Mechanical Properties of Materials for Fusion Power Plants
Combined Modelling and Experimental Project
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Mechanical Properties of Materials for Fusion Power PlantsCombined Modelling and Experimental Project |
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Location: Oxford University Materials Department
Post type: Postdoctoral researcher
Duration: Up to 3 years, starting October 2004
Funding: Funded by UKAEA Culham Laboratory
Area: Experimental studies of brittle-ductile transitions in bcc metals
Supervisor: Steve Roberts
Salary range: Research Staff Grade RAIA: £18,893to £28,279
Post reference: DJ04/006
Application deadline: Post now filled
Application procedure: Applications now closed
Materials for fusion power plants provide one of the major structural materials challenges of the next 20 years.
So far, relatively little demand has been made on the properties of the materials used for JET and other prototype reactors, since they had only to contain an operating plasma for very short times. In the next stage of development of fusion reactors (ITER) and particularly in fusion power plants, materials issues will be crucial to success. The first wall will operate at temperatures up to 600ºC, will need to withstand stresses up to 300MPa, and will accumulate over its lifetime radiation damage from fast neutrons amounting to ~100dpa. It is essential that any material used here maintains adequate strength and toughness, while suffering minimal dimensional change through swelling and creep.
Materials currently proposed for this application include ferritic-martensitic steels based on iron ~9% chromium (RAFM steels), vanadium alloys and tungsten. The overall research programme is aimed at thorough understanding of the flow and fracture behaviour of bcc metals (vanadium, tungsten, iron), and iron-chromium binaries up to 12% Cr (these form the basis of the RAFM steels). Materials will be studied both in their 'normal' and post-irradiated states. The approach used is to combine a multi-scale modelling project with an experimental programme. The modelling project will combine ab initio modelling, potential development, molecular dynamics, kinetic Monte-Carlo methods and dislocation dynamics. The experiments will yield data to inform the modelling of radiation damage, plastic flow and fracture and will test the predictions made by the models. The project will start in October 2004, and is based at Oxford University, Cambridge University, Edinburgh University, Liverpool University and Queen's University Belfast.
For informal discussion of the project contact: Steve Roberts
This project will investigate brittle-ductile transitions in single crystal and polycrystals of V, Fe and Fe-Cr binaries. (In the later stages of the project, some initial studies on 'model' Fe-Cr based steels may be carried out.) Precracked 4-point bend specimens will be prepared from the test materials, and fracture behaviour studied as a function of temperature and strain rate. In the binary Fe-Cr alloys, the role of Cr content will be studied. Plastic flow behaviour, particularly near to the crack tip, will be examined by etching, AFM, SEM and possibly TEM. The effects of radiation damage on mechanical properties will be investigated by nanoindentation methods. The researcher appointed will work closely with graduate students (some of whom will focus on particular aspects of the workplan), and with researchers at Oxford performing parallel modelling and experimental studies.
Candidates will be judged on the basis of the following criteria, and should try to ensure that their application shows how they meet the criteria.
The Department is an exciting and vibrant place to work. According to the most recent survey by the Times newspaper, the Department is ranked the highest of all departments of Materials in the UK. The key staff currently include nine Professors, of whom four are Fellows of the Royal Society and two are Fellows of the Royal Academy of Engineering, eight Readers and five Lecturers. There are five Senior Research Fellows funded by the University, six full-time Royal Society Research Fellows, three EPSRC Advanced Research Fellows, 49 Research Fellows, 27 visiting scientists of whom three are Visiting Professors, 85 research students, 95 undergraduates, 18 technicians and 16 administrative and clerical staff.
The Department has extensive laboratory space and supporting facilities spread in two main sites. The central main site within the Oxford Science Area, Parks Road, has seven buildings. The second site is the Oxford University Begbroke Science Park, located five miles north of Oxford.
Teaching: The teaching quality of the Department has been recently rated as 'excellent' (QAA score of 23 out of 24) following Government assessment. We are involved in the teaching of three four-year undergraduate courses, two of which are joint degrees with other departments. The joint intake for these courses is around 25 per annum. Around 25 graduates are accepted each year to study for higher degrees.
Research: The Department has an outstanding record for world class research. It received the highest possible grade (5*) in the most recent Government Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) which evaluated the standard of research in University departments. Annual research funding in the Department is approximately £7million, of which about half comes from industry, and the remainder from EPSRC, DTI, EU and charities.
