Doctoral student in fire safety engineering with the focus on combustible facades

Description of the workplace

The department of building and environmental technology includes several divisions conducting research and teaching related to 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.

Being a doctoral student 

As a doctoral student, you are both admitted as a student and employed at Lund University. 

As a doctoral student, you will be trained in a scientific approach. In short, you will be trained to think critically and analytically, to solve problems independently using the right methods, and to develop an awareness of research ethics. In addition, you will have the opportunity to work on projects, to develop your leadership and pedagogical skills. Throughout your studies, you will be guided by supervisors. Doctoral studies end with a thesis and a doctoral degree.

More about being a doctoral student at LTH on lth.se. 

Subject description

The PhD position is focused on research related to the protection of combustible facades, with particular emphasis on the fire performance of wood as a façade material and fire spread to and along vertical wooden surfaces. A central area of study is how surface geometry, such as internal corners and other shapes, affects fire spread.

The research includes both experimental studies at small and medium scales, as well as numerical modeling using CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) tools. The PhD candidate will also work on the development of simplified calculation models and the formulation of guidelines for designing combustible facades to reduce the risk of vertical fire spread.

The research is conducted in collaboration with the research institute RISE, where several fire tests related to the project are planned to be carried out. The position is based at the Division of Fire Safety Engineering at Lund University’s Faculty of Engineering (LTH).

Work duties

You will primarily devote yourself to your doctoral programme, which includes participation in research projects as well as third cycle courses, seminars and conferences. You will play a central role in a research project on combustible facades. In this project, you will collaborate with researchers at RISE and participate in fire tests conducted at their facility in Borås. You will also work with modelling and the development of simplified models within this field.

The duties also include participation in teaching and other departmental work (however, a maximum of 20% of working hours).

Qualifications 

To be eligible for admission and employment as a doctoral student, you must fulfil the requirements below.

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

In order to complete the doctoral programme in question, the following are also required: 

• good ability to work independently and to formulate and tackle research problems. 
• good ability to collaborate
• good ability to take own initiative and ability to drive work forward
• good written and oral communication skills
• very good knowledge of English, spoken and written 

Other qualifications

For the doctoral programme in question, the following are considered as other qualifications: 

• Experience in developing and using models for fire safety applications.
• Experience in experimental work and material behavior under fire conditions.

We offer

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

More about working at Lund University on lu.se. 

About the employment 

The employment is a fixed-term employment at full time, starting as soon as possible. Third cycle studies at LTH consist of full-time studies for 4 years. In the case of teaching and other departmental duties, the employment is extended accordingly. Doctoral studentships are regulated in the Higher Education Ordinance (1993:100), chapter 5, 1-7 §§.

More about terms of employment for doctoral students on Lund University’s Staffpages. 

Other

The recruitment process will begin with a review of applications in mid-August 2025.

How to apply

Applications shall be written in English and include: 

• CV and a cover letter stating the reasons why you are interested in the doctoral programme/employment and in what way the research project corresponds to your interests and educational background. 
• Copies of issued study certificates and/or awarded degree certificates. These must confirm that you meet the general and specific admission requirements for the doctoral programme and show that you have the subject knowledge required for the doctoral programme project. 
• Other documents you wish to be considered (grade transcripts, contact information for your references, letters of recommendation, etc.)

We welcome your application.