At the Faculty of Engineering and Science, Department of Energy Technology a position as postdoc in Power Electronics is open for appointment from 01.02.2015 or soon thereafter. The position is available for a period of 1 years. The Department of Energy Technology is an expanding department covering most fields of Energy Technology ranging from electrical energy (Power Systems, Power Electronics, Electrical Machines to thermal energy including Energy Systems and Fluid Mechanics and Combustion but also mechatronic systems. The department has about 230 employees – out of them are more than 100 Ph.D. students. The laboratory-facilities are world-class and the research carried out are most often in collaboration with industry.

Job description

At the Department of Energy Technology the Obel Starprofessorhip  project is running since 2012 focused on reliability of power electronics. Such a project is coordinated within the CORPE mainframe (Center Of Reliable Power Electronics), a first-class research project which aims to primary aspects of modern reliability challenges. The projects now include around 15 PhD students, 4 post docs, as well as a number of researchers in the four different companies (Danfoss, Grundfos, Vestas and KK-Electronics). They are working with all the aspects of reliability including analysis, understanding and modeling of failure mechanisms in power electronic components and systems, and mission profile of the components and systems as well. Studies are done on much better lifetime prediction and design including robustness validation for the power electronic systems. To support the theory – new infrastructure is constantly being developed as well as useful reliability design tools for power electronic converter and systems are being used. 

Title: Advanced gate driving techniques

One of the hot research topics is on reliability of wind-scale power semiconductor devices.
Modern trend in the wind turbine market is towards efficiency and long-term reliability. These two requirements can conflict significantly when dealing with power converters. In fact, the efficiency is strongly related to the gate driving strategy, but this one heavily influences the reliability of the semiconductor components. 
Starting from the present state of art in terms of gate driving techniques, the postdoc researcher will study the possibility of applying modern gate driving techniques to next-generation power modules, where thermal aspects become very critical. Accurate FEM thermal simulations as well as fast thermal measurements of running devices and accelerated reliability tests are expected to be performed to this aim. 
More in details, modern gate driving techniques will be implemented on open modules, in order to acquire thermal maps during normal operations. Results will be compared with simulations in order to:
1. Investigate the maximum efficiency attainable in respect of the maximum thermal operating limit of the next-generation modules;
2. Investigate the possibility of reducing short-circuit withstanding limit.
Moreover, in order to assess the reliability aspects of such technologies (modern drivers + next gen. devices), accelerated tests both on normal operations and repetitive short circuit operations will be performed.
The post-doc researcher will further assist to coordinate research across several PhDs, as well as be partly responsible for collaboration with industrial and other academic partners. 
The postdoc research will be a joint collaboration with VESTAS Wind Systems A/S, Denmark, within the Obel Starprofessorship project.

You may obtain further professional information from Prof. Francesco Iannuzzo, phone: +45 23 70 89 10, mail: fia@et.aau.dk .


Qualification requirements: 

Limited teaching within the area can be expected, but also in other study programmes at the University. 

Appointment as Postdoc presupposes scientific qualifications at PhD–level or similar scientific qualifications. The research potential of each applicant will be emphasized in the overall assessment. Appointment as a Postdoc cannot exceed a period of four years in total at Aalborg University. 

The application must contain the following: 
• A motivated text wherein the reasons for applying, qualifications in relation to the position, and intentions and visions for the position are stated.
• A current curriculum vitae. 
• Copies of relevant diplomas (Master of Science and PhD).
• Scientific qualifications. A complete list of publications must be attached with an indication of the works the applicant wishes to be considered. You may attach up to 5 publications.
• Dissemination qualifications, including participation on committees or boards, participation in organisations and the like. 
• Additional qualifications in relation to the position. 
• References/recommendations. 
• Personal data.

The applications are only to be submitted online by using the "Apply online" button below.

An assessment committee will assess all candidates.

For further information concerning the application procedure please contact Hanne Skovrider by mail has<στο>adm.aau.dk or phone (+45) 9940 9631.

Information regarding guidelines, ministerial circular in force and procedures can be seen here 

Agreement

Employment is in accordance with the Ministerial Order on the Appointment of Academic Staff at Universities (the Appointment Order) and the Ministry of Finance’s current Job Structure for Academic Staff at Universities. Employment and salary are in accordance with the collective agreement for state-employed academics or the collective agreement for academics under the Danish Society of Engineers’ (IDA) and the Danish Association of Chartered Surveyors’ (DDL) negotiation areas.   

Vacancy number

P21444

Deadline

11/12/2014Apply online