Phd student (d/f/m) in the field of Materials & Processes

In order to support the materials and processes department, Airbus Defence and Space is looking for a Phd student (d/f/m) in the field of Materials & Processes, Multiscale Simulation of Cold Spray Processes for Predicting Repair Quality You are looking for a PhD thesis and want to get to know the work within this area? Then apply now! We look forward to you supporting us in the Materials and Processes department as a Doktorand (d/f/m)! Location: Manching Start: 01.10.2026 / as soon as possible Duration: 36 months Your location Located about an hour’s drive north of Munich, Manching is an up-and-coming market town that offers a wide range of leisure and cultural activities. Here, you can enjoy the quality of life in the countryside while the pleasures of near-by cities are still within easy reach. Your benefits Attractive salary and work-life balance with an 35-hour week (flexitime). Traveling overseas or within Germany (team events) is possible after consultation and agreement from the department. International environment with the opportunity to network globally. Work with modern/diversified technologies. At Airbus, we see you as a valuable team member and you are not hired to brew coffee, instead you are in close contact with the interfaces and are part of our weekly team meetings. Opportunity to participate in the Generation Airbus Community to expand your own network. Cold gas spraying (CGS) has emerged as a promising technology for the repair of metallic components in safety-critical applications. The quality of such repairs is strongly governed by complex physical phenomena — including particle deformation, interfacial bonding, oxide film disruption, and local thermomechanical effects. A deep understanding of these processes is essential to ensure the structural integrity and long-term reliability of repaired components. Currently, however, there is a lack of validated simulation approaches that combine detailed physical insight with long-term applicability in industrial development environments. Various numerical methods, ranging from continuum-based to particle-based approaches, have already contributed valuable insights into local process phenomena such as plastic deformation, adiabatic heating, and interface formation in research settings. This PhD thesis will pursue a holistic research approach combining experimental characterization, mechanical testing, and model-based analysis to decipher the relationships between process conditions, microstructure, and structural performance. Your tasks and responsibilities ● Conduct targeted literature reviews on the influence of microstructure on the damage behavior of additively manufactured metallic coatings/layers. ● Fabricate and systematically vary coating systems under controlled process conditions. ● Perform multiscale microstructural characterization using advanced analysis methods (e.g., SEM/EBSD, micro-tomography, hardness mapping, residual stress analysis). ● Conduct mechanical testing of the coatings under static and cyclic loading conditions. ● Develop and refine mechanical testing methods to address specific scientific research questions. ● Identify and evaluate local damage mechanisms and their spatial distribution. ● Develop or apply physics-based models to describe damage evolution. ● Integrate experimental results into life-cycle and reliability analyses. ● Prepare and present scientific results through publications and conference presentations. Desired skills and qualifications ​ Completed Master’s degree in Materials Science, Materials Engineering, or a related engineering or natural science discipline. ● Solid knowledge of materials, microstructure, and the mechanical behavior of materials. ● Experience with experimental characterization methods. ● Experience with numerical modeling approaches (e.g., FEM) is an advantage. ● Interest in interdisciplinary research bridging process engineering,