MSCA PhD vacancy TURBO-IMPACT (DC9) "High precision and crack free fs laser material removal for high performance materials"

About the position

MSCA PhD vacancy TURBO-IMPACT (DC9) "High precision and crack free fs laser material removal for high performance materials"

Research Field: Engineering » Precision engineering

Researcher Profile: First Stage Researcher (R1)

Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme?: Horizon Europe - MSCA

Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure?: No

KU Leuven seeks a highly motivated PhD candidate for a fully funded international doctoral position within the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Doctoral Networks (MSCA-DN) project TURBO-IMPACT ( TURBOmachinery Innovative Manufacturing, Processing, Analysis, Characterization, and Topology; Website: https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101311350 ).

The TURBO-IMPACT project, funded by Horizon Europe – MSCA-DN, tackles challenges in designing, optimizing, selecting materials, and manufacturing small-scale turbomachinery for applications in heat pumps, fuel cells, organic Rankine cycles, or gas turbines.

This project develops robust system and component design methods, an integrated manufacturing platform, and multi-material joining techniques to efficiently produce small-scale turbomachinery.

In this large EU project, this PhD researcher (DC9) will work at KU Leuven and focus on improving laser machining of ceramic materials for the fabrication of advanced surface features.

These developments will contribute to the project's broader objective of developing 3D laser processing strategies for aerodynamic bearings with enhanced tribological performance.

Leverage and extend KU Leuven’s state-of-the-art ultrashort-pulse laser micromachining facilities to develop crack-free laser texturing strategies for ceramic materials.

Develop high-precision laser texturing approaches for complex 3D ceramic components.

Study the relationship between laser-generated surface textures and the performance of bonded ceramic-ceramic and ceramic-metal interfaces.

The research is supervised by Prof.

Sylvie Castagne ( www.kuleuven.be/wieiswie/en/person/00114469 ), head of the Laser Manufacturing Group ( www.mech.kuleuven.be/en/research/Femto ).

You are not in possession of a doctoral degree at the date of recruitment.

During your studies or prior professional activities, you have gathered some experience related to the basic physical principles of laser material processing and/or to the fundamental principles of manufacturing and mechanical behaviour of materials or you have a profound interest in these topics.

Special requirements:

At the time of recruitment, candidates must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the hiring country for more than 12 months during the 36 months immediately preceding recruitment.

Recruitment will be carried out and monitored in full accordance with the principles of the European Charter for Researchers, the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers, and the Doctoral Network mobility rules.

Research Field: Technology

Years of Research Experience: None

What you’ll bring

• You have a master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing or Materials Engineering, Photonics, Physics or related field with strong interest in technology, and performed above average in comparison to your peers.
• During your studies or prior professional activities, you have gathered some experience related to the basic physical principles of laser material processing and/or to the fundamental principles of manufacturing and mechanical behaviour of materials or you have a profound interest in these topics.
• Ideally you have experience with either COMSOL, ANSYS or another CAE simulation software.
• Applicants must be doctoral candidates (i.e., not already hold a doctoral degree) and be eligible under the MSCA Doctoral Network rules at the time of recruitment.
• Applicants must have a two-year master's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing or Materials Engineering, Photonics, Physics or a similar degree with an academic level equivalent to a two-year master's degree.
• full list of credits and grades of both BSc and MSc degrees (as well as their transcription to English if possible) – mandatory (if you have not finished your degree yet, just provide us with the partial list of already available credits and grades)
• an English version of your MSc thesis, or of a recent publication or assignment – if available
• Eligibility criteria
• Research Field: Technology
• Education Level: Master Degree or equivalent
• Research Field: Physics
• Research Field: Engineering
• Languages: ENGLISH
• Level: Excellent
• Research Field: Engineering » Precision engineering
• Years of Research Experience: None

At a glance

Position type

PhD

Institution

KU Leuven

Department

Mechanical Engineering

Research group

Not stated

Location

Leuven, Belgium, BE

Supervisor / contact person

Prof. Sylvie Castagne

Funding

Fully funded
Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme?: Horizon Europe - MSCA
KU Leuven seeks a highly motivated PhD candidate for a fully funded international doctoral position within the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Doctoral Networks (MSCA-DN) project TURBO-IMPACT ( TURBOmachinery Innovative Manufacturing, Processing, Analysis, Characterization, and Topology; Website: https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101311350 ).
The TURBO-IMPACT project, funded by Horizon Europe – MSCA-DN, tackles challenges in designing, optimizing, selecting materials, and manufacturing small-scale turbomachinery for applications in heat pumps, fuel cells, organic Rankine cycles, or gas turbines.
Salary and appointment terms:
Doctoral Candidates will benefit from a competitive salary, paid leave (in accordance with institutional regulations), and access to national social security schemes.
Salary and appointment terms:
Doctoral Candidates will benefit from a competitive salary, paid leave (in accordance with institutional regulations), and access to national social security schemes.

Duration

Not stated

Expected start

Not stated

Vacancy reference

EURAXESS-467594

Research focus

Discipline

Materials Science, Physics, Mechanical Engineering

Research area

Ceramics, Surfaces & interfaces

Methods

Not stated

Software

COMSOL, ANSYS

Dates to know

Listed on FOSS Positions

28 Sep 2026

Original advertisement date

Not stated in the source

Application deadline

30 Nov 2026 · 23:59 UTC

Priority review date

Not stated

Last checked

28 Sep 2026

Last updated

28 Sep 2026

2026-11-30T23:59:00+00:00

How to apply

Application Deadline: 30 Nov 2026 - 23:59 (UTC)
Please note that this position is part of a consortium involving several partner universities. By submitting your application, you consent to your personal data, CV and motivation letter being shared with and accessible to the relevant members of the consortium for the purposes of the recruitment and selection process.
Follow the KU Leuven job application tool and enclose:
Where to apply
Please note that this position is part of a consortium involving several partner universities. By submitting your application, you consent to your personal data, CV and motivation letter being shared with and accessible to the relevant members of the consortium for the purposes of the recruitment and selection process.
Follow the KU Leuven job application tool and enclose:
Apply now

https://www.kuleuven.be/personeel/jobsite/jobs/60759098?hl=en

Contact: sylvie.castagne@kuleuven.be

Original sources

https://euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs/467594 ↗

https://www.kuleuven.be/personeel/jobsite/jobs/60759098?hl=en ↗