Hydrogen permeation in metals
In the context of developing the hydrogen sector, understanding the interactions between hydrogen and materials is a key challenge.
When hydrogen comes into contact with metallic materials, it can dissolve into the matrix and diffuse through it—a phenomenon known as permeation.
Hydrogen permeation measurements in metals have been developed at the CEA-Grenoble for over 20 years.
The objective of this post-doctoral project is to investigate these permeation phenomena when hydrogen is introduced at high pressure and when pollutants are present in the hydrogen.
The project will begin with the design and implementation of a new permeation test bench, which must enable high-pressure testing and precise control of impurity levels in the hydrogen.
Subsequently, the study will focus on the effect of pressure and impurities on hydrogen permeation in ferrito-pearlitic steels, using the previously developed test bench.
Cell manufacturing and electrochemical testing of solid-state batteries
Holding a PhD in electrochemistry, materials science, chemistry, or process engineering, the postdoctoral researcher will work closely with project partners on the development of manufacturing processes and prototyping of solid-state battery cells of 4?? generation (Li/NMC high-nickel) and 5?? generation (Li/Sulfur).
The work will focus on electrode shaping and assembly of solid-state cells, using processes such as coating, extrusion, and alternative approaches including 3D printing. These processes will be optimized to produce prototype cells (button cells and pouch format) with capacities up to 1 Ah, incorporating optimized interfaces. The cells will then be electrochemically tested to evaluate performance in terms of specific capacity, coulombic efficiency, and cycling stability.
Most experimental work will be conducted in controlled environments (gloveboxes), with regular characterization of both electrodes and assembled cells. Main responsibilities will include:
- Contributing to the definition of test plans based on internal data and literature,
- Developing and optimizing manufacturing processes for electrodes and solid-state cells,
- Producing and testing Gen4b and Gen5 prototype cells,
- Evaluating electrochemical performance and analyzing results,
- Presenting results clearly and concisely,
- Proposing improvements, ensuring smooth laboratory operations, and adhering to safety and quality standards,
- Disseminating research through publications, scientific presentations,
Design and implementation of an alternative to representation predicates in Frama-C
Frama-C is a collaborative platform for analysis of C programs. Among the different tools available in Frama-C, WP is dedicated to deductive verification of programs, allowing mathematical proof of functional properties and absence of runtime errors. This tool is used for years in industry.
Separation logic is the most promising way to allow verification of properties for programs involving complex data structures. However, it is hard to use for industrial use-cases. The main reason for this is that it is hard to encode into automatic proof tools. Thus, its use requires a lot of work from users.
In a recent work, we described how to extend WP tooling tout describe the memory footprint of C data-structures. The idea is to provide a specification language that allows to capture most of the power of separation logic without having to encode it in proof tools. The goal of this postdoc is to experiment the use of this formalism to describe real world use cases and implement its support in Frama-C and WP.
Superconducting BEOL integration for upcoming quantum devices
Controlling and manipulating quantum information using advanced nanoelectronic technologies represents a major challenge currently undertaken by CEA-LETI and its partners. A key objective of this project is to achieve the integration of quantum devices within Fully Depleted Silicon-On-Insulator (FD-SOI) technology on a 300 mm platform. The success of this integration critically depends on the development of superconducting interconnects, which are essential for ensuring the thermomagnetic isolation of quantum devices in addition to ensuring the electrical continuity of the device.
The proposed integration scheme builds on a CEA-LETI patent that enabled the fabrication of TaN/TiN-based superconducting interconnections, exhibiting a critical temperature (Tc) on the order of one kelvin. The goal of this research project is to explore the integration of superconducting materials with higher critical temperatures (around ten Kelvins) in order to enhance thermomagnetic isolation and improve overall device performance. This postdoctoral project aims to investigate the potential of newly developed high-temperature superconducting materials — such as ZrN, HfN, and NbTiN — produced by ICPMS-CNT and CEA-LETI, as well as their integration into the existing process flow. Using an innovative direct etch approach, the postdoc will study the impact of the process step on the superconducting properties. The influence of line dimensions on the superconducting properties such as critical temperature and current density of the materials will be also investigated. Based on the results obtained, process and integration adjustments will be proposed to optimize performances.
Global Power System Modeling under Planetary and Social Boundaries
The EQUALS project (EQUitable Allocation of Low-carbon Electricity Sources in a Changing and Resource-limited World) addresses the challenge of transitioning from fossil fuels to low-carbon energy under the constraint of planetary and social boundaries. While the rapid electrification of end-uses is a major lever against climate change, the transition faces limited natural resources, carbon budgets, and territorial specificities. EQUALS assesses the feasibility of meeting global energy needs within these limits, treating energy as a common.
Based at CEA Liten in Grenoble, this 18-month postdoctoral position establishes the project’s methodological foundations. The mission focuses on the generation of country-level hourly electricity demand time-series. This work involves reconstructing demand profiles that integrate thermal sensitivity (heating and cooling), socioeconomic development trajectories, and the electrification of end-uses. In parallel, vRES (variable Renewable Energy Sources) generation profiles will be developed to quantify resource availability worldwide.
These data will feed a global optimization model to identify transition pathways that minimize reliance on fossil fuels, while respecting social floors and planetary ceilings. The candidate will join the interdisciplinary EQUALS team, collaborating with a network of experts in modeling, energy geography, industrial ecology, and climate science. This position offers a stimulating research environment within the Grenoble scientific ecosystem, bridging technical engineering with sustainability science.
