Post-doctoral researcher on PEMFC for drone applications H/F

The use of multi-rotor drones is rapidly expanding in both civil and military applications. Hydrogen-based onboard energy storage allows for an increased autonomy compared to battery storage, enabling longer and more flexible missions. While several demonstrators have confirmed the feasibility of using proton-exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) to power multi-rotor drones, some challenges remain. One of them is to understand the impact of specific mission profiles on the lifetime and the reliability of the PEMFC. This is particularly the case for open-cathode PEMFC, which are well-suited for low power applications (<5 kW) but have been less studied than closed-cathode fuel cells. This post-doctoral position will address these gaps, combining experimental and modeling approaches to advance the durability and performance of PEMFCs in drone applications.

Your environment:

You will join the Material and Processes team of the PERSEE research center of Mines Paris - PSL. This team has been working on hydrogen technologies for more than 30 years, with activities on the development of advanced materials and new system architectures, supported by experimental characterization and modelling capabilities.

Your challenges and responsibilities:

• Conduct a comprehensive literature review on open-cathode PEMFC modeling and degradation to understand the state-of-the-art and identify gaps on degradation modeling, with a specific focus on drone applications.
• Develop and refine 0D physics-based models to simulate open-cathode PEMFC operation and degradation in Python, including transient mass transfer, heat transfer, electrochemical reactions, and degradation mechanisms, with a particular attention to model calibration and validation.
• Conduct an experimental campaign, defining needs for experimental data, setting up an experimental test bench, running characterization and durability tests, and gathering and analyzing experimental data, in collaboration with the fuel cell lab technical staff.
• Contribute to the development and maintenance of the open source modeling platform marapendi, ensuring that the developed models are integrated, documented and accessible.
• Document the numerical and experimental developments and results, contributing to the writing of project reports and scientific publications.

Do you have experience in Python?, Do you have a Doctoral degree?, * Strong knowledge in electrochemical and/or heat and mass transfer processes, with a focus on modelling.

• Knowledge of experimental methods for the characterization of fuel cell performance and degradation.
• Strong experience with electrochemical systems, especially fuel cell systems.
• Knowledge of Python for scientific computing, experimental data analysis and data visualization.
• Knowledge of version control systems, particularly Git.

Soft skills:

• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Ability to work on multidisciplinary topics.
• Aptitude for experimental work.
• Ability to manage time effectively and prioritize tasks.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.

Mines Paris-PSL is one of the most prestigious engineering schools in France. Mines Paris-PSL is a public institution that trains generalist engineers through an innovative and multidisciplinary educational approach (engineering sciences and social sciences and humanities). Its affiliation with PSL University, which ranks among the top 50 in international rankings, represents a real opportunity to enrich academic paths.