Lund University, Faculty of Engineering, LTH, department of Automatic control

Lund University was founded in 1666 and is repeatedly ranked among the world’s top universities. The University has around 47 000 students and more than 8 800 staff based in Lund, Helsingborg and Malmö. We are united in our efforts to understand, explain and improve our world and the human condition.

Lund University welcomes applicants with diverse backgrounds and experiences. We regard gender equality and diversity as a strength and an asset.

Automatic Control
Automatic Control is an exciting and broad subject, covering both deep mathematics and hands-on engineering. Historically it has been instrumental in many areas, from putting a man on the moon, to the development of the Internet. Today, driven by the need to engineer ever larger systems, Automatic Control has never been more relevant. It is crucial for secure operation of many cutting edge technologies, ranging from integration of renewable energy sources, cloud computing, robotics, Internet of Things and autonomous systems.

Does this sound interesting?

If so, you are welcome to apply for a position as PhD student at the Department of Automatic Control, a world class department with projects in all of the above areas. This time we look for PhD candidates for the following projects:

1. Control of Combustion Engines
The goal with this graduate student project, associated to our Competence Center for Combustion Processes, is to accomplish control of combustion engines for high efficiency and super-low emissions. Important approaches include model-predictive control of thermodynamic variables using crank-angle resolved injection strategies.

2. Robotics
You will work in a multidisciplinary team in the RobotLab, Lund University, where your work will be towards nonlinear control, motion planning, and estimation for industrial and collaborative robots. Ongoing research spans from contact force estimation and control for lead-through programming, machine learning for robot tasks in assembly and manufacturing, to optimal path/trajectory generation, and robots in medical applications.

3. Machine Learning in Control
This PhD project is part of a larger project aiming to bridge the gap between machine learning and control engineering. These research fields have traditionally evolved more or less separately, but in recent years the intersections in terms of applications as well theoretical challenges have been growing. We will study sequential decision making in systems whose dynamics are initially unknown, i.e. with adaptive control or Reinforcement Learning when using the control engineering and machine learning terminologies, respectively.

The department has a stimulating and international environment consisting of PhD students, postdocs and teachers coming from all corners of the world. Research and teaching are conducted in an open and progressive atmosphere with challenges and cooperation both within academia and with industry, with national and international networks. A PhD degree also gives you the perfect base for an exciting career, be it in academia or industry.

Lund University and the Department of Automatic Control welcome applicants with diverse backgrounds and experiences. We regard equality and diversity as a strength and an asset.

Job assignments
The PhD position lasts five years and consists of three main aspects:
- research project, including trips to conferences, seminars etc.,
- postgraduate courses, locally and internationally given (90 credits), and
- teaching (at most 20%), including lab supervision and exam responsibilities. This part also involves professional development working with equality and diversity, arranging events etc.

Admission requirements
A person meets the general admission requirements for third-cycle courses and study programs if he or she:

  • has been awarded a second-cycle qualification, or
  • has satisfied the requirements for courses comprising at least 240 credits of which at least 60 credits were awarded in the second cycle, or
  • has acquired largely equivalent knowledge in some other way, either in Sweden or abroad.

A person meets the specific admission requirements for third cycle studies in Automatic Control if he or she has:

  • knowledge corresponding to FRTF05 Automatic Control, Basic Course and a second cycle specialisation of relevance to the subject, or
  • an MSc in engineering or equivalent.

Additional requirements:

  • Very good oral and written proficiency in English.
  • Good language analytic ability.
  • Curiousness about research and teaching.
  • Creativity with good ability for cooperation and networking.
  • Proactivity.
  • Persistence and a methodological way of working.

Assessment criteria
Selection for third-cycle studies is based on the student’s potential to profit from such studies. The assessment of potential is made primarily on the basis of academic results from the first and second cycles. Special attention is paid to the following:

  • The results of studies at the basic and advanced levels, in particular control engineering, mathematics and closely related topics.
  • The ability to work independently and to formulate and tackle research problems.
  • Written and oral communication skills.
  • Other experience relevant to the third-cycle studies, e.g. professional experience.

Assessment considerations include grades, certificates and references, as well as other relevant experience that demonstrates competences relevant to postgraduate studies. In addition, the candidates will be judged by their drive, creativity and ability to cooperate and work independently.

Terms of employment
Only those admitted to third cycle studies may be appointed to a doctoral studentship. Third cycle studies at LTH consist of full-time studies for 4 years. A doctoral studentship is a fixed-term employment of a maximum of 5 years (including 20% teaching and professional development). Doctoral studentships are regulated in the Higher Education Ordinance (1993:100), chapter 5, 1-7 §§.


Instructions on how to apply
Applications shall be written in English and include a cover letter stating the reasons why you are interested in the position and in what way the research area corresponds to your interests and educational background. The application must also contain a CV, degree certificate or equivalent, and other documents you wish to be considered (grade transcripts, contact information for your references, letters of recommendation, etc.). Those applicants who will be called for interview, will likely be asked to perform a small test to demonstrate basic competence.

Type of employment Temporary position
First day of employment upon agreement
Salary Monthly salary
Number of positions 1
Full-time equivalent 100 %
City Lund
County Skåne län
Country Sweden
Reference number PA2018/1952
Contact
  • Anders Rantzer, +46462228778
  • Anton Cervin, +46462224475
Union representative
  • OFR/ST:Fackförbundet ST:s kansli, 046-222 93 62
  • SACO:Saco-s-rådet vid Lunds universitet, 046-222 93 64
  • SEKO: Seko Civil, 046-222 93 66
Published 19.Jun.2018
Last application date 20.Aug.2018 11:59 PM CEST

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