Marie Curie PhD fellowships - Mathematical Modelling in Oceanography

The University of Leeds, Faculty of Mathematics and Physical Sciences is accepting applications for:

Marie Curie Early Stage Researchers (PhD positions) in Mathematical Modelling

Fixed term for 36 months, subject to signed contract being received from the European Commission.

SURFS-UP: Freak Waves and Breaking Wave Impact on Offshore Structures 

You will carry out research and participate in the activities of “SURFS-UP: Freak Waves and Breaking Wave Impact on Offshore Structures”, a new Marie Curie European Industry Doctorate project (EID) devoted to the science of breaking waves and their impact on offshore wind farms.

An Early Stage Researcher (ESR) position is a Marie Curie Fellowship for postgraduate research, and concerns study towards a doctoral degree (PhD).  ESRs are normally based outside the country of their nationality, in this case concerning study in both the UK and The Netherlands.  The EID project provides an excellent opportunity for scientific and personal development, with regular training courses in scientific and general transferable skills both at the University of Leeds, in the UK, and the Maritime Research Institute Netherlands (MARIN), in the Netherlands. There is also the chance to meet and discuss problems with leading scientists in the field (including several international visiting scientists).

You will have a Personal Career Development Plan, designed with the supervisors from Leeds and MARIN at the beginning of the fellowship, covering training needs (including complementary skills) and scientific objectives.  The first 18 months will be spent at the University of Leeds, followed by an EU-secondment of 18 months at MARIN (totalling 36 months). There is also a potential opportunity for the ESRs to be employed and funded by MARIN for a subsequent 6 months following the 36 month appointment at Leeds.

Two research topics are available at the University of Leeds.  The first is a computational/mathematical modelling project on variational water wave models and freak waves (variational water wave models and pyramidal freak waves). The second is a fluid dynamical modelling/numerical project focussing on breaking waves and hydro-elastic response of offshore wind turbines (wave slamming by breaking waves).

You must be eligible to be appointed as an Early Stage Researcher in the UK. European and International applications are welcomed; however nationals or residents of the UK and The Netherlands can only apply when they were outside these countries for more than 24 months in the last three years.  Applications for women, who are currently under-represented in this area, will be particularly welcome; however, the final recruitment decision will be based solely on merit.

You will be offered a salary plus allowances in line with the Marie Curie Framework 7 requirements for Early Stage Researchers.

The ESR salary is fixed at €51,072 per year, plus allowances, which will be paid in Sterling using an appropriate conversion rate. Any subsequent employment with MARIN following the 36 month appointment at Leeds will be financed separately by MARIN. 

Closing Date: 6 May 2014

Ref: MAPMA0067

Job Description

Responsible to: Head of School of Mathematics 

Reports to: Prof. Onno Bokhove (University of Leeds) or Dr. Tim Bunnik (MARIN)

Main duties and responsibilities 

The first PhD project “Variational water wave models and pyramidal freak waves”

involves the following duties:

To perform original research, at a level suitable for a PhD, under the supervision of the project managers, consistent with the research plans of “Variational water wave models and pyramidal freak waves”, including:
 

• To become an expert in nonlinear wave modeling using applied mathematics, finite element methods and wave modeling. This will include validation against wave tank data in a maritime research environment 

• To integrate a (discontinuous Galerkin) finite element wave solver with a beach in a vertical plane using our potential flow wave solver for intermediate to deep water and a shallow water wave solver at the beach 

• To include wave-makers, bottom topography and beaches into the wave solver and validate these simulations against MARIN‟s laboratory test data 

• To extend these wave models and validations to three dimensions with a simplified treatment in the vertical 

• The PhD student will be closely involved in defining/participating in wave tank experiments at MARIN, including freak waves such as the (bore-)soliton-splash 

The second PhD project “Wave slamming by breaking waves” involves the following duties:

To perform original research, at a level suitable for a PhD, under the supervision of the project managers, consistent with the research plans of “Wave slamming by breaking waves”, including:

• To become an expert in nonlinear wave modeling and hydro-elastic theory using applied mathematics and finite element methods. This will include validation against experimental wave tank data in a maritime research environment 

• To formulate a mixture theory model of wave breaking for the air and water phase in an approximate model, and such that the model reduces to our potential wave model in non-breaking seas 
• To formulate this mathematical mixture theory model numerically and implement it, initially in a vertical plane with (discontinuous Galerkin) finite element numerical techniques 
• To simulate nonlinear breaking wave impact with this mathematical/numerical mixture theory on elastic structures, and calculate the elastic response to wave slamming, initially in two dimensions 
• To extend this hydro-elastic model to three dimensions with a simplified, efficient treatment in the vertical and start investigating this modeling for wave slamming on offshore wind turbines
• The PhD student will be closely involved in defining/participating in wave tank experiments at MARIN

 

General duties for both projects include:

• To meet with your supervisor(s) on a regular basis

• To pass progression requirements at various points during your studies and meet all other School, Faculty and University requirements for PhD studies

• To participate in the activities of the SURFS-UP European Industry Doctorate project, including attending training courses, collaborating with scientists from other sites in the network, exchanging scientific data, participating in visits to other sites 

• To take responsibility for furthering your personal knowledge of the research area in which you will work 

• To write up the results of your own research and contribute to research reports/publications.  This will often be an iterative process, building in advice and guidance from others as appropriate 

• To present findings of research e.g. prepare papers, make presentations with guidance and advice as appropriate 

• To keep records of activities undertaken (including leaves of absence)

Person Specification

Essential 

 

• An undergraduate (BSc honours or MSc) degree (minimum 2:1 or above, or equivalent) in a relevant discipline, e.g. Physics, Mathematics, Engineering, with relevant theoretical and computational experience 

• You will satisfy the eligibility requirements for an Early Stage Researcher under the European Commission Framework 7 Early Stage Training Scheme; in particular, you should be eligible to be appointed as an Early Stage Researcher in the UK

• To meet the University‟s requirements in English as a foreign language if not a native speaker.

• Excellent communication skills, including written

• Ability to work as part of a team

• Motivated to work in multidisciplinary environments (mathematics and maritime engineering)

• A willingness to undertake an EU-secondment of 18 months at MARIN 

Desirable 

 

• Excellent promise as a researcher in mathematical modelling

• Familiarity of fluid dynamics, numerical solutions methods and/or wave modelling will be an advantage

Apply: http://jobs.leeds.ac.uk/fe/tpl_universityofleeds01.asp