Initiative application for students in Erfurt bei Fraunhofer Gesellschaft

• Theses (Bachelor & Master)
• Voluntary and mandatory internships
• Employment as a research assistant

Fraunhofer IKTS conducts application-oriented research for advanced ceramics. The three locations in Dresden and Hermsdorf (Thuringia) form the largest ceramics research institute in Europe. As a research and technology service provider, we develop modern ceramic high-performance materials, industry-relevant manufacturing processes as well as prototype components and systems in complete production lines up to pilot scale. In addition, the portfolio includes the competencies of materials diagnostics and testing.

To further expand our battery research activities we established the BITC branch in Arnstadt. Here corresponding prototype production lines are being redesigned and built. In addition to manufacturing technology per se, the focus is also on the consistent implementation and further development of technologies for Industry 4.0. An essential prerequisite for this is flexible hardware and software ecosystems for industrial test environments and pilot lines with the aim of production-related data acquisition and analysis. A dynamic team with activities in a highly topical development environment awaits you. There you will be intensively involved in building a modern data science research and development platform for industrial applications. We are looking for a scientific assistant on the topic: Technical realization of a system for automated "post-mortem analysis" - for cutting open battery cells and separating, analyzing and sampling their components - in an inert gas environment. Industrie 4.0 / industry 4.0 Elektromobilität / E-Mobility Nachhaltigkeit / Sustainability Batterie-Verbesserung & -Recycling / battery-improvement & -recycling

Field of activity

The different fields of activity and your tasks are related to the three working groups located here.

• Industrial Data Concepts
  • Evaluation, design, implementation and documentation of hardware and software solutions with focus on battery data management and analysis.
  • Modeling and simulation of energy storage and conversion systems with a focus on lifetime prediction.
• Smart machine and production design
  • Development of pilot lines and automated test beds for battery cell production, quality control and analysis.
  • Implementation and upscaling of technologies into an industrial and production oriented format with focus on hardware solutions e.g. with robots.
• Hydrogen technologies
  • Water electrolysis - dynamic processes
    • Alkaline electrolysis is the main technology to produce green hydrogen. In a pilot plant scale electrolysis cells are investigated for their behavior in dynamic operation. For this purpose, appropriate experiments are performed. Multi-physical simulations can also be a possibility for a master thesis.
  • Stack development
    • In the case of the hydrogen electrolyzer, several electrolysis cells are combined into a stack and linked together. Therefore in Master Thesis' the design and material selection for the cell elements with regard to the performance and economic efficiency of the electrolysis stack as well as physical and chemical stack properties are to be investigated
  • Hydrogen furnace (or PtX)
    • High temperature furnaces are widely used in industry with natural gas as fuel. In order to demonstrate the potential of hydrogen as a substitute fuel, it is necessary to investigate the differences in the combustion process with natural gas and hydrogen and to make recommendations for future operation with hydrogen.

What you bring to the table

• Studying computer science, mathematics, engineering, chemistry, natural sciences or similar field.
• Enjoy teamwork, reliability and good communication skills.
• Creative thinking and result-oriented action with high quality standards and independent, structured way of working
• High motivation, initiative and willingness to acquire new knowledge

What you can expect

We offer the opportunity to work on current scientific issues in a team of young researchers and support you in developing your theoretical and practical skills.

We value and promote the diversity of our employees' skills and therefore welcome all applications - regardless of age, gender, nationality, ethnic and social origin, religion, ideolog