Type: Postdoctoral researcher position
Start: 2023
Duration: 2 years
Location: Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
Group: Physical Chemistry and Soft Matter
Supervisor: Asst. Prof. Dr. Uddalok Sen (Physics of Soft Matter lab)
Are you curious about how liquids dry in confinement, and how particles and/or living cells
affect that drying behavior? Evaporation in a multiphase multicomponent system is ubiquitous in
several biological and industrial processes [1], and leads to a multitude of interesting phenomena
such as segregation and phase separation. When confined (e.g., in a capillary), such systems exhibit
even richer physics such as stratification [2, 3], clogging, compaction, and crystallization. The
properties of the liquids present in the evaporating multicomponent liquid mixture play a critical role
in determining the overall evaporation dynamics, which can be further complicated by the presence
of salts, surfactants, particles (passive and active), polymers, fibers, and motile cells. However, there
are still several unanswered/open questions concerning the precise dynamics of the evaporation in
confined multiphase multicomponent systems.

We are looking for a highly motivated and skilled candidate for a postdoctoral researcher position who will experimentally investigate the fundamentals of evaporating multiphase multicomponent liquids in confined systems. The experimental system will comprise of a suspension of particles (axisymmetric/non-axisymmetric, passive/active, flexible/rigid, monodisperse/polydisperse) in a multicomponent dispersing liquid. The candidate will use state-of-the-art imaging techniques such as confocal microscopy and particle tracking velocimetry, and the work will be complemented by theoretical and/or numerical modeling. A part of the project is also affiliated with an academic-industrial collaboration and provides the opportunity to study interesting, complex physics, and solve real world problems.

Your profile:
• A successfully completed PhD (or equivalent) degree in (applied) physics, molecular life sciences, mechanical engineering, chemical engineering, applied mathematics, or in a closely
related discipline.
• Experimental experience, fundamental knowledge of fluid dynamics, and experience in image
and data analysis are required.
• You have strong communication skills, including fluency in spoken and written (scientific and
non-scientific) English.
• You have strong analytical capabilities.
• You are proactive in coming up with innovative solutions to experimental challenges.
Your responsibilities:
• To design and perform experiments on evaporation of confined multicomponent liquids.
• To discuss and disseminate results among peers, the scientific community, and the broader
society in general.
• To collaborate with colleagues having complementary expertise.
• To supervise bachelor, master, and PhD students.
• To play an active role in writing personal grants (Veni, MSCA IF, Humboldt) and/or collaborative grants.
Our offer:
• We want you to play a key role in an ambitious project in an inspiring and stimulating international work environment.
• We provide excellent mentorship and a stimulating, modern research environment with worldclass research facilities.
• You will have an employment contract for the duration of 2 years, and can participate in all
employee benefits the university offers.
• You will be embedded in a dynamic research group with colleagues working on similar topics.
• Additionally, Wageningen University and Research is a green campus with excellent facilities
and resources for professional and personal development, and offers a wide variety of sports
facilities.
• You will follow a high-quality personalized training program.
• We strive for diversity and fairness in hiring.
Applications should provide:
• A motivational letter (1 page max) describing why you want to apply for this precise position,
including your research interests/experience and how they connect to this position.
• A detailed CV.
• Name and email addresses of at least two visible references who are willing to send a letter of
recommendation on your behalf.
• An interview with a scientific presentation on your previous work will be part of the application
process.
Potential applicants are encouraged to apply to Asst. Prof. Uddalok Sen at uddalok.sen@wur.nl,
or apply here.
2
References
[1] M. Rump, U. Sen, R. Jeurissen, H. Reinten, M. Versluis, D. Lohse, C. Diddens, and T. Segers.
Selective evaporation at the nozzle exit in piezoacoustic inkjet printing. arXiv:2205.06639, 2022.
[2] L. Thayyil Raju, C. Diddens, J. Rodr´ıguez-Rodr´ıguez, M. N. van der Linden, X. Zhang, D. Lohse,
and U. Sen. Evaporation of binary liquids from a capillary tube. arXiv:2211.06528, 2022.
[3] E. Hooiveld, H. van der Kooij, M. Kisters, T. E. Kodger, J. Sprakel, and J. van der Gucht. In-situ
and quantitative imaging of evaporation-induced stratification in binary suspensions. J. Colloid
Interface Sci., 630:666–675, 2023.