Doctoral student in Building Physics with a focus on Building and Energy Modelling - Hiring in process/Finished, not possible to apply

Subject description

The division of Building Physics expands its research in the subject area about impact assessment of climate change on buildings in urban areas and investigating innovative energy solutions and management systems to enhance climate resilience, energy flexibility and user comfort in urban areas. The PhD position has a special focus on energy management solutions at the building and urban scales using both physics and AI-based solutions.

This PhD project aims at designing and testing innovative demand side management (DSM) systems with the help of artificial intelligence (AI). The developed DSM should facilitate the simple and secure communication and control of buildings and energy systems in a scalable manner (from building to urban scale). The project gains from a multidisciplinary consortium as well as the developed knowledge in the previous and ongoing projects of the team.

Work duties

The PhD candidate is supposed to investigate the theoretical basis of developing and integrating AI-based approaches (e.g. Reinforcement Learning) into energy management while accounting for user comfort, sustainability, and climate change adaptation. The major research goals are:

• Further development of the theoretical basis to optimally manage complex systems using AI, considering multiple agents and objectives.
• Designing DSM to control multifaceted energy systems with (multi-agent) complex interactions, considering user comfort and health, energy price, and climate variations and extremes.
• Designing a scalable system (from building to urban scale) with a minimum need for ICT upgrade and data sharing.
• Including human health into decision making through developing an AI-based early-warning system, with a special focus on vulnerable groups.
• Enhancing the energy management solution towards increased sustainability, flexibility and climate resilience.

The main duties of doctoral students are to devote themselves to their research studies which includes participating in research projects and third cycle courses. The work duties can also include teaching and other departmental duties (no more than 20%).

Admission requirements

A person meets the general admission requirements for third-cycle courses and study programmes if the applicant:

• 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 substantially equivalent knowledge in some other way in Sweden or abroad.

A person meets the specific admission requirements for third cycle studies in Building Physics if the applicant has:

• at least 90 credits in subjects of relevance to the field including at least 60 second-cycle credits and a second-cycle degree project of at least 30 credits in the field, or
• a second-cycle degree in a relevant field

Additional requirements

• Very good oral and written proficiency in English.
• MSc in a relevant field such as Mechnical Engineering, Eleterical Engineering, and Civil Engineering.
• Good knowledge of programming languages.
• Experience of working with building energy simulation tools such as EnergyPlus and IDA ICE.
• Creativity and critical thinking.
• Good communication and collaborative skills is needed, since the candidate is supposed to collborate with several other researchers around the world.

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 cycle. Special attention is paid to the following:

1. Knowledge and skills relevant to the thesis project and the subject of study.
2. An assessment of ability to work independently and to formulate and tackle research problems.
3. Written and oral communication skills.
4. Other experience relevant to the third-cycle studies, e.g. professional experience.

Other assessment criteria:

• Good knowledge of data analysis and statistics.
• Strong analytical and calculation skills.
• Knowledge in Swedish is an advantage with regards to teaching.
• Good knowledge of Python.

Consideration will also be given to good collaborative skills, drive and independence, and how the applicant, through the applicants experience and skills, is deemed to have the abilities necessary for successfully completing the third cycle programme.

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% departmental duties). 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 project 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.).