PhD Student in Machine Elements

Luleå University of Technology is in strong growth with world-leading competence in several research areas. We shape the future through innovative education and ground-breaking research results, and based on the Arctic region, we create global social benefit. Our scientific and artistic research and education are conducted in close collaboration with international, national and regional companies, public actors and leading universities. Luleå University of Technology has a total turnover of SEK 1.9 billion per year. We currently have 1,840 employees and 17,670 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.Are you interested in developing hydropower energy production and make it even more sustainable? Within the Swedish centre of sustainable hydropower, we are now looking for a PhD student who will work with research with a focus on developing and evaluating new types of environmentally acceptable lubricants. Emphasis is placed on the evaluation of lubricant service life and establishing lubricant selection guidelines in cooperation with Swedish hydropower industry. As part of our research team, you will have the opportunity to develop your expertise in tribology, collaborate across disciplines, and conduct research in close partnership with industry.

You will work at the research subject Machine Elements, where the research is primarily focused on tribology and its applications. The research group today consists of around 40 researchers and doctoral students and is one of the leading tribology research groups in Europe.

The research is both of a fundamental and of an applied nature and often takes place in close collaboration with Swedish and international industry.

Project description
An environmentally acceptable lubricant possesses desirable qualities in terms of its ability to biodegrade, its lack of aquatic toxicity, and its low potential for bioaccumulation. There is a wide range of different fluids that can be used in environmentally acceptable lubricants ranging from hydrocarbon- to water-based fluids. Currently, there are uncertainties regarding the lifetime as well as both technical and environmental performance for the different types of lubricants. The aim of the project is to guide the hydropower industry to make informed decisions about the adoption of environmentally acceptable lubricants and greases and thus ensuring that the industry can maintain fossil-free and safe hydropower facilities with long life spans. The project will contribute with knowledge on the technical and environmental performance of a lubricant which is important to ensure sustainable, cost-effective and reliable production.

The work will be performed within the Swedish Centre for Sustainable Hydropower. The Swedish Centre for Sustainable Hydropower, SVC, is a competence centre where the hydropower industry, academia and governmental authorities collaborate to ensure that hydropower can continue to be an enabler for a well-balanced and environmentally sustainable Swedish energy system under changing conditions. Sustainable, safe and optimized hydropower are some of the most important factors in Sweden’s transition to a sustainable energy system. Swedish Centre for Sustainable Hydropower is anchored in the latest technical and environmental research with participation from seven universities and stakeholders from industry and government agencies. Interdisciplinary research and innovative solutions strengthen Sweden’s hydropower position and ability to meet new conditions in the energy system.

Duties
As a doctoral student, you are trained in scientific work in the form of conducting research, publishing scientific articles in journals and presentations at national and international conferences. You also study compulsory and optional doctoral courses. In addition, you can have the opportunity to try out the teaching role. As a researcher, you work as a neutral party in many contexts, which provides a fantastic opportunity to learn how to run challenging development projects. The work as a PhD student in Machine Elements is mainly experimental, which requires good practical skills and detailed knowledge of tribology, tribological tests, surface analysis and material characterization.

Qualifications
Applicants with a completed MSc engineering degree in materials science, mechanical engineering or equivalent are welcome to apply. You should have very good communication skills and be fluent in spoken and written English. During the evaluation, special emphasis is placed on:


• Knowledge relevant to the current project
• The quality of the MSc thesis
• Personal characteristics relevant to research

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

Information
Employment as a doctoral student is time-limited to 4 years, teaching and other department duties can add up to 20% of full-time which can prolong the duration of the employment to up to 5 years. Place of employment is Luleå and the intended start is as soon as possible.

For further information, please contact senior lecturer Kim Berglund, 0920-49 3051, kim.berglund@ltu.se and Professor Pär Marklund, 0920-49 2415, par.marklund@ltu.se

Union representative:
SACO-S Kjell Johansson, 0920-49 1529 kjell.johansson@ltu.se
OFR-S Lars Frisk, 0920-49 1792 lars.frisk@ltu.se

For complete vacancy announcement please visit ltu.se/openpositions

Application
We prefer that you apply for the position via the application button below, where you attach a personal letter as well as a CV/curriculum vitae and copies of verified diplomas and MSc thesis. Please mark your application with the reference number below. Both the application and degree certificate must be written in Swedish or English.

Application deadline: July 31, 2023
Reference number: 2094-2023