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Aurélie Bellemans

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PhD Position in the Development of State-to-State Plasma-Assisted Combustion Solvers Vrije Universiteit Brussel in Belgium

Degree Level

PhD

Field of study

Computer Science

Funding

Full-time PhD scholarship for 12 months, extendable up to 48 months, with a grant linked to one of the government scales.

Deadline

Nov 15, 2026

Country flag

Country

Belgium

University

Vrije Universiteit Brussel

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Keywords

Computer Science
Chemical Engineering
Plasma Physics
Chemical Kinetics
Large Eddy Simulation
Physics

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About this position

The project is a PhD within the Faculty of Engineering at Vrije Universiteit Brussel, in the Department of Applied Mechanics and the Research Group Thermodynamics and Fluid Mechanics, embedded in the FLOW research group and linked to the VUB-ULB joint BRITE initiative. The work sits in the ERC Starting Grant project ESCAPADE and focuses on plasma-assisted combustion, a field that aims to make combustion cleaner and more efficient by combining non-equilibrium plasma discharges with reactive flow chemistry.

The doctoral research will target the development of advanced computational tools for plasma-assisted combustion simulation. A major focus is the creation of reduced-order approaches for large state-to-state kinetic mechanisms, where the number of species and reactions can become very large. The student will work on techniques that preserve the most important plasma-combustion interactions while dramatically lowering computational cost, enabling more realistic simulations of complex reacting flows.

The project combines detailed kinetic modelling, mechanism reduction, and physics-informed machine learning. The researcher will contribute to in-house solvers that explicitly model plasma discharges, non-equilibrium chemistry, and combustion across broad operating conditions. The resulting methods are intended for integration into advanced CFD environments, including DNS and LES, with validation against benchmark data from international project partners.

The scientific emphasis is on ammonia and hydrogen combustion systems, which are highlighted as promising carbon-free fuels for future energy and propulsion applications. The position therefore offers a research environment at the intersection of thermal-fluid mechanics, plasma physics, combustion science, scientific computing, and data-driven modelling, with strong connections to experimental and international collaboration.

Funding details

Full-time PhD scholarship for 12 months, extendable up to 48 months, with a grant linked to one of the government scales.

What's required

A Master of Science in Engineering, Applied Mathematics, Physics, Computational Science or a related field is required. Applicants should have a strong background in numerical methods and scientific computing, excellent programming skills in Python, Fortran and/or C++, and an interest in chemical kinetics, plasma physics, combustion, reduced-order modelling, and machine learning. Experience with CFD, DNS and/or LES is considered an asset, as is experience with kinetic mechanism reduction techniques, data-driven modelling or high-performance computing. Candidates must be fluent in written and spoken English, have strong analytical skills, and be able to work independently and as part of an international research team. Applicants must also meet the VUB conditions regarding prior assistant mandates, permit eligibility, and residence requirements.

How to apply

Apply via jobs.vub.be by 2026-11-15. Upload your CV, motivation letter, and diploma (not applicable for VUB alumni). The process includes an initial selection based on your file and a job interview.

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Professors

Prof at Vrije Universiteit Brussel

University Name
Country flag

Belgium

Research Interests

Chemical Kinetics

Physics

Chemical Engineering

Computer Science

Plasma Physics