The Paul Scherrer Institute PSI is the largest research institute for natural and engineering sciences within Switzerland. We perform cutting-edge research in the fields of future technologies, energy and climate, health innovation and fundamentals of nature. By performing fundamental and applied research, we work on sustainable solutions for major challenges facing society, science and economy. PSI is committed to the training of future generations. Therefore, about one quarter of our staff are post-docs, post-graduates or apprentices. Altogether, PSI employs 2200 people.
For the Nuclear Fuels group of the Laboratory for Nuclear Materials we are looking for a
Your tasks
Nuclear fuel rods, which consist of UO2 pellets and the cladding tube, change their materials properties during operation in a nuclear power plant. While the cladding tube outer surface oxidizes in the reactor cooling water, the inner surface undergoes an increasing bonding process between pellet and tube. We characterize the cladding with neutron radiography to identify oxidation products, and synchrotron radiation to determine stresses in the material. The proposed internship is embedded in the framework of the EURAD research project (European Joint Programme on Radioactive Waste Manage¬ment), which aims to better understand the physiochemical evolution of used fuels.
Your tasks will be:
- Opportunity to participate in experiments at PSI’s large scale facilities – the synchrotron SLS and the spallation neutron source SINQ
- Learn and apply fitting methods to determine the phases and micro-strains at the fuel-cladding interface using analysis software
- Reveal the crystallographic structure and identify the respective phases at the fuel-cladding interface
- Reporting and results presentation
Your profile
- Studies in materials science, nuclear engineering, physics or a similar field
- You hold a Bachelor, but have not yet completed your Master
- Interest in material characterization techniques
- Knowledge in X-ray characterization and programming/data analysis skills in Python will be beneficial
- Proficiency in English, knowledge of German and/or French is a plus
- You are communicative and enjoy working in a multi-disciplinary international team
We offer
Our institution is based on an interdisciplinary, innovative and dynamic collaboration.
The contract will be limited to three months.
For further information, please contact Dr Cloé Schneider, phone +41 56 310 25 80 or Dr Johannes Bertsch, phone +41 56 310 41 73.
Please submit your application online for the position as a Trainee (index no. 4602-T2).
Paul Scherrer Institut, Human Resources Management, Patrizia Meister, 5232 Villigen PSI, Switzerland