Job Information
- Organisation/Company: COFUND QuanG
- Research Field: Physics
- Researcher Profile: First Stage Researcher (R1)
- Positions: PhD Positions
- Application Deadline: 7 Sep 2026 - 12:00 (Europe/Paris)
- Country: France
- Type of Contract: Temporary
- Job Status: Full-time
- Offer Starting Date: 1 Feb 2027
- Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme?: Horizon Europe – COFUND
Offer Description
General Scope: Quantum vortices, thin defects of the macroscopic quantum order, are the elementary blocks of all superfluid flows. The goal of our project is to investigate them through direct visualization. At Institut Néel, we have developed a one-of-a-kind helium II cryostat capable of “decorating” these vortices with micron-sized solid-dihydrogen particles under controlled and reproducible experimental conditions (See Fig.1). By combining three high-speed cameras with a high-sensitivity, high-resolution camera, we can reconstruct the three-dimensional trajectories of particles trapped on vortex cores. Moreover, the cryostat and its instrumentation are mounted on a rotating platform, enabling the generation of vortex arrays aligned with the rotation axis, a state analogous to an Abrikosov lattice in superconductors. This well-defined canonical state with no counterpart in classical fluids will serve as the initial configuration for this PhD project (see [1], [2] and [3]), which aims to explore dynamical processes that lead to the destruction of the ordered vortex lattice and trigger the onset of quantum turbulence in the rotating frame.
PhD Subject: By hydrodynamically perturbing a steady-state vortex network, we have identified three regimes (see Fig. 2): a first one (A), in which the lattice remains insensitive to the perturbation; a second one (B), in which waves propagate along the quantized vortices; and a third one (C), which is a disordered, turbulent regime. These different regimes define a way toward rotating quantum turbulence. The PhD candidate will carry out a detailed experimental study of the turbulent regime (C). In this regime, particles do not remain continuously trapped on the vortices. However, as shown by previous work [4], the particle velocity statistics retain signatures of vortex–particle interactions. The study will exploit the unique competition between rotation and turbulence in our apparatus: the rotation tends to polarize the vortex tangle and to leave the imprint of this anisotropy in the particle velocity statistics. We will work in close collaboration with theorists to compare state-of-the-art numerical simulations [5] with experimental data.
This project is part of a wider research program supported by the ANR project QuantumVIW, which brings together experts in experimental and theoretical hydrodynamics. The PhD student will engage in regular scientific meetings within the team.
Required Skills:
- Quantum hydrodynamics.
- Instrumentation in fluid mechanics.
- Cryogenics.
- Image analysis.
- Turbulence.
Where to apply
Website: https://phdquantumgrenoble.univ-grenoble-alpes.fr/phd-application/application-form-spring-2026
Requirements
- Research Field: Physics
- Education Level: Master Degree or equivalent
- Research Field: Physics
Additional Information
Eligibility criteria
Applicants must hold a Master’s degree or an equivalent qualification by the application deadline and must not already hold a doctoral degree. Applicants must also comply with the MSCA mobility rule: they must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in France for more than 12 months during the 36 months immediately preceding the application deadline. Applicants must not be current employees of the host laboratory. There are no nationality or age restrictions.
Selection process
Applications must be submitted through the QuanG2 online application platform by 7 September 2026 at 12:00 PM (Paris time). After the application deadline, all applications will first undergo an eligibility check. Eligible applications will then be reviewed during the pre-selection phase, scheduled for mid-October 2026. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to online interviews at the end of October 2026. Candidates selected following this first interview stage will then be invited to in-person interviews in Grenoble in early December 2026, with the final selection taking place after these interviews. All candidates will be informed of the outcome of the selection process following the final stage.
Additional comments
About the QuanG2 PhD Call
This PhD position is offered as part of the QuanG2 PhD Call for Applications, a doctoral programme coordinated by Université Grenoble Alpes and dedicated to training the next generation of researchers in quantum science and technology. The programme offers fully funded three-year PhD positions within the Grenoble quantum research ecosystem, providing doctoral candidates with a high-level international research environment and dedicated funding for their research and training activities.
Website for additional job details: https://phdquantumgrenoble.univ-grenoble-alpes.fr/sites/default/files/Mediatheque/default/PhD%20Topics%20-%20Autumn%202026/13.%20Gibert_%C5%A0van%C4%8Dara_2026.pdf
Work Location(s)
- Number of offers available: 1
- Company/Institute: NEEL INSTITUTE
- Country: France
Contact
- City: GRENOBLE
- Website: https://phdquantumgrenoble.univ-grenoble-alpes.fr
- Street: 621 avenue centrale
- Postal Code: 38400
- E-Mail: quantum-grenoble-phd@listes.grenoble.cnrs.fr
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