Research professor in Modelling and simulation of plasma flows for nuclear fusion (BOFZAP

Organisation/Company KU LEUVEN Research Field Technology » Nuclear technology Researcher Profile Leading Researcher (R4) Established Researcher (R3) Final date to receive applications 1 Sep 2026 - 23:59 (UTC) Country Belgium Type of Contract To be defined Job Status Full-time Offer Starting Date 1 Sep 2027 Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme Reference Number BZI-2026-8 Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure?

No

The candidate aims to develop and apply new insights into nuclear fusion technology with a focus on advancing 2D and 3D simulation methodologies for plasma transport, heat transfer and particle exhaust in the reactor, potentially including interactions with the broader system, and other relevant mechanisms for future fusion power plants. Combining these advanced simulation techniques with design optimisation, control, data-assimilation, uncertainty quantification, and multi-fidelity approaches is encouraged.

The candidate is expected to collaborate with international fusion initiatives, considering various concepts such as tokamaks, stellarators, and inertial confinement. In addition, the candidate takes a leading role in further developing the SOLPS-ITER community code (formerly B2/EIRENE), for which KU Leuven is a core developer.

The candidate will be based in Leuven at campus Arenberg in the current fusion team that has strong existing ties and collaborations with major international fusion initiatives. The candidate is expected to pursue excellence, build national and international collaborations and publish at the highest scientific level in your field. By securing competitive funding for fundamental and/or applied research, the candidate should be able to establish a research group in close collaboration with stakeholders in the wider region and supervise PhD candidates at an international level.

The candidate is expected to take on a teaching role in programmes such as BSc in Engineering Science, MSc in Mechanical Engineering, MSc in Engineering:
Energy, or the Belgian Nuclear higher Education Network. The candidate should be able to teach courses in disciplines such as fluid dynamics, heat transfer, thermodynamics, and computational fluid dynamics, in addition to more advanced topics. The candidate will build a research team (PhD researchers, postdoctoral fellows) that can support teaching within these disciplines. Furthermore, the candidate is expected to conduct cutting-edge research that enables the definition and supervision of related BSc/MSc student projects and research topics in energy or nuclear engineering.

You will develop your teaching in line with KU Leuven’s vision on activating and researched-based education, making full use of the professional development opportunities offered by the faculty and the university.

Initially, your teaching duties will focus on a limited number of courses within the aforementioned Master's programmes. Over the course of your career, the scope of your educational activities may gradually expand, while always maintaining a balanced distribution of time between research and teaching.

You are prepared to undertake scientific, societal and internal service activities. You actively seek regional, national, and international opportunities for collaboration with organisations, industry partners and other stakeholders beyond the university. You represent the Science, Engineering & Technology Group of KU Leuven, as well as your department, faculty and research group in external activities and serve as a primary point of contact between the university and its regional partners.

You also engage actively in outreach initiatives, including science communication, lifelong learning, and societal debates.

• You hold a PhD in Engineering or Science with a focus on numerical simulation of fluid and plasma flows, or nuclear fusion devices. You have a strong research profile, demonstrated by publications in leading international journals. International experience is a significant asset. You present a research plan that articulates a strong vision for future…