Research or Senior Scientist, Fusion reactor materials

Are you interested in experimental materials research, and looking for a new job opportunity in the field? Are you enthusiastic about participating in projects with scientific impact? VTT might be just the place for you.

VTT is one of the leading applied research organisations in Europe. What unites us are curiosity, a passion for learning, and a purpose: to solve the biggest challenges of our time and turn them into sustainable growth and well-being. Our cross-disciplinary community of over 2000 brilliant minds from almost 60 different nationalities is focused on creating impact through science-based innovation. Get to know us further by exploring VTT’s research infra at VTT World. 

We are now looking for a Research Scientist to join our Fatigue and Fracture Mechanics team.

As a Research Scientist, your key goal is to create impact to society and our customers through scientific excellence. In this position, you will have an essential role in carrying out strategically aligned project work involving experimental research on fusion materials. Your role may be as an expert, project manager or both.

Our team, Fatigue and Fracture Mechanics works on a range of topics related to structural integrity and ageing phenomena of metals across a range of industries targeting low carbon solutions, in particular the materials utilized in nuclear power plants. We create impact through reliable high quality experimental research conducted to thoroughly understand and quantify the mechanical behaviour of materials in demanding applications and environments. Our materials research laboratories are located in Otaniemi in Espoo. They include modern facilities for safely testing neutron irradiated materials in the radiological laboratory of the VTT Centre for Nuclear Safety, and another laboratory for other industrial sectors more broadly. The latter will move to a totally new materials research laboratory currently under construction on the same campus.

See more about our research: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJK4GEfgKvg

Your responsibilities as a Research Scientist:

• Participating in project preparation and planning your own research work as a subject matter expert.
• Developing, producing, and characterising novel structural, functional, or wall materials for fusion applications and assessing their response to intense heat and radiation loads.
• Reporting progress and results to stakeholder groups, including external customers.
• Acting as a project manager in research or customer projects.
• Guiding, developing and supervising experimental research with laboratory personnel. One particular focus area is small punch testing of irradiated materials.
• Additional responsibilities can be tailored based on the applicant’s background.

Who we are looking for:

• You have a university degree (Master’s or PhD) in mechanical engineering, materials engineering or similar.
• You are familiar with the mechanical behaviour of materials and strength of materials.
• You have previous working experience in R&D oriented or engineering projects.
• You have English communication skills for at least professional working.

It is beneficial, but not mandatory, if you also have:

• Practical laboratory experience with (small-scale) mechanical testing techniques.
• Understanding of surface analyses including electron microscopy and ion-beam analyses (e.g., secondary ion mass spectrometry).
• Project management experience.
• Communication skills in Finnish.

As a person, we hope that you are:

• Curious to learn and develop new skills through creative problem-solving.
• Capable of both individual and teamwork, including leading project teams.
• Willing to work in a multidisciplinary organization.
• Prepared also for practical laboratory work with strict quality and safety standards. Your duties may involve work with pressure equipment or remote-handling of radioactive material samples using specialized Hot Cell facilities.
  • Read more about VTT’s Hot Cell laboratory: https://www.vttresearch.com/en/ourservices/vtt-centre-nuclear-safety#hot-cell
  • Watch a video about Hot Cells: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJK4GEfgKvg

What we offer you:

• Visionary work in technology. We offer positions at the cutting edge of technology and engineering from next-generation microelectronics and quantum technology to automation and robotics, energy systems, and more. Our research agenda is dedicated to creating sustainable growth by solving systemic and technological challenges, so your work will go towards creating a real, positive impact. Read more about our strategy – the path of exponential hope.
• Fascinating projects, excellent research environment. Our researchers get to work on a combination of cutting-edge academic research and applied customer projects, both locally and internationally. In our team, you will have state-of-the-art research facilities at your disposal in the Centre for Nuclear Safety laboratory, and work with topics at the forefront of carbon-free energy production technologies.  
• Great career opportunities, and superb colleagues. At VTT, excellence in research is a strategic priority. We offer long-term positions and stable career paths in top-level research. People tend to stay with us for over 10 years since there are always new roles and responsibilities to grow into. Collaborating in a cross-disciplinary community with superb colleagues is a source of learning, inspiration, and fun.
• Support for your well-being. Our people are our main asset, so we take good care of them. We aim to nurture great team spirit and leadership and offer versatile well-being services to enable a good work-life balance. On top of 6 weeks of paid holidays annually (after one year of work), we offer exercise and culture benefits, hobby clubs, and voluntary well-being services such as meditation programs and training on cognitive ergonomics.

Apply now and join our community of brilliant minds!

Please send your CV and application with your salary request via our recruitment system as soon as possible but at the latest by 13 October 2024. We will process applications as they come in, and fill in the position as soon as we find the right candidate. A security clearance procedure will be conducted for the person selected for the role.

Interested and want to know more?

For further information, please contact Research Team Leader Tommi Seppänen, tommi.seppanen@vtt.fi, +358 40 130 4618 on 27 September at 13–14 or 4 October at 11–12 (Finnish time UCT+3).

We look forward to hearing from you!

Apply between 23 September 2024 and 13 October 2024 23:59 (Europe/Helsinki)

Employment type: Full-time, Permanent

VTT

VTT is a visionary research, development and innovation partner. We drive sustainable growth and tackle the biggest global challenges of our time and turn them into growth opportunities. We go beyond the obvious to help the society and companies to grow through technological innovations. We have 80 years of experience of top-level research and science-based results. VTT is at the sweet spot where innovation and business come together.

VTT – beyond the obvious.

Please see our other open positions and read more about us from our career pages.