Further information on the Department may be found on the web-site: http://www.materials.ox.ac.uk.
The current salary range for Academic-Related Research Staff Grade RAIA is from £18,893 to £28,279 and the person appointed will progress by annual increments from a starting point, to be determined by qualifications and experience, to the maximum of the scale. There is a further discretionary non-incremental salary range to £34,838, progression to which may be permitted in cases of exceptional performance; salaries are adjusted periodically on the basis of national salary settlements for university academic and related staff.
The appointment will be subject to an initial probationary period. Midway through the probationary period there will be a review of performance. The appointment may then be confirmed or reviewed again in the remainder of the probationary period.
The age of retirement for University appointments is 65. Almost all staff are eligible to join either the Universities Superannuation Scheme or the Oxford Staff Pension Scheme, both of which are contributory schemes. Subject to the Statement of Pensions Policy which will be issued to the successful candidate, the appointee will be deemed to be in membership of the relevant pension scheme until such time as he or she gives notice in writing to exercise the right not to be a member of the scheme.
The appointee will be entitled to 38 days annual leave which will include eight public holidays. The actual distribution of annual holidays, excluding the public holidays, is subject to agreement but normally comprises periods during the summer vacation, and five days at Christmas and five days at Easter. Holiday entitlement is to be taken within the contract period, in the case of fixed-term appointments.
The University is developing arrangements intended to extend the options available to its employees for more flexible working. The Department of Materials is participating in a 'work-life balance pilot study' covering, for example, options to work reduced working hours and to take additional unpaid leave in ways compatible with the Department's operational needs. The range of possibilities is too wide to be described here, but details of the scheme are available on request.
Applicants will be asked to complete a brief and straightforward medical questionnaire, acceptance of which, by the University Occupational Health Physician, is required prior to appointment.
The University has generous maternity and paternity leave schemes, details of which are available from the Administrator. The University Childcare Officer is also able to provide information about other childcare facilities in the local area (see www.admin.ox.ac.uk/eop/child).
Applications should quote the post reference number DJ04/006 and should include:
They should be sent to:
Address:
Mrs K Fewings,
Department of Materials,
University of Oxford,
Parks Road,
Oxford,
OX1 3PH
Tel: 01865 273680
Email: posts@materials.ox.ac.uk
Applications for this post should arrive no later than August 13th 2004. Interviews are planned for the week beginning 30th August.
Please state clearly whether or not you would require a work permit to take up this post. Failure to provide this information may cause your application to be rejected.
The University will assume that it is free to approach referees at any stage unless the candidate's application stipulates otherwise. Candidates who wish a referee or referees to be approached only with their specific permission and/or if they are being called for interview on the final short list or are in receipt of a conditional offer, are asked to state such requirements explicitly alongside the details of the relevant referee(s). If at all possible, please avoid nominating referees who cannot be approached.
It is essential that one of the references should be from a formal line manager or supervisor from the current or most recent employer, wherever possible. If a first job application, a teacher or course tutor would be appropriate. Normally the second reference should also be from a manager at a different level who is familiar with your work or from a different employer. Where an applicant has insufficient work references available, then a reference from a person of good standing in the community, or who has had a reasonable period of knowledge and professional interaction with the applicant, may be acceptable in some circumstances. This should be clearly stated.
Prior to an offer of employment being made in the case of candidates internal to the University, a reference will be sought from the Head of Department or administrator of the previous employing department, even where the head or administrator has not been cited as a referee.
The interview panel is expected to comprise Dr S G Roberts, Principal Investigator and Reader in the Department of Materials, Dr Angus Wilkinson, Royal Society University Research Fellow and Dr L J F Jones, Deputy Administrator (Academic). Further details of the form of the interview will be provided to shortlisted candidates.
The policy and practice of the University of Oxford require that entry into employment with the University and progression within employment will be determined only by personal merit and the application criteria which are related to the duties of each particular post and the relevant salary structure. Subject to statutory provisions, no applicant or member of staff will be treated less favourably than another because of his or her sex, marital status, racial group, or disability. In all cases, ability to perform the job will be the primary consideration.
The University seeks to ensure that all candidates for employment are treated fairly, and that selection is based solely on the individual merits of candidates and on selection criteria relevant to the post. In pursuance of this aim and of its statutory duties, the University of Oxford is an employer committed to the principle of equality of opportunity.