Job Description
This Master’s Thesis offers the opportunity to work on a high-impact engineering project at the intersection of pharmaceutical manufacturing, heat transfer, and computational modelling. The selected candidate will contribute to the development of a multiscale numerical workflow designed to predict the thermal history of pharmaceutical glass containers moving through depyrogenation tunnels, a critical process step in aseptic manufacturing.
This project is part of a broader industrial digital twin initiative aimed at extending thermal assessment beyond standard qualification scenarios. It offers the chance to apply advanced simulation methods to a real industrial challenge, supporting process understanding, validation, and future digitalization efforts in a highly regulated environment.
Main Activities:
·Analyse available qualification and experimental data related to depyrogenation tunnel performance;
·Extract and structure boundary conditions for thermal and flow simulations;
·Develop Python-based tools, including a vial-array pre-processor and supporting numerical utilities;
·Implement and use thermal solvers to estimate vial temperature evolution;
·Perform micro-scale CFD simulations to derive heat-transfer inputs for the larger model;
·Support macro-scale CFD simulations of the depyrogenation tunnel environment;
·Compare model predictions with an available experimental case for preliminary validation.
Qualifications
We are looking for an MSc student with a structured and analytical mindset, a strong interest in Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), heat transfer, and numerical modelling, and a practical approach to coding and experimental data interpretation. Experience with Python is highly valuable, and familiarity with Ansys Fluent or similar CFD tools would be considered a plus.
Preferred academic backgrounds include Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or related disciplines. Candidates from compatible fields with relevant modelling experience are also welcome. Good written and spoken English is required.
· Starting date: September 2026