Researcher in the rheology of deformable particles

The University of Technology of Compiègne (UTC) is recruiting a contract researcher to join the Biomechanics and Bioengineering Laboratory (BMBI), Biological Engineering Department (GB), as part of the SOCA research project.

The SOCA project (ANR-24-CE06-6245-02) is funded by the French National Research Agency https://anr.fr/Projet-ANR-24-CE06-6245 .

The successful candidate will contribute to innovative research at the interface of mechanics, physics, chemistry, and biomedical engineering.

MISSION

You will be responsible for studying the effect of particle interactions on the rheology of a suspension of deformable particles.

Principal activities

This research lies at the intersection of complex fluid dynamics, soft matter physics and numerical modeling, with broad applications in biology, food science, environmental engineering and pharmaceutics. While our group has extensively studied soft particle dynamics under flow, the effect of inter-particle forces has not yet been incorporated into our models.

The main objectives are to:

• Develop new theoretical models for inter-particle forces.

• Integrate these models into our in-house 3D simulations, which already accounts for two-way fluid–structure interactions.

• Validate the extended models through collaborations with our partners conducting experiments on capsule fabrication and rheological measurements.

Context

Understanding the behavior of soft particles in flow remains a major challenge, particularly when it comes to controlling their dynamics for industrial and biomedical applications. This project focuses on fluid-filled soft particles enclosed by a thin, deformable membrane, commonly referred to as capsules. For the first time, we aim to investigate how microscale chemical and physical interactions between particles influence the macroscopic rheology of suspensions.

In both natural systems (e.g., red blood cells) and engineered capsules, inter-particle interactions arise from mechanisms such as adhesion, friction and electrostatic forces. Their impact on suspension rheology remains largely unexplored. Studies on rigid particles have shown that adhesive interactions can lead to aggregation, accumulation and wall adhesion. This project will explore similar phenomena in soft particles, systematically varying particle deformability and interaction strength.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Application dates

From 18 December 2025 to 18 January 2026

Type of contract and expected start date

Fixed-term contract – expected duration of 13 months – to start in February 2026

Gross monthly salary

Depending on experience and funding

Hours per week

1,607 hours/year

We are seeking a skilled scientific programmer with:

• Experience in Linux/Unix, Fortran/C/C++, MPI and ParaView

• A passion for computational physics

• Expertise in numerical methods for CFD and fluid-structure interaction (FSI)

• Proficiency in intensive and parallel computing.

Qualifications, education

Qualification: PhD

Field of study: fluid mechanics, physics or chemistry.