Thermal properties of 3D aluminum nitride structures for electronic packaging
The 12-month postdoctoral fellowship is part of the overall 3DNAMIC project, funded by the Occitanie region and involving the Materials platform of the DRTDOCC department and the Laplace laboratory. A thesis began in December 2024 aimed at “the study and characterization of 3D aluminum nitride ceramics for the thermal packaging and management of electronic components.”
The postdoc is scheduled to begin at approximately in September 2026, with the following main objectives:
Objective 1: Perform a comparative analysis of the thermal properties of ceramics produced by AF elements and on model structures using different materials available in the CEA materials platform.
Objective 3: Propose, qualify, and validate, numerically and then experimentally, heat dissipation structures for ceramics obtained by FA as part of the 3DNAMIC project.
Study of a low-cost K-ion storage system: electrolyte, safety and prototyping
The UPBEAT project (France 2030) aims to develop a low-cost potassium-ion technology that is free of critical materials and capable of providing the performance of LiFePO4-type Li-ion cells. The work proposed to the post-doc is in line with this objective: it will involve developing optimised organic liquid electrolytes for this new system (Prussian White vs. Graphite), by studying the most promising salts, solvents and additives, while maintaining the objectives of cost and durability. The proposed solutions (with and without fluorine) will be formulated, characterised and electrochemically tested in complete cells (coin cells and pouch cells including components optimisations) to measure their effectiveness in terms of lifetime and power response. Operando measurements and post-mortem characterisations will be used to understand the effects of the various components. The systems that best meet the project's requirements will also be subjected to abuse tests to assess the safety of the final system.
In-situ 4D tracking of microstructural evolution in atomistic simulations
The exponential growth of high-performance computing has enabled atomistic simulations involving billions or even trillions of particles, offering unprecedented insight into complex physical phenomena. However, these simulations generate massive amounts of data, making storage and post-processing increasingly restrictive. To overcome this limitation, on-the-fly (in-situ) analysis has emerged as a key approach for reducing stored data by extracting and compressing relevant information during runtime without significantly affecting simulation performance.
In this context, tracking the four-dimensional (space and time) microstructural evolution of materials under extreme conditions is a major scientific challenge. Atomistic simulations provide a unique spatial resolution to analyze crystalline defects such as dislocations, twinning, vacancies and pores, which govern dynamic phase transformations, melting, damage and mechanical behavior. By capturing their spatio-temporal evolution, it becomes possible to study their statistics, correlations and collective effects in out-of-equilibrium regimes, leading to more accurate predictive material models.
This project builds on advances of the exaNBody high-performance computing platform and a recently developed in-situ clustering method in the ExaStamp molecular dynamics code at CEA. This method projects atomic information onto a 3D Eulerian grid to perform real-time clustering. The objective is to extend this approach to full 4D tracking, enabling the time-resolved monitoring of clusters. This will allow dynamic graph-based analysis of their evolution, including changes in size, shape and temporal behavior, providing new insights into microstructural dynamics at the atomic scale.
Simulation of landslides and the associated water waves by a 3D code
Until now, tsunamis generated by underwater landslides were modelled at the CEA using a 2D long wave code (Avalanche) that was adapted to the computing resources available at the time but now seems obsolete in the literature. An initial post-doctoral study (2023-2025) showed that the 3D OpenFoam tool could accurately simulate a landslide and the associated waves in the generation zone. During this post-doctoral fellowship, a coupling between the CEA's ‘2D’ propagation code (Taitoko) and the 3D code was developed in order to propagate waves over long distances. The work carried out will be continued. The first objective will be to familiarise with the tools developed and to publish the work carried out on the 80 Mm3 collapse that occurred in Mururoa in 1979. The main objective is then to carry out simulations of potential collapses in the northern zone, bearing in mind that the main difficulty lies in defining the geometry of these potential collapses. The propagation of waves over long distances is simulated by a ‘2D’ tsunami code coupled with the OpenFoam code.
Tools and diagnostic methods for the reuse of electronic components
The Autonomy and Sensor Integration Laboratory (LAIC) at CEA-Leti has the primary mission of developing sensor systems for the digitalization of systems. The team's activities are at the interface of hardware (electronics, optronics, semiconductors), software (artificial intelligence, signal processing), and systems (electronic architecture, mechatronics, multiphysics modeling).
In a context of exponential growth in electronics and scarcity of resources, the reuse of electronic components from end-of-life systems represents a promising avenue to limit environmental impact and support the development of a circular economy. The objective of this project is to develop an advanced diagnostic methodology to assess the health status of electronic components, particularly power components, to reintegrate them into a less constraining second-life cycle.
The postdoctoral researcher will be tasked with developing a comprehensive approach to evaluate the reuse potential of electronic components, with the aim of reintroducing them into second-life cycles. This will include:
- Identifying relevant health indicators to monitor the performance evolution of components (e.g., MOSFETs, IGBTs, capacitors, etc.);
- Setting up test benches and sensors adapted to measure electrical, thermal, or mechanical parameters, with the goal of detecting signs of aging;
- Analyzing degradation modes through experimental tests and failure models;
- Developing algorithms for predicting the remaining useful life (RUL) adapted to different usage scenarios;
- Contributing to scientific publications, the valorization of results, and collaboration with project partners.