Two-year Postdoctoral position on the study of physical and thermal properties of materials for applications in nuclear fission and fusion environments (Funded by Amidex)

This post-doctoral position will be realized within the framework of the Physical-chemical Properties Prediction For Fusion & Fission Facilities (3P-3F) project funded by A*MIDEX. The main objective of the 3P-3F project is to characterize thermal and radiative properties of materials before and after their use under extreme conditions, either in nuclear installations (fission and fusion) or on a high flux test facility, or after controlled modification in the laboratory. Extensive characterization will be performed, with structural, microscopic and chemical analysis, to explain the evolution of properties in order to better predict them, propose in-situ estimation, and optimize sensor/microsensor responses. This interdisciplinary approach is essential to understand the changes of thermal/radiative properties by correlating them with the evolution of chemical and structural properties. The research project of the post-doctoral fellow will focus on the measurement of the nuclear heating rate by means of calorimetry. The nuclear heating rate is a key parameter before carrying out in-pile experiments on materials or nuclear fuels, in order to design the associated irradiation set-ups in terms of thermal, thermo-hydraulics, and thermal-mechanical aspects and also during experiments for the interpretation of phenomena and safety aspects. Research work between AMU/IM2NP and the CEA/IRESNE within the framework of the LIMMEX and the French program of the Jules Horowitz Reactor began at the end of 2009 on calorimeters and led to important advances and internationally recognized expertise. As transmutation/activation and damage (nuclear, thermal) can affect the properties of the material of the sensors during the irradiation campaign, the quantification of the properties before and after the nuclear irradiation is crucial to design innovative calorimetric microsensors. Therefore, the main activities for the fission application of the post-doctoral fellow will be related to the:

• Participation in the preparation of a specific irradiation campaign in nuclear research reactor (TRIGA, MTR)
• Pre-Characterization: Determination of thermal properties of calorimeter elements versus the temperature and the associated calibration curve
• Post Mortem Characterization: Determination of the calibration curve of the calorimeter after nuclear irradiation, estimation of the thermal properties thanks to inverse method and the material of bulk elements of the calorimeter have to be measured (once activation is sufficiently low) in terms of thermal properties and structure to identify lacunes and defaults in the material explaining the thermal properties variations
• Thermal and electrical characterization of thin deposits associated to calorimetric sensors: Mounting of an experimental bench « Front face Flash » allowing the estimation of the thermal properties of micrometric layers and the thermal contact resistance and a 4-probe station including a hot plate for the electrical characterizations versus temperature
• Study of the impact of the thermal properties on the metrological performances of the calorimeters
• Set up a new test bench equipped with an infrared camera to characterize specific components of calorimeters and study them in terms of emissivity, temperature fields, and homogeneity or dissymmetry
• Analysis and interpretation of previous results obtained with calorimetric sensors, using 3-D simulations and 1-D calculations

TYPE OF CONTRACT: TEMPORARY JOB STATUS: FULL TIME HOURS PER WEEK: 39:10 APPLICATION DEADLINE: 31/10/2025 23:59 ENVISAGED STARTING DATE: 01/12/2025 ENVISAGED DURATION: 24 months

WORK LOCATION(S): IM2NP Lab, Campus St Jérôme, 52 Av. Escadrille Normandie Niemen13013 Marseille (75%) IUSTI Lab 7343, Technopôle de Château-Gombert, 5 rue Enrico Fermi, 13013 Marseille (25%)

QUALIFICATIONS, REQUIRED RESEARCH FIELDS, REQUIRED EDUCATION LEVEL, PROFESSIONAL SKILLS, OTHER RESEARCH REQUIREMENTS: Academic Level: PhD in Instrumentation, Physics, Material Science, Nuclear Engineering, Thermal, and Energetic Strong skills in Instrumentation, Metrology, Ability to set up instrumental developments, Experience in thermal properties measurement, Background on nuclear environments (fission and fusion), Skills in data acquisition and analysis Soft skills: Teamwork, Autonomy

REQUESTED DOCUMENTS OF APPLICATION, ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA, SELECTION PROCESS: CV, motivation letter HOW TO APPLY: adrien.volte@univ-amu.fr