3 Postdoctoral Researchers in Integrity of Steel Infrastructure upon Hydrogen Exposure

Materials science and technology are our passion. With our cutting-edge research, Empa's around 1,100 employees make essential contributions to the well-being of society for a future worth living. Empa is a research institution of the ETH Domain.

Three Empa laboratories – Joining Technologies and Corrosion , Experimental Continuum Mechanics , and Chemical Energy Carriers and Vehicle Systems Laboratory – are joining forces in a project that addresses the urgent challenge of repurposing existing natural gas pipelines for hydrogen transport. Welded zones are of particular interest, as they represent the weakest points of pipelines in hydrogen service due to microstructural heterogeneities, residual stresses, and potential defects.

Your tasks
We are seeking
three postdoctoral researchers
to contribute to this project. The corresponding three main working areas are:

Area 1
(Contact Person Dr Ehsan Hosseini )

• Multiscale mechanical experiments & hydrogen embrittlement: fracture toughness and fatigue crack growth experiments under high-pressure hydrogen environments, considering microstructure conditions of pipeline steels and welds.
• Modelling and simulation: development of a physics-based simulation framework (e.g., phase-field modelling) to predict hydrogen-assisted crack growth and long-term mechanical integrity of steels and welds.

Area 2
(Contact Person Dr Bastian Rheingans )

• Weld microstructure and HE mitigation strategies: correlation of weld microstructures with hydrogen uptake and exploration of local treatments to "heal the weld."
• Mobile non-destructive hydrogen detection: development of a field-deployable electrochemical method, benchmarked against lab-based approaches.

Area 3
(Contact Person Dr Andreas Borgschulte )

• Hydrogen permeation in model systems: use of thin steel membranes to investigate hydrogen uptake, diffusion, and trapping under representative microstructural and stress conditions.

The three postdocs will collaborate closely across these topics, working at the interface of advanced experimental testing, hydrogen analytics, materials characterisation, and modelling.

Please explicitly state your interest as well as previous experience relevant to one of the above working areas in the letter of motivation.
Your profile

• PhD in Materials Science, Mechanical Engineering, Chemistry, or a related discipline
• Strong background in one or more of the following: fracture mechanics, hydrogen/materials interactions, electrochemistry, advanced material characterisation, or computational modelling
• Excellent communication skills in spoken and written English, with the ability to contribute to scientific publications, project deliverables, and international collaborations

Our offer
We offer three postdoctoral positions at Empa, in Dübendorf, Switzerland, starting in Q1/2026. Each position is for 2 years. You will join an international, interdisciplinary team at Empa, conducting cutting-edge research at the interface of technology, society, and policy. Empa provides a stimulating and inclusive research environment with state-of-the-art facilities, strong links to academia and industry, and excellent opportunities for professional development.

We live a culture of inclusion and respect. We welcome all people who are interested in innovative, sustainable and meaningful activities - that's what counts.

We look forward
to receiving your complete online application including a letter of motivation (max. one page), CV (max. 2 pages), degree certificates, available transcripts and contact details of two reference persons. Please submit these exclusively via our job portal. Applications by e-mail and by post will not be considered.