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EngD Position: Design and Manufacturing Process of Smart Damping Components for Aerospace Applications

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EngD Position: Design and Manufacturing Process of Smart Damping Components for Aerospace Applications

Deadline Published Vacancy ID 2122

Academic fields

Engineering

Job types

Research, development, innovation

Education level

University graduate

Weekly hours

40 hours per week

Salary indication

max. €2872 per month

Location

Drienerlolaan 5, 7522NB, Enschede

View on Google Maps

Job description

About the Project

Shock absorbers play a critical role in aerospace systems by protecting structural integrity during launch, flight, and landing. They do this by mitigating extreme forces acting on key components, such as launcher brackets and sensitive payloads. The "SMART DAMPER" project, funded by the European Space Agency (ESA), aims to develop an intelligent damping system by combining the geometric versatility of additive manufacturing (AM) with the adaptive properties of NiTi shape memory alloys (SMAs).

Superelastic NiTi SMAs possess unique characteristics, including the ability to recover their original shape after deformation. This allows them to be reused across multiple loading and unloading cycles. Additive manufacturing, particularly Laser Powder Bed Fusion (L-PBF), enables the direct integration of energy-dissipating features, making it possible to design customizable structures with mechanical properties tailored to specific payload requirements and varying operational conditions.

The project focuses on the design and fabrication of a structural prototype, such as a payload support or structural bracket, that incorporates NiTi SMA lattice structures. This prototype will serve to demonstrate the practical benefits and technological advancements made possible through the integration of AM and SMAs.

Your Role
We are seeking a highly motivated Engineering Doctorate (EngD) candidate to contribute to the development of a systematic framework for the design and manufacturing of a smart damping component. The focus of your research will be on investigating the relationship between damper design, microstructural quality, and the functional performance of 3D-printed dampers for aerospace applications.

The Engineering Doctorate (EngD) is a post-master's program offered by the university. Approximately 50% of the two-year program will be dedicated to this specific assignment, while the remaining time will involve a tailored educational program. This educational component consists of post-master courses and workshops designed to prepare you for the management and execution of this and future design projects. Upon successful completion of the program, you will be awarded the academic title of EngD and registered as a Technological Designer in the Dutch register maintained by the Royal Institution of Engineers in the Netherlands (KIVI).

You will collaborate closely with interdisciplinary experts from various institutions, gaining practical experience in applied research, design methodologies, advanced material characterization, and project management. In addition, you will be expected to contribute to scientific publications and support the dissemination of project outcomes.

Requirements

  • A Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, or a related discipline.
  • Proven experience with metal 3D printing, preferably the L-PBF process.
  • Familiarity with material characterization methods, including microstructural and mechanical property evaluation.
  • Background in modeling and simulation tools, particularly in the design of architected structures for the intended application.
  • Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to engage an international research audience.
  • A proactive mindset, capable of managing multiple tasks and meeting deadlines in a dynamic environment.
  • A collaborative and creative approach to research challenges.

Conditions of employment

  • Full-time 2-year EngD position with a tailor-made post-master design program that has an educational component (50%) as well as a design project (50%).
  • Access to a dynamic, high-quality, and collaborative research environment equipped with state-of-the-art facilities at the forefront of additive manufacturing research.
  • Opportunities for personal and professional growth within the interdisciplinary field of additive manufacturing and smart materials.
  • Excellent working conditions in an exciting scientific environment, set in a green and lively campus.
  • Dedicated mentorship and access to top-notch facilities.
  • Inclusion in a professional and personal development program within Graduate School Twente.
  • A salary of €2.872,- gross per month
  • Holiday allowance of 8% of the gross annual salary and a year-end bonus of 8.3%.
  • Minimum of 29 holidays per year for full-time employment.
  • Full employee status at the University of Twente, including pension and healthcare benefits.

High Tech and Human Touch

Join the university of technology that puts people first. Create new possibilities for yourself, your colleagues and society as a whole. Using modern technology and science to drive innovation, change and progress. That’s what it means to work at the University of Twente.

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