项目介绍

2026年6月11日

Do you want to develop a high-flux hydrogen source to enable accelerated material lifetime testing within an industry collaboration? We offer a challenging 2-year postdoctoral position in the XUV Optics group at the University of Twente, where you will develop and optimize a lab-based high flux hydrogen illumination source. The project combines surface science, plasma sources, advanced metrology, and deposition techniques, in close collaboration with industry

Hydrogen plasma environments are becoming critical to several high-impact technologies, including fusion energy, plasma catalysis, and EUV lithography. In all of these fields, systems are being driven towards higher plasma powers, leading to more severe plasma-surface interactions and accelerated material degradation. Despite this growing need, current laboratory test facilities cannot yet reproduce hydrogen plasma exposure conditions at the intensity and timescales required for accelerated lifetime testing. Combining the concepts of different plasma sources should allow developing sources that expose samples to high flux of 10^16 ions/(cm2s) while maintaining the ion energy below 10 eV, exceeding flux of the current state-of-the-art ECR plasma sources. This innovation will enable lab-scale measurements of lifetime testing for plasma facing surfaces, while maintaining their corresponding degradation mechanisms.

In this postdoctoral project, you will work with different hydrogen plasma sources and develop analysis routines to characterize the flux and energy to verify the properties of the high flux hydrogen illumination source. You will quantify the enhancement, demonstrate the performance in samples relevant to applications, and identify the influence factors that allow to tune the source.

You will work in the XUV Optics group at the University of Twente, embedded in the MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology. The project offers a combination of hands-on experimental work, data analysis, physical interpretation and close interaction with industrial partners. You will contribute to a scientifically challenging and industrially relevant topic.

Your profile

• You have a PhD degree in materials science, applied physics, physical chemistry, nanotechnology, mechanical engineering, or a related field.
• You enjoy hands-on experimental work and are able to work accurately with advanced laboratory equipment. Experience with building, maintaining, or upgrading vacuum systems is a big plus.
• You have advantage if you have experience with one or more of the following experimental research topics: surfaces, interfaces, thin films, hydrogen plasma, magnetron sputtering, plasma sources, plasma characterization.
• You have a creative mindset, work independently, and are motivated to address a challenging scientific problem with industrial relevance.
• You have a good team spirit and enjoy working in an interdisciplinary environment with academic and industrial partners.
• You are proficient in English and able to communicate your results clearly in meetings, reports, and scientific publications.

Our offer

• You will be appointed for a period of maximum 2 years full-time within a very stimulating scientific environment. The university offers a dynamic ecosystem with enthusiastic colleagues.
• Your salary and associated conditions are in accordance with the collective labour agreement for Dutch universities (CAO-NU);
• Gross salary between € 4.241,- and € 5.538,- per month depending on experience and qualifications;
• Excellent benefits including a holiday allowance of 8% of the gross annual salary, a year-end bonus of 8.3% and a solid pension scheme;
• Free access to sports facilities on campus
• A minimum of 232 leave hours in case of full-time employment based on a formal workweek of 38 hours. A full-time employment in practice means 40 hours a week, therefore resulting in 96 extra leave hours on an annual basis.
• Excellent support for research and facilities for professional and personal development.
• We encourage a high degree of responsibility and independence, while collaborating with close colleagues, researchers and other university staff. We are also a family-friendly institution that offers parental leave (both paid and unpaid) and career support for partners.

Information and application

Are you interested in this position? Please send your application via the ‘Apply now’ button below before July 10, and include:

• A cover letter (maximum 2 pages A4), emphasizing your specific interest, qualifications, motivations to apply for this position.
• A Curriculum Vitae, including a list of all courses attended and grades obtained, and, if applicable, a list of publications and references.
• Proof of English proficiency (IELTS or TOEFL), if available.
• Contact details for two references