3 Postdoctoral Researchers in Integrity of Steel Infrastructure upon Hydrogen Exposure Empa in Switzerland

Empa, a leading Swiss research institution in the ETH Domain, is recruiting three postdoctoral researchers for a collaborative project focused on the integrity of steel infrastructure upon hydrogen exposure. The project brings together three Empa laboratories—Joining Technologies and Corrosion, Experimental Continuum Mechanics, and Chemical Energy Carriers and Vehicle Systems Laboratory—to address the challenge of repurposing existing natural gas pipelines for hydrogen transport. Welded zones in pipelines are of particular concern due to their susceptibility to hydrogen embrittlement, microstructural heterogeneities, residual stresses, and potential defects. The three postdoctoral positions each focus on a distinct but interconnected area: (1) Multiscale mechanical experiments and hydrogen embrittlement, including fracture toughness and fatigue crack growth experiments under high-pressure hydrogen environments, as well as modelling and simulation of hydrogen-assisted crack growth; (2) Weld microstructure and mitigation strategies, involving the correlation of weld microstructures with hydrogen uptake and the development of local treatments to heal welds, alongside mobile non-destructive hydrogen detection methods; (3) Hydrogen permeation in model systems, using thin steel membranes to investigate hydrogen uptake, diffusion, and trapping under representative conditions.

The successful candidates will collaborate closely across these topics, working at the interface of advanced experimental testing, hydrogen analytics, materials characterisation, and computational modelling. Applicants must have a PhD in Materials Science, Mechanical Engineering, Chemistry, or a related discipline, with expertise in fracture mechanics, hydrogen/materials interactions, electrochemistry, advanced material characterisation, or computational modelling. Excellent English communication skills are required.

The positions are for two years, starting in Q1/2026, and offer a stimulating, inclusive research environment with state-of-the-art facilities and strong links to academia and industry. Applications must be submitted online via the Empa job portal and include a letter of motivation, CV, degree certificates, transcripts, and contact details of two referees.