• Aerospace - Superhydrophobic Coating Materials
• Full time, fixed term position at our Hawthorn campus
• $30,000 p.a for 3.5 years

About the Scholarship

The Scholarship is offered by the Aerostructures Innovation Research Hub (AIR Hub) which is an industry led applied research collaboration between Australian aerospace industry leaders and research institutes. Led by Swinburne University of Technology, the AIR Hub will drive transformation of the aerospace sector in Australia by reinforcing Australia’s position in civil aerospace and accelerate development uncrewed air systems, advanced air mobility and next generation aerospace deep technologies. The project aims to design and fabricate high-performance superhydrophobic coating materials to eliminate icing on aerospace materials and surfaces. The newly developed coating using graphene-based materials will be tested in various engineering scenarios to understand its working mechanisms of superhydrophobicity and its effectiveness against moisture penetration and absorption of composite materials. The novel coating potentially used on aircraft structure’s surface to serve as anti-icing function by reducing ice adhesion and delaying ice formation. New fundamental knowledge of the adhesion of superhydrophobic materials will be obtained by investigating the mechanisms of developed superhydrophobic coating against surface icing and techniques to improve its long-term stability and functionality on substrates.

We are looking for a PhD candidate who will work on:

1. A literature review of different coating technologies using nanomaterials;
2. The formulations/ Development of coating using graphene-based materials;
3. Development of the load cases, duty cycles and certification requirements to establish the test matrix and design of experiments to prove the coating technologies for aerospace application
4. Enhancement of the adhesion of developed coating on targeted substrates.

About Swinburne University of Technology

Swinburne is a young university with a long history. As a dual-sector university of technology, born of a technical college, we are proud of Swinburne’s technology DNA, and of our national and global standing. Our contribution to Technology, Entrepreneurship, Innovation and the STEM disciplines, and our track record of meaningful industry and community engagement, are natural manifestations of the legacy initiated by the vision of our founders George and Ethel Swinburne in 1902. We offer postgraduate, undergraduate, vocational education and online education to provide students with a variety of work-relevant pathways.

About you

To be successful in the role, you will have:

• A 4-year Bachelor/Honours degree, a coursework Masters degree with a minimum average of 70% in the final year of study (H1 or H2A) or a Research Masters in Material Science, Chemistry, Mechanical/ Chemical Engineering or equivalent.
• The ability to work both independently and as part of a team in a collaborative manner,
• The ability to communicate effectively with peers, industry partners and suppliers to achieve collaborative outcomes, including in cross-functional teams, and
• Be enthusiastic and self-motivated with a demonstrable aptitude for research and development.

A full list of selection criteria is available within the position description.

How to apply and further information

To view the position description or to start an application please click on 'apply' or ‘begin’ and submit a resume, cover letter and a response to the Key Selection Criteria, as listed in the position description.

For further information about this position, contact Mark Redmond, mredmond@swin.edu.au

If you are experiencing technical difficulties with your application, please contact the Recruitment team on staffrecruitment@swin.edu.au

Diversity and Inclusion

Equity and diversity are integral to achieving our 2025 vision of bringing people and technology together to build a better world. Swinburne is a large and culturally diverse organisation and we are proud of our commitment to equity and inclusion through key initiatives such as:

• Reconciliation Action Plan
• Charter of Cultural Diversity
• Science in Australia Gender Equity (SAGE) Action Plan
• Swinburne LGBTIQA+ Pride, Gender Equality, Accessibility and Intergenerational inclusion strategies

For further information on all our initiatives visit our equity and diversity website. We welcome and encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply.

Assistance and Support

We are committed to making the recruitment process fair and equitable for all our candidates. If you have specific accessibility or support requirements please contact Maree Norden, Diversity & Inclusion Manager at inclusion@swin.edu.au. For support or queries related to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employment, please contact Timothy Werner at DeadlyCareers@swin.edu.au

Swinburne offers flexible working options, leave and parenting/carer policies to support work life balance.

Orders from Victoria’s Minister for Health require all Swinburne workers to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, unless they are an Excepted Person as defined by the Pandemic COVID-19 Mandatory Vaccination (Specified Workers) 2021 Order (No. 1). All applicants must therefore be able to comply with this requirement.

Applications close at 5 pm on Thursday 5th June

(Agency enquiries will not be accepted for this position) (#SW-LI)