Doctoral student in Empirical Analysis of Energy System Resilience

Help shape the future of Europe's electricity system by developing empirical analyses of what drives robustness and reliability in a rapidly changing energy landscape.

About us 

At https://www.chalmers.se/en/departments/env/research/frt/ we study how societies can transition towards sustainability. Building on physics and systems analysis, our interdisciplinary research connects technical and social sciences to address challenges such as climate change, energy transitions and sustainable land use.

The Energy Systems Group studies pathways for the energy transition using a broad systems perspective. We combine modelling approaches with empirical analyses and focus on technologies such as solar power, bioenergy, wind power, nuclear energy, and hydropower. Parts of our research also address the wider energy system, including infrastructure and energy policy issues.

About the research project  

As electricity systems built on renewables and nuclear power become increasingly complex, ensuring robustness and reliability is a central challenge of the energy transition. This project studies how nuclear outages, periods of low wind and solar generation, and increasing electrification affect electricity prices and system stability using an empirical approach. You will work at the intersection of energy systems analysis, economics, and the empirics of the energy transition.

Who we are looking for

The following requirements are mandatory:

• To qualify as a doctoral student, you must have a Master's degree (masterexamen) of 120 credits or a Master's degree (magisterexamen) of 60 credits in engineering, economics, applied mathematics, or a related quantitative field
• Strong written and verbal communication skills in English
• Experience in quantitative analysis, including statistical methods and handling of large datasets

The following experience will strengthen your application: 

• Quantitative energy systems analysis or electricity market modelling
• Knowledge of energy policy or the economics of the energy transition
• Prior research experience with an empirical or analytical focus

What you will do

• Collect and process data from electricity markets and energy system records
• Conduct statistical and quantitative analyses of system robustness
• Write and publish scientific articles in peer-reviewed journals
• Present your research at seminars, workshops, and international conferences
• Take courses at an advanced level within the graduate school
• The position also includes teaching on Chalmers' undergraduate level or performing other duties corresponding to 20 percent of working hours 

Contract terms  

• The Doctoral student positions are fully funded from start. 
• The position is a fixed-term appointment of four years, with the possibility to teach up to 20%, which extends the position up to five years. 
• A starting salary of 34,550 SEK per month (valid from May 25, 2025). 
• Doctoral studies require physical presence throughout the entire study period. A valid residence permit must be presented by the study start date; otherwise the admission may be withdrawn. 

What we offer 

• As a Doctoral student at Chalmers, you are an employee and enjoy all employee benefits. Read more about  https://www.chalmers.se/en/about-chalmers/work-with-us/ and our https://www.chalmers.se/en/about-chalmers/work-with-us/chalmers-as-an-employer/benefits-and-conditions/ for employees. 
• A dynamic and inspiring working environment in the coastal city of https://www.goteborg.com/en. 
• Read more about Sweden’s generous parental leave, subsidized day care, free schools, healthcare etc at https://www.movetogothenburg.com/ 

Chalmers is dedicated to improving gender balance and actively works with equality projects, such as https://www.chalmers.se/en/about-chalmers/organisation-and-governance/equality/genie-gender-initiative-for-excellence/. We celebrate diversity and consider equality and inclusion as fundamental aspects of all our activities. 

If Swedish is not your native language, Chalmers offers Swedish courses to help you settle in.

Find more general information about doctoral studies at Chalmers https://www.chalmers.se/en/research/we-train-new-researchers/about-doctoral-studies/.  

Application procedure 

The application should be written in English and attached as PDF-files, as below. Maximum size for each file is 40 MB. Please note that the system does not support Zip files. 

CV 

Personal letter 

• A brief introduction about yourself. 
• A brief motivation as to why you are interested in this position. 

Research plan

• A brief plan that outlines the main research questions and the method to address them (1-2 pages).

Bachelor’s and, if available, master’s thesis together with the transcripts. 

Use the button at the foot of the page to reach the application form.  

A background check may be conducted as part of the application process.

Please note: The applicant is responsible for ensuring that the application is complete. Incomplete applications and applications sent by email will not be considered. Contact details to references will be requested after the interview. 

We welcome your application no later than June 6th 

For questions, please contact:  

Fredrik Hedenus, professor

Email: mailto:hedenus@chalmers.se

We look forward to your application!