comprises set of highly automated building blocks merging experimental and modeling capabilities. It utilizes quantum computing, and application of data analytics and AI for the generation of new information and knowledge of materials.  

In this Postdoctoral Researcher position, you will have an essential role in the development of new streamlined and automated material processing and characterization workflows including both actual physical steps and data analysis. The position is highly integrated to the other hired postdocs for the MAP theme. This position is located in Tampere.  

Our team focuses on the development of materials and solutions that enable resource savings and higher operation performance for the entire life cycle. We specialize in powder-based materials and manufacturing technologies such as powder metallurgy and additive manufacturing. The three themes form the backbone of our projects:   

• Resource sufficiency via substitution strategic and critical raw materials, and solution for long-life cycle.  
• Energy efficiency via minimizing wear, friction, and power losses during operation and manufacturing.   
• Material and manufacturing solutions to support rising technologies such as electrification, hydrogen economy and additive manufacturing.   

See more about our research on YouTube VTT PowderPiloting  

Your responsibilities as a Postdoctoral Researcher:   

• As a member of the MAP core group, advancing development of Materials Acceleration Platform on the fields of powder metallurgy and additive manufacturing in specified projects.   
• Building up new blocks for MAP such as streamlined processing, characterization steps and/or automated data processing.  
• Help us on deepening our knowledge about new possibilities of processing and characterization technologies, such as high temperature x-ray diffraction combined with other thermal analyses.  
• Participating actively in dissemination with journal publications and conference presentations.  
• Preparing projects and writing project proposals in cooperation with the research team and MAP project core group.  

Who we are looking for:  

• You have recently (max 5 years ago) gained your doctoral degree in materials science or physics, preferentially connected to metals or ceramics (candidates graduating within few months can be accepted).  
• You have experience in hand-on working at laboratory as well as proven track record about planning and reporting of research tasks.  
• You have hands on experience at least some of the following processing and characterization methods: 
  • Casting, Gas atomization, laser based additive manufacturing, sintering  
  • Thermal Analysis, X-ray diffraction, Microscopy, Dilatometry, Magnetic measurements, Powder analyses.  
• Basic knowhow of materials modelling tools such as CALPHAD, FEM, DFT is advantageous  
• You have capability to make basic mechanical designs, basic knowledge about practical mechatronics is advantage.  
• You have good understanding about data analysis and programming such as Python or Matlab.  
• You have excellent communication skills in English, both written and spoken.  

As a person, we hope that you are:  

• You have ambitions for development of methods to speed up materials development and manufacturing solutions to support emerging technologies such as electrification, alternative fuels like hydrogen etc.   
• You are curious to find new solutions for the problems as well as new ways of working, especially willingness to find ways how to combine experiments and modelling effective way. You are willing to work both hands-on in the laboratory and on a desktop with a computer.  
• You can work in a flexible and independent manner and collaborating with colleagues across different application areas.  
• Most importantly, you are well motivated for the learning of new methods and willing to take new challenges and responsibilities in the rapidly evolving field of materials engineering.  

With VTT, you’ll enjoy:   

• Science with an impact. At VTT, we seek to solve large societal challenges and drive a sustainable future through applied research and innovation. With us, you’ll get to work on research projects that make a concrete, positive impact in the world. Read more about our strategy, the path of exponential hope, and our organisational culture as the builder of the world's most meaningful place to work.  
• Support for your postdoc research. During your postdoctoral term, we offer training in project management, scientific writing, communication, and commercialisation. You’ll have the opportunity collaborate with industry on projects, access our research infrastructure and internal support services, explore interdisciplinary research, and secure funding for your postdoc term. At VTT, you’ll enjoy flexibility and independence in your work, with a blend of academic research and engaging customer projects for an exciting career path.  
• Open culture of innovation. We have 80 years of experience in science-based innovation, a strong international reputation and global networks. We work truly across disciplines, and house all the cutting-edge sciences from quantum computing to synthetic biology under one roof. At VTT, you’ll join a community of over 2200 multidisciplinary experts who foster a culture of trust, openness and sharing knowledge. Collaborating with amazing colleagues is a source of learning, inspiration, and fun.  
• Nordic work-life balance. Working in Finland, the happiest country in the world, enables a great quality of life. At VTT, we make our people’s well-being a strategic priority. On top of 6 weeks of paid holidays annually (after one year of work), our benefits include extended occupational healthcare, and a range well-being services, such as exercise and culture benefits and hobby clubs. Read more about the benefits of living in Finland and VTT’s support for relocation.  

Apply now and join our community of brilliant minds!  

Please send your CV and application via our recruitment system as soon as possible but at the latest by 30 September 2024. We will process applications as they come in, and fill in the position as soon as we find the right candidate. A security clearance procedure may be conducted during the recruitment process.  

Interested and want to hear more?  

For further information, please contact Research Team Leader Tomi Lindroos, tomi.lindroos@vtt.fi, +358 50 3020227.   

We look forward to hearing from you!  

This postdoc position is part of Postdoctoral Programme for Research Institutes. The Programme has been granted 40 million euros in funding based on the Finnish government's multi-annual research and development (R&D) funding plan. This funding enables recruitment of 85 PhD-level experts to 12 Finnish government research institutes between 2025 and 2028. The aim of the Programme is to strengthen RDI competence in areas important to society and business. Postdoctoral researcher will conduct goal-oriented high-level research at the interface between the academic community, industry and administration. The Programme supports postdoctoral researcher’s networking and mobility between sectors.

Apply between 9 September 2024 and 30 September 2024 23:59 (Europe/Helsinki)

Employment type: Full-time, three-year PostDoctoral contract starting in January 2025