PhD position - Doctoral Candidate (DC4) in AI/ML data driven GW tomography for in-service SHM o[...]

DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICS, MATHEMATICS & MANAGEMENT

Organisation/Company: Politecnico di Bari

Department: DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICS, MATHEMATICS & MANAGEMENT

Research Field: Engineering » Mechanical engineering, Engineering » Aerospace engineering

Researcher Profile: First Stage Researcher (R1)

Positions: PhD Positions

Country: Italy

Application Deadline: 28 Feb 2025 - 23:59 (Europe/Rome)

Type of Contract: Temporary

Job Status: Full-time

Hours Per Week: 40

Offer Starting Date: 1 Sep 2025

Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Horizon Europe - MSCA Marie Curie Grant Agreement Number 101168031

Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

PhD Vacancy for a Doctoral Candidate (DC4) in AI/ML data driven GW tomography for in-service SHM of aerospace smart FRP composites in the MSCA Doctoral Network ASSESS - at Politecnico di Bari, Italy

The aim of this PhD is to develop ultrasonic guided wave (GW) tomography for aerospace smart fibre reinforced polymer (FRP) composites with integrated sparse arrays of piezo-electric (PZT) based metamaterial (MM) sensors and machine learning data algorithms. Three are the objectives of this research: (1) Design and manufacture aerospace FRP panels and sandwich FRP structures with PZT-based MM sensors surface mounted or embedded into the lay-up to enhance ultrasonic GW damage inspection. (2) Demonstrate the capability of PZT-based MM sensors to selectively transmit and naturally filter GWs in FRPs, thus reducing the complexity of the wave field caused by dispersion and material anisotropy. (3) Develop GW tomography for the automated damage assessment of aerospace CFRP composites using transmitter/receiver pairs of PZT-based MM sensors and ML methods (e.g., fuzzy clustering). Damage imaging results will be validated against traditional non-destructive evaluation methods. Two secondments have been planned to support research activities during the PhD. This PhD is part of the ASSESS project.

Research Fields:

Ultrasonic guided-wave propagation, composite materials, non-destructive testing

Secondments:

Novotech SRL (Avetrana, Italy)

TU Delft (Delft, The Netherlands)

Air Force Institute of Technology (Warsaw, Poland)

Key Responsibilities:

• Conduct research as outlined in the project’s objectives under the supervision of Prof Francesco Ciampa.
• Engage in secondments as part of the project’s training activities.
• Contribute to academic publications, project reports, and other dissemination activities.
• Participate in structured training programs and network-wide events organized by the consortium.
• Collaborate with international partners and other Doctoral Candidates within the network.
• Knowledge of acoustic/ultrasonic wave propagation, composite materials, non-destructive testing and signal processing is required.
• Strong conceptual and analytical skills.
• The ability to work both independently and as part of a team.

Optional Skills:

• Experience in mechanical testing and software programming (e.g., MATLAB, Fortran, Python, LabView) is an advantage.
• English Requirement: High level of proficiency in English (will be tested at interview).

Languages: ENGLISH Level Excellent

Additional Information

The successful candidate will receive a competitive and attractive academic remuneration package following the MSCA regulations for doctoral candidates. The researcher will be recruited under an employment contract that includes social security coverage and pension rights.

The financial package includes the following*:

• Monthly family allowance (if applicable, depending on family situation): €660/month.

*The living allowance above represents the total EU contribution to the researcher’s salary costs. The estimated gross salary is approximately €3,311.60 per month (only considering the living allowance), inclusive of both employee and employer tax contributions. The net salary will be calculated by deducting these contributions and any other applicable national taxes (e.g., income tax) from the gross amount.

Other Benefits:

The doctoral candidate will also benefit from comprehensive training within the ASSESS network, including participation in at least six specialized Training Events organized by the MSCA-ASSESS network. Additional opportunities include secondments to partner laboratories, a range of advanced training courses (including transferable skills development), and active engagement in workshops and international conferences, providing a well-rounded and enriching research experience.

Expected Start Date: Q2 2025

Eligibility criteria:

• A second-level degree (Master) or equivalent foreign qualification in aerospace / mechanical / civil engineering, applied mathematics or physics with excellent experimental skills.
• Not in possession of a doctoral degree at the date of the recruitment.
• Recruited applicants can be of any nationality and must undertake trans-national mobility (i.e., move from one country to another) when taking up the appointment. In particular, at the time of selection, the recruited applicant for this position must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in Italy for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately prior to their recruitment.

Selection process:

Candidates should apply online using the job portal of TU Delft, where all the vacancies of ASSESS are posted: Jobs at TUDelft.

Candidates should provide the following documents:

• Detailed CV, including information on the candidate’s proficiency in English.
• Motivational letter (1 page), describing why the position fits the applicant.
• Contact information of 2 references.
• Copy of Master’s degree diploma.
• Copies of any other relevant certifications listed within CV.

Selection Criteria:

Candidates will be evaluated based on their academic background, research experience, and alignment with the project’s objectives. The selection process will be open, transparent, merit-based, impartial, and equitable.

Interview: Shortlisted candidates will be invited for a structured interview with predefined questions and a scoring system.

You can address your application to Prof Francesco Ciampa.

Additional comments:

Academic Host:

The Polytechnic University of Bari (Politecnico di Bari) was established on 7th August 1990, and it is the youngest among Italian Polytechnic Universities. Research activities will be carried out at the Department of Mechanics, Mathematics and Management (DMMM). The DMMM is one of 180 Departments selected by the Italian ‘Ministry of University and Research’ as “Department of Excellence”. This initiative gives recognition to the DMMM of the high quality of their research.

Project Description:

The Horizon Europe MARIE SKŁODOWSKA-CURIE ACTION Doctoral Network (DN) ASSESS (Automated online monitoring of Smart compoSitE StructureS - Grant Agreement Number 101168031) offers 12 exciting PhD positions to develop next-generation smart composites for strategic European industries such as aviation, space, and wind energy.

Composite materials with embedded sensors and nanomaterials hold the potential for real-time structural health monitoring. However, industrial adoption is hindered by challenges in sensor integration, automated data analysis, standardization, and operator training. ASSESS bridges the gap between research and industry by advancing the design, manufacturing, and testing of Fibre Reinforced Polymer (FRP) composites.

As part of a multidisciplinary consortium of 9 beneficiaries and 13 Associated Partners, you will engage in pioneering research on:

• Smart composites and cutting-edge sensing technologies
• Advanced simulations and AI-driven data analysis
• Digital twins and Industry 4.0 innovations

If you would like more information about this vacancy or the selection procedure, please contact Prof Francesco Ciampa, via francesco.ciampa@poliba.it .