PhD Student in Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS)

Luleå University of Technology experiences rapid growth with world-leading expertise within several research domains. We shape the future through innovative education and groundbreaking research results and drawing on our location in the Arctic region, we create global societal benefit. Our scientific and artistic research and education are carried out in close collaboration with international, national and regional companies, public actors and leading universities. Luleå University of Technology has an annual turnover of SEK 1.9 billion. Today, we have 1,815 staff and 19,155 students.

In the coming years, multi-billion investments will be made in large projects in Northern Sweden to create a fossil-free society both nationally and globally. Luleå University of Technology is involved in several of these cutting-edge research projects and in the societal transformation that they entail. We offer a broad range of courses and study programmes to match the skills in demand. We hope that you will help us to build the sustainable companies and societies of the future.The EISLAB division of the Department of Computer Science, Electrical and Space Engineering conducts research within Cyber-Physical Systems, Internet of Things, Systems-of-Systems automation, Machine Learning, Deep Learning, Data Science, Electronic systems design, and sensor systems. EISLAB is involved in several large European projects on distributed system construction with a focus on IoT, systems of systems (SoS), and CPS.

Our research is conducted in close collaboration with industries such as Scania, Volvo, Bosch, Ericsson, Philips, Infineon, Boliden, LKAB, SKF, and leading international universities. A major result is the Eclipse Arrowhead, an open-source software framework for industrial automation widely supported by European industry.

Subject description
Cyber-Physical Systems focuses on integrated software and application architectures with implementations of massively distributed embedded systems that interact with each other and their environment to enable secure, goal-driven, autonomous, and evolvable solutions.

Project description
You will work in a project on secure data sharing in decentralized systems for Digital Product Passports (DPPs) associated with Creaternity's graduate school. Creaternity is one of the future areas of research at the Luleå University of Technology. It gathers researchers all over the university for research on sustainable material use in a connected and circular economy.

DPPs will be mandated for many products, e.g., batteries for electric vehicles, and will carry up-to-date information over the product life cycle. In this, you will focus on the protocols and mechanisms needed to realize and use DPPs for the to facilitate sustainable development, use, repair, recycling, or disposal of products. Moreover, the improvement of product design, industrial production and processes, and the end-of-life management of products and materials will be addressed. For the realization of DPPs, distributed and decentralized systems will be investigated, e.g., blockchains and distributed hash tables.

Duties
As a PhD student, you work towards a Doctoral degree as the final goal. Most of your time will be devoted to experimental research based on existing open-source software and own code. This means to develop proof-of-concept solutions for demonstration and evaluation of key properties such as scalability, confidentiality, and security. You will communicate your results with partner companies, and at international conferences and in scientific journals.

To support your dissertation work, you will take courses in the form of third-cycle studies introduction, generic courses on Computer Science, specially designed courses, etc. Your research and coursework will be planned and recorded in your individual study plan throughout your studies. In addition, teaching and other duties at the division or department exist for graduate students, which are limited to 20 % of the maximum five-year period.

Qualifications
We are looking for you who are analytical and motivated who, both alone and in collaboration with others, can carry out advanced research in our research group. The necessary background for applicants is a master’s degree in preferably Computer Science. Also, Electrical Engineering, Engineering Physics, or equivalent will be considered. We also welcome applicants with expected graduation in such degree during 2023.

You must be proficient in Computer Science. Previous experience of working with service-oriented architecture (SOA)/micro-services, IoT, CPS and/or SoS is valuable but not a requirement. You must also possess good programming skills, including software design, basic programming concepts as well as experience from programming in Python, Java, Rust, Go, or similar. Fluency in oral and written communication in English is a requirement.

For further information about a specific subject see: General syllabus for the Board of the faculty of science and technology

Further information
Employment as a PhD student is limited to 4 years, teaching and other department duties may be added with max 20%. Placement: Luleå. Starting: August 2023, or as agreed. 

For further information about the position, please contact Professor Ulf Bodin, +46 920-493036, ulf.bodin@ltu.se

Union representatives:
SACO-S Kjell Johansson (+46)920-49 1529 kjell.johansson@ltu.se  
OFR-S Lars Frisk, (+46)920-49 1792 lars.frisk@ltu.se

In case of different interpretations of the English and Swedish versions of this announcement, the Swedish version takes precedence.

Application
We prefer that you apply for this position by clicking on the apply button below. The application should include a CV, personal letter and copies of verified diplomas from high school and universities. Mark your application with the reference number below. Your application, including diplomas, must be written in English or Swedish.

Closing date for applications: 31 May 2023
Reference number: 1463-2023