PhD student in Energy Systems, industrial sustainability and digitalization

We are now looking for a PhD student in Energy Systems for a project on industrial sustainability and digitalization.

Your work assignments

The industry is facing major challenges related to energy efficiency, flexibility, and sustainability. Within this research project, Linköping University is collaborating with leading industrial companies to develop digital analysis and decision-support tools that enable energy-intensive industries to plan and optimize their production based on energy demand, power consumption, and sustainability.

The current PhD position focuses on analyzing how digitalization and data-driven production planning affect industrial sustainability—from economic, environmental, and social perspectives.

Your work assignments:

• Conduct life cycle cost analyses (LCC) to assess the economic impacts of implementing digital decision-support systems in energy-intensive industries, including potential energy and power cost savings and participation in flexibility markets.
• Develop environmental scenario analyses, evaluating different implementation levels of the energy management tool with respect to energy use and greenhouse gas emissions.
• Design and carry out workshops and stakeholder dialogues with industrial actors to analyze social sustainability factors and related barriers and enablers, such as competence needs, user acceptance, inclusion and gender equality, in the context of digital and data-driven transitions.
• Compile and analyze data from industry partners and communicate and publish research results in scientific journals and at international conferences.
• Contribute to the research group and the overall project through interdisciplinary collaboration.

As a PhD student, you devote most of your time to doctoral studies and the research projects of which you are part. Your work will also include teaching or other departmental duties, up to a maximum of 20% of full-time.

Your qualifications

You have graduated at Master’s level in a subject of central relevance to the field of Sustainable Systems or completed courses with a minimum of 240 credits, at least 60 of which must be in advanced courses of relevance for the subject.

Your degree must be completed no later than the date when the employment decision is made.

The ability to write and communicate in English is a requirement. The work will be conducted in collaboration with other researchers and industry partners, making the ability to collaborate with others essential. You should also enjoy sharing your work and results with both internal and external stakeholders.

Previous experience with energy or environmental systems analysis, LCC (life cycle cost analysis), scenario analysis, interviews, and workshops is considered a merit.

Your workplace

The Division of Energy Systems is one of the leading research and educational organizations in its field, conducting research from a systems perspective with an interdisciplinary approach. This means that the focus is not only on developing technical solutions but also on understanding decision-making processes within industry and the public sector.  Both education and research are largely interdisciplinary and are conducted in close cooperation with other academic institutions, industry, and public administration. Read more at Energy Systems.

The employment

When taking up the post, you will be admitted to the program for doctoral studies. More information about the doctoral studies at each faculty is available at Doctoral studies at Linköping University

The employment has a duration of normally four years’ full-time equivalent. Extension of employment up to five years is based on the degree of teaching and institutional assignment. Further extensions may be granted in exceptional circumstances. You will initially be employed for one year, after which your employment will be renewed for a maximum of two years at a time, depending on your progress through the study plan. 

Starting date by agreement.

Salary and employment benefits

The salary of PhD students is determined according to a locally negotiated salary progression.

More information about employment benefits at Linköping University is available here.

Union representatives

Information about union representatives, see Help for applicants.

Application procedure

Apply for the position by clicking the “Apply” button below. Your application must reach Linköping University no later than August 12, 2025.

Applications and documents received after the date above will not be considered.