Doctoral student in Electrical Engineering focusing on analog electronics and modeling for 6G - Hiring in process/Finished, not possible to apply

Description of the workplace

The research at The Division for Integrated Electronic Systems (IES) at The Department of Electrical and Information Technology (EIT) is a balanced effort combining system and circuit design aspects. Our excellence is the design of integrated circuits (chips) in advanced nanometer CMOS technologies, including digital signal processors, radio frequency and millimeter wave front-ends, data converters, as well as larger systems with a mixture of analog and digital signals. 

You will mainly work within the Large Intelligent Surfaces (LIS) Project, funded by the Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research (SSF). 
More about LIS and SSF (strategiska.se/LIS)

At IES, we are also co-hosting the multi-disciplinary research center ”Multidisciplinary Research Centre for Semiconductor System Design” (classIC), for semiconductor system design, funded by the SSF.
More about classIC (in Swedish)

Our team includes faculty, researchers, and administrative staff, fostering a rich intellectual environment for collaboration. We offer a supportive work environment, promoting work-life balance and professional growth. New employees can engage in cutting-edge research, educational initiatives, and industry collaborations, contributing to our mission of advancing integrated circuits and systems design.

Subject description

This position requires undertaking modeling, design, and implementation of RF front-end for large intelligent surfaces (LISs), a form of extreme-scale distributed MIMO (D-MIMO), intended for the forthcoming 6G wireless connectivity. Our project aims to develop design guidelines for these LISs and construct the next-generation LuMaMi testbed, called LuLIS (Lund University Large Intelligent Surface testbed), using cutting-edge digital platforms, with a concurrent effort to develop and implement a custom RF transceiver chip to achieve the utmost integration and energy efficiency. An important task is to model non-idealities of the RF front-end and identify trade-offs on the system level design of extreme-scale D-MIMO systems targeting a good balance between performance and energy efficiency. 

Work duties

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 will also include teaching and other departmental duties (no more than 20%).

The work duties are mainly:

• Research within the subject area, as described above.
• Supervision of degree projects and MSc students.
• Teaching in the first, second, and third cycles of studies.
• Collaboration with industry and wider society.
• Administration related to the work duties listed above.

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 Electrical Engineering if the applicant has: 

• at least 60 second-cycle credits in subjects of relevance to electrical engineering, or 
• a MSc in Engineering in biomedical engineering, computer science, electrical engineering, engineering mathematics, nanoengineering, engineering physics or information and communication engineering.

Additional requirements:

• Very good oral and written proficiency in English.
• Experience with theoretical and practical aspects of discrete and integrated circuits, including system design for wireless connectivity.
• Good knowledge on different implementation methods of RF and/or mm-wave transceivers for advanced wireless applications.

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:

• Knowledge in the general area of wireless connectivity and in particular modeling of circuits and systems intended to be used in a D-MIMO architecture.
• Experience with implementation and verification of integrated circuits in advanced CMOS and FDSOI process nodes, starting from developing system-level requirements along with using advanced CAD tools for the design and implementation of the chips. 
• Knowledge about PCB design and evaluation for RF, analog, or mixed-signal applications.
• Experience of working with modern measurement instruments for chip characterization and verification at RF and/or mm-wave frequencies. 

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 §§.
The start date is as soon as possible according to agreement, however no later than September 1, 2024, or as soon as possible thereafter.

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.).

Welcome to apply!