Doctoral student in Fire Safety - Hiring in process/Finished, not possible to apply

Description of the workplace

The department of building and environmental technology includes several divisions conducting research and teaching related society's needs for infrastructure and construction. As part of this, consideration of safety aspects and development of methods for managing fire risks in society is also included. 

Fire safety research relates to physical and chemical processes associated with the origin, growth, spread and extinguishing of fires, interactions between fire and buildings/facilities, systems for preventing or detecting fire or limiting its consequences, and evacuation and human behavior in fire. The general objective is to find cost-effective and innovative methods of keeping damage to people, the environment and property at an acceptable level.

The work is usually carried out in smaller research groups linked to a certain subject area and characterized by an interdisciplinary activity in both research and teaching. At the division of fire safety engineering, fire and safety-related research is conducted and the group consists of around 20 researchers and administrative staff. 

The work environment is characterized by commitment, cooperation, creativity and personal responsibility. It is stimulating work with varied tasks, which is why there are good opportunities for professional development.

Subject description

The doctoral position relates to the area of fire safety in complex scenarios and environments. The position refers to the development, use and testing of tools and models for fire risk analysis and decision support related to fire safety design and/or firefighting in complex scenarios and environments (e.g., tunnels and/or wildfires). This includes both fire modelling as well as evacuation/human behaviour in fire modelling tools. Research in this field is performed through several projects that Lund University is conducting, including a collaboration project together with Cantene s.r.l. in the domain of fire risk analysis in tunnels and several international projects in the domain of fire safety. 

Work duties

The work will involve development, use and validation of tools to perform risk analysis and provide decision support in complex fire scenarios. The position may also involve conducting experiment. The doctoral student will be involved in the development, testing and validation of a multi-zone modelling simulation tool for tunnels called MZ.

The main duties of the doctoral student are to devote him/herself to his/her research studies which includes participating in research projects and third cycle courses. The work duties will 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 Fire Safety if the applicant has: 

• a BSc in Fire Protection Engineering comprising 210 credits, or
• a second-cycle degree in a relevant field

Additional requirements

• Very good oral and written proficiency in English.

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:

• Experience with the fire or evacuation domain
• Experience with development and use of models for fire safety engineering applications
• Familiarity with programming languages (e.g. Python, Java, C#, Matlab)

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

We offer
Lund University is a public authority which means that employees get particular benefits, generous annual leave and an advantageous occupational pension scheme. 

Read more on the University website about being a Lund University employee Work at Lund University. 

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 §§.

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.). You are also asked to answer the job specific questions.

Welcome to apply!