Assistant Professor in Industrial Electrical Engineering with a focus on electrical energy storage

The Department of Biomedical Engineering at Lund University, Faculty of Engineering invites applications for a position as Assistant Professor in Industrial Electrical Engineering with a focus on electrical energy storage. 

Description of the workplace

The workplace is the Division of Industrial Electrical Engineering and Automation (IEA) (https://www.lth.se/iea/english/), which conducts all research on power electronics, electrical machines, and power grids at Lund University. IEA has 2 professors, 6 associate professors, 1 postdoc and 18 PhD students and a laboratory technician. The activities are conducted in close collaboration with researchers in neighboring divisions and departments dealing with control engineering, fuel cell technology, thermodynamics and fluid mechanics, fire and fire protection and semiconductor physics. IEA also has central roles in LTH's profile area The Energy Transition.

IEA's research also takes place in collaboration with relevant industry and national competence centers such as the Swedish Electro Mobility Centre (https://emobilitycentre.se/) and the Swedish Electricity Storage and Balancing Centre (https://www.sesbc.se/). IEA has central leadership roles in both. Examples of research results with tangible impact are all the power electronics in the accelerator gallery of the European Spallation Source (https://europeanspallationsource.se/) and the development of conductive electric road technology within the project Evolution Road (https://www.evolutionroad.se/).

The IEA works towards the global sustainability goals and there is a high demand for courses related to the energy transition. Teaching contributes to a stimulating work environment with a lot of interaction with students.

IEA is located in the Mechanical Engineering Building (https://maps.app.goo.gl/w2uEKM6FQuTskaLG6) on LTH Campus Lund in newly renovated laboratories for power electronics, electric power systems, electric drive systems and battery systems. Our laboratories are directly connected to laboratories for fuel cell technology, solar and wind power in a structure that forms a microgrid with up to 200 kW power. 

We strive for a relaxed and inclusive work environment with an equal gender distribution. Several of the senior researchers with a battery focus at LTH are women.

The position is part of the Swedish government's COMPEL initiative for research and education in electrification and battery technology. Thanks to this initiative, the position includes funds for the employment of a postdoc and a PhD student. 

COMPEL, "COMPetence for the ELectrification of the transport system", is a strategic initiative by the Swedish government, aimed at strengthening research and educational environments within battery technology and electrification. Within COMPEL, the three institutions - Chalmers University of Technology, Lund University, and Uppsala University – in consultation with Swedish industry, deepen their collaboration with the aim of strengthening Sweden's position in battery technology contributing to the electrification of the transport sector, and related areas. The three institutions aim to enhance research and education in the battery sector to ensure strong research in battery technology supporting that electrification of the transport sector is maintained and further developed in Sweden. Research within COMPEL spans the entire battery value chain: materials research, research on new cell concepts and cell manufacturing, battery systems and system integration, recycling, and safety.

At Lund University with the Faculty of Engineering (LTH), COMPEL is a strategic initiative aimed at enhancing research environments in battery technology and electrification, in a manner that complements relevant research at other institutions and builds on our strengths. COMPEL at Lund University initially includes researchers from ten departments, and three areas of research have been identified for strategic development: materials research, integration of batteries with power electronics, and safe energy storage. On the educational side, the number of students in several of the Master programs is being increased, and the course offerings related to battery technology and electrification are being strengthened.

Subject

Industrial Electrical Engineering with a focus on electrical energy storage.

Subject description

The purpose of the position is to build competence in the following knowledge areas:

1. Power electronic and control engineering design from component level to system with a particular focus on flexibility to operate in pack-level battery systems with a wide range of nominal battery capacity, chemical and physical form, age, cooling conditions, etc. 

2. Testing, characterization, and modelling of battery properties with respect to charge (SOC), ageing (SOH) and temperature and temperature distribution.

Work duties

Employment as an assistant professor is a tenure track position, which aims for the holder to develop their independence as a researcher and educator. The work duties mainly involve research and teaching. The position includes the opportunity to undertake five weeks of training in teaching and learning in higher education. 

Work duties include:

• Research within the subject area.
• Teaching in the first, second and third cycles of studies.
• Supervision of degree projects and doctoral students.
• Actively seeking external research funding.
• Collaboration with industry and wider society.
• Administration related to the work duties listed above.
• Experimental work in power electronics lab 
• Collaboration with research groups in related fields, from power electronic component development at chip level to control of electric power systems.

Qualification requirements 

Qualification requirements for employment as an assistant professor are fulfilled by someone who has been awarded a doctorate or has the corresponding research competence. 

Primary consideration should be given to someone who has been awarded a doctorate or achieved the equivalent competence within five years of the deadline for application for employment as an assistant professor. However, someone who has been awarded a doctorate or achieved the equivalent expertise at an earlier date may also be considered if there are special grounds. Special grounds are sick leave, parental leave or other similar circumstances.

Assessment criteria

For appointment to assistant professor, the following shall form the assessment criteria:

• A good ability to develop and carry out high quality research.
• Teaching ability. 

Additional requirements

• Very good oral and written proficiency in English.
• Experience of work in a power electronics laboratory.
• Collaborative skills, initiative and the ability to solve work tasks independently, as well as a demonstrated interest in leadership.

Other qualifications

Significant documented research experience (e.g. from postdoc or doctoral studies) from another university/institute or relevant experience from industry/public sector.

The extent to which the applicant, through their experience and skills, may complement and strengthen ongoing research, undergraduate education, departmental innovation, and how they can contribute to the future development of the department will also be taken into consideration.

Terms of employment

This is a full-time, fixed-term employment of 6 years. The employment is regulated in accordance with Chapter 4 Section 12a§ HEA. The purpose of the appointment is for the teacher to be given the opportunity to develop research autonomy and acquire the scholarly and teaching qualifications required for eligibility for appointment as a senior lecturer.

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:
https://www.lunduniversity.lu.se/about-university/work-lund-university. 

Instructions on how to apply

Applications shall be written in English. Please draw up the application in accordance with LTH’s Academic qualifications portfolio – see link below. Upload the application as PDF-files in the recruitment system. Read more:

http://www.lth.se/english/working-at-lth/to-apply-for-academic-positions-at-lth/

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Promotion to Senior Lecturer in Industrial Electrical Engineering with a focus on electrical energy storage 

During the period of employment, an assistant professor can apply for promotion to a permanent position as Senior Lecturer if he or she has the required qualifications listed below, and is deemed suitable. An assistant professor can only apply for promotion once.

Qualification requirements

Appointment to senior lecturer requires that the applicant has: 

• A PhD or corresponding research competence or professional expertise considered important with regard to the subject matter of the post and the work duties it will involve.
• Demonstrated teaching expertise. 
• Completed five weeks of training in higher education teaching and learning, or acquired equivalent knowledge by other means. 

Assessment criteria

The assessment criteria specify the aspects to be considered, and the level to be achieved, for the assessment criteria to be deemed fulfilled. The following assessment criteria must be fulfilled for appointment to senior lecturer:

• A good national and international standing as a researcher. The requirement for international experience shall be assessed with consideration to the character and traditions of the subject.
• Good teaching ability, including a good ability to conduct, develop and lead teaching and other educational activities on different levels and using a variety of teaching methods.
• An ability to supervise doctoral students to achieve a PhD.
• An ability to collaborate with wider society and communicate his or her activities.
• A general ability to lead and develop activities.

Additional requirements

• Good ability to collaborate, independence and drive.
• Sufficient knowledge of Swedish to carry out administrative and educational tasks that require an understanding of Swedish.
• Progression in research and teaching expertise.
• Demonstrated ability to attract external research funding in competition.