Student projects
NanoTrib is a young theory group building the foundations of non-equilibrium physics, with work published in journals such as Nature Materials, Nature Communications, and Physical Review Letters. We are looking for master students, finishing during 2027, to do theoretical research with us.
Deadline: until a suitable candidate is found – Research internship (fully theoretical)
The essentials
The essentials: a stipend of €1,000 per month, flexible dates, a duration of one to four months, and full compatibility with your master thesis. The internship is also a way for both sides to get to know each other: if it works well, it can lead into a fully funded four-year PhD within a European excellence project (ERC), on a full employment contract of €25,000 to €37,000 per year.
Left: a single-molecule junction carrying heat and light between gold electrodes. Right: a nanoscale water bridge formed under a gold tip.
Research directions
Energy dissipation and friction. Model, atom by atom, where the energy goes when a contact moves, and help lay the theoretical foundations of dissipation and friction.
Heat transport and thermal diodes. Building on our finding that heat can travel as a wave at room temperature, design a thermal rectifier that passes heat in one direction and barely at all in the other.
Water in nanoconfinement. Study water confined at the nanoscale, in a close collaboration with Shenzhen that includes regular research stays there.
Who we are looking for
A candidate with a degree, completed or near completion, in physics, chemistry, materials science, nanoscience, or a related field. Experimental aptitude and an interest in instrumentation are essential; comfort working between experiment and theory is an advantage. The working language of the group is
English.
How to apply
Send your academic transcript and a short email to Guilherme Vilhena (guilherme.vilhena@csic.es). That is all we need to start the conversation. Remember, dates are flexible!
