Postdoctoral position in uncertainty analysis for the JHR core depletion

Stimulated by major needs and challenges in science and society, the ambition of the department of Applied Physics is to foster a creative environment for academic research, teaching and outreach. We provide a competitive advantage by linking top-level international and interdisciplinary academic performance in the areas of material science, nanotechnology and energy research with world-leading industrial R&D&I projects.

We address a wide array of experimental, computational, methodological and theoretical challenges, from fundamental physics research, through the development of new materials to direct industrial projects generating new inventions. We have a strong learning commitment on all levels from undergraduate to PhD studies where physics meet engineering.

We are situated in a stimulating and creative environment with 200 physics teachers and researchers, 120 PhD students and 550 undergraduate students.

Information about the division
The Division of Nuclear Engineering, which belongs to the Department of Applied Physics, performs research and development in: reactor physics and diagnostics; modeling of nuclear reactors; experimental neutron and positron physics for material science; and non-destructive methods for nuclear safeguards and non-proliferation. The work is carried out in collaboration with, and with support from the industry, the Swedish Centre for Nuclear Technology (SKC), the Swedish Radiation Safety Authority (SSM), the Swedish Research Council (VR), and the EU. We have extensive international collaborations, most notably with U.S. and Japanese universities and labs, and with the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA). The division has access to a small size hot cell laboratory, and possesses a portable neutron generator, a pulsed beam for slow positrons, various neutron sources and neutron detectors with electronics. The division is also part of the Sustainable Nuclear Energy Centre (SNEC), which is a cross-disciplinary forum gathering Chalmers researchers, students, and industry members in a dynamic, stimulating, and challenging working environment. For additional information, see: www.nephy.chalmers.se 

Major responsibilities
The successful candidate is expected to work in a research project defined within the collaboration between the division of Nuclear Engineering and CEA.

The project is a contribution to the modeling and the analysis of the Jules Horowitz Reactor (JHR) which is a research material testing reactor under construction at CEA-Cadarache (France). The main goal is to establish a methodology to assess the influence of relevant sources of uncertainties on the fuel depletion calculations for the JHR core. This kind of simulations is performed by making use of the 2-D lattice deterministic transport code APOLLO2, and the 3-D neutronic core simulator CRONOS2. The first code is applied to create data needed for the few-group macroscopic cross-sections that are used in CRONOS2 for solving the neutron diffusion or transport equations at the reactor core level. In this respect, the work will primarily focus on the uncertainties due to the microscopic cross-sections of the fission products, to the decay constants of the fission products, and to the nuclear data for hafnium (which is a material used in the control rods).

Position summary
A full-time position for 1+1 year with a possibility for 6 months extention. It is planned that the research is conducted at CEA-Cadarache, France, for the entire period of time. 

Qualifications
To qualify for the position of postdoc, you must have a doctoral degree in nuclear engineering, in engineering physics, in physics, or in mathematics; the degree should generally not be older than three years. 

Knowledge of reactor physics, nuclear core fuel depletion, and computational methods for nuclear reactors is required. Experience with sensitivity and uncertainty analysis in nuclear reactor calculations is beneficial. Proficiency in English is requested, and knowledge of Swedish and French languages would be desirable. The ideal candidate is creative and analytical, able to develop innovative contributions, and with good communication skills, both verbal and written. Moreover, abilities to cooperate as well as to work in self-standing manner, in an international environment, constitute strong merits.

Chalmers continuously strives to be an attractive employer. Equality and diversity are substantial foundations in all activities at Chalmers.

Application procedure
The application should be marked with Ref 20140257 and written in English. The application should be sent electronically via Chalmers webpage.

Application deadline: September 16th, 2014

For questions, please contact:
Associate Professor, Paolo Vinai, Nuclear Engineering, vinai@chalmers.se, +46 (0)31 772 3080

*** Chalmers declines to consider all offers of further announcement publishing or other types of support for the recruiting process in connection with this position. ***