PhD student position in Applied mathematics

About the department
The Department of Mathematical Sciences at Chalmers University of Technology and the University of Gothenburg has about 170 employees, and is the largest department of mathematical sciences in Sweden. The department conducts successful research in pure and applied mathematics and mathematical statistics in a wide range of research areas.

We are located in a modern building at the center of Chalmers Johanneberg campus. More information about us can be found on our website http://www.chalmers.se/math/

Major responsibilities
One Ph.D. position is available in applied mathematics. The focus will be on development of models and methods for solving biological and biomedical problems where data are collected from multiple individuals. Mathematical models make it possible to study biological processes that occur inside cells or within humans. When combined with experimental data from individual cells/humans it is possible to quantify individual properties such as the rate of metabolic reactions, calculate sensitivity to perturbations, and quantify variability within and between individual subjects.

Cancer and metabolic diseases are often the results of complex and multi-factorial changes. This results in great variability within disease phenotypes. Variability may arise from heterogeneity on different levels, ranging from single cells to populations of healthy and disease subjects.To extract relevant information from such complex systems, approaches that simultaneously accounts for individual and population (mixed effects) behavior are needed.

The focus of this position will be on development of methods for mixed effects models of dynamical systems based on data from human clinical studies on lipid metabolism. The research program also includes projects in bio-physics and cancer modeling.

As a PhD student you will be a part of an international and multidisciplinary research environment while you expand your knowledge of the field and write your thesis.  You are expected to develop your own ideas, work both autonomously and in collaboration with mathematicians, biologists, physicists and medical doctors, and communicate scientific results orally as well as in written form. The position will include 20 % departmental work, mostly teaching duties.

Position summary
Full-time temporary employment. The position is limited to a maximum of five years.

Qualifications
To qualify as a PhD student, you must have a master's level degree corresponding to at least 240 higher education credits in mathematical statistics, mathematics, physics, or any equivalent topic with a strong background in mathematics (obtained latest June 2014).

Previous experience in computing and having good programming skills (e.g. Matlab, Mathematica, R, C/C++) would be desirable. The bachelor's level teaching is normally in Swedish, although the teaching at the master's and PhD levels is in English. Thus, good language skills are required.

Chalmers continuously strives to be an attractive employer. Equality and diversity are substantial foundations in all activities at Chalmers.

Application procedure
The application should be marked with Ref 20140244 and written in English. The application should be sent electronically via Chalmers webpage.

Application deadline: August 14, 2014

For questions, please contact:
Martin Adiels, email: adiels@chalmers.se, +46 (0)736 221833
Bernt Wennberg, email: wennberg@chalmers.se, +46 (0)31 7725326

*** Chalmers declines to consider all offers of further announcement publishing or other types of support for the recruiting process in connection with this position. *** 
   


Chalmers University of Technology conducts research and education in engineering sciences, architecture, technology-related mathematical sciences, natural and nautical sciences, working in close collaboration with industry and society. The strategy for scientific excellence focuses on our eight Areas of Advance; Built Environment, Energy, Information & Communication Technology, Life Science, Materials Science, Nanoscience & Nanotechnology, Production and Transport. The aim is to make an active contribution to a sustainable future using the basic sciences as a foundation and innovation and entrepreneurship as the central driving forces. Chalmers has around 11,000 students and 3,000 employees. New knowledge and improved technology have characterised Chalmers since its foundation in 1829, completely in accordance with the will of William Chalmers and his motto: Avancez!