Postdoc in Computational models for a safe interaction

How can we make micromobility safe? Well, first we need to understand how vehicles and e-scooterists interact in traffic. One way we can archive this understanding is by modeling the dynamics of micromobility vehicles (you will focus on e-scooters) and how they interact with larger vehicles (such as cars and trucks). This project will use experimental data to create models and naturalistic data to verify the models. The work of this post-doc fellow will contribute to several sustainable development goals, i.e. 3.6 and 11.2. We are looking for a creative candidate who wants to address a timely and concrete issue in transportation and leverage a collaborative environment to increase our understanding of traffic safety.

Project description
Today, micro-mobility is on the rise, posing new challenges for a safe transport system. As e-scooters have proliferated, so have e-scooterists' visits to emergency care. Today, data about e-scooter safety are scarce but alarming. While several studies describe significant injurious outcomes from e-scooter crashes, we still lack an understanding of the injury and crash-causation mechanisms, and we are even further from developing effective countermeasures against e-scooter crashes.

In the vehicle safety division we apply human factors and engineering to better understand the safety problem and find solutions. Specifically, within the group for Crash Analysis and Prevention (CAP), we create mathematical models that can explain how user behave in traffic and crash causation mechanisms. Such models may be used in intelligent vehicle systems and automated vehicles to prevent crashes. This post-doc position will focus on providing models for automated vehicles and active safety systems.

Information about the division and the department
The research will be conducted in the division of Vehicle Safety at Chalmers within the CAP group. CAP's mission is to understand why crashes happen and how they can be prevented, where driver modeling and virtual safety benefit assessment are two core strategic research areas of the group - research in the boarder between human factors and engineering. Both collaborations inside Chalmers research groups and with different stakeholders are important for the success of this project. Therefore, the post-doctoral fellow will work close to researchers at CAP and within the SAFER network, participating to meetings at different locations near Göteborg. About eight PhD students are currently part of CAP. Two of them focus on micromobility and will collaborate with the post-doctoral fellow in this project, for instance by sharing models and tools for data processing.

Major responsibilities
The research in this position will focus on modeling road-user behaviour using data from test-track and naturalistic data. The model development will be based on previous literature/models and different data sources, such as naturalistic driving data and data from test-track and driving simulator experiments. The models may be implemented and verified in virtual simulations, using program languages such as Python and Matlab.

Other responsibilities as a post-doc fellow at Chalmers include project management and contributing to writing research reports and project applications. Of course, publishing research articles on international scientific journals is one of the main goals for this position.

Because this project is shared across several partners and involves several stakeholders, communication and collaboration are also key aspects for the project. We expect, therefore, that this post-doc fellow will support and develop our collaborations within Chalmers and the SAFER network.
It is also very important for the post-doc fellow to be team-player and support a healthy job environment where honesty, respect, and transparency are among our core values.

Qualifications
A successful candidate should, at least, have successfully completed a Doctorate program in engineering by the time the position starts. Excellent knowledge of the English language (both oral and written) is a requirement, as is an extensive experience in programming (e.g. Python). Project work and work experience in the following domains is meritorious:
a) modeling vulnerable-road-user behavior with Bayesian statistics
b) field data collection and analysis
c) instrumentation of vehicles
d) analysis of naturalistic and driving simulator data for the purpose of modeling human behavior.

As the work will be conducted in a highly multi-cultural and multi-disciplinary environment, cultural awareness and good collaboration and communication skills are fundamental. It is equally important that the successful candidate is quality-conscious and a problem solver. As a post-doctoral fellow you also have to be responsible, creative, and curious.

The position requires sound verbal and written communication skills in English. Swedish is not a requirement but Chalmers offers Swedish courses.

Contract terms
This postdoc position is a full-time temporary employment for two years (it may be extended to three years).

We offer
Chalmers offers a cultivating and inspiring working environment in the coastal city of Gothenburg. 
Read more about working at Chalmers and our benefits for employees.

Chalmers aims to actively improve our gender balance. We work broadly with equality projects, for example the GENIE Initiative on gender equality for excellence. Equality and diversity are substantial foundations in all activities at Chalmers.

Application deadline: 18-02-2023