PhD position in Discrete Mathematics

Umeå University is one of Sweden’s largest higher education institutions with over 37,000 students and about 4,700 employees. The University offers a diversity of high-quality education and world-leading research in several fields. Notably, the groundbreaking discovery of the CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing tool, which was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, was made here. At Umeå University, everything is close. Our cohesive campuses make it easy to meet, work together and exchange knowledge, which promotes a dynamic and open culture.

The ongoing societal transformation and large green investments in northern Sweden create enormous opportunities and complex challenges. For Umeå University, conducting research about – and in the middle of – a society in transition is key. We also take pride in delivering education to enable regions to expand quickly and sustainably. In fact, the future is made here.

The Department of Mathematics and Mathematical Statistics is opening a PhD position in mathematics focusing on discrete mathematics and combinatorics. The position covers four years of third-cycle studies, including participation in research and third-cycle courses. The last day to apply is the 30th of April 2024.

Project description and tasks
The candidate will conduct research in discrete mathematics and combinatorics (understood broadly) as part of a project supervised by Associate Professor Istvan Tomon. The specific research questions will be determined based on the candidate’s interests. Possible areas of research include (but are not limited to):

• Ramsey theory: the study of unavoidable substructures in large systems such as graphs, hypergraphs, integer sequences, and set families.
• Extremal graph and hypergraph theory: the study of the maximum number of edges of graphs and hypergraphs avoiding certain forbidden subconfigurations.

The Department of Mathematics and Mathematical Statistics has a large research group in discrete mathematics, which runs a weekly seminar and hosts frequent research visitors, as well as occasional workshops and conferences. The successful candidate will be expected to participate in and contribute to the research group's life.

Qualifications
The doctoral student will be admitted for studies at third-cycle subject in Mathematics.

To fulfil the general entry requirements, the applicant must have qualifications equivalent to a completed degree at second-cycle level or completed course requirements of at least 240 ECTS credits, including at least 60 ECTS credits at second-cycle level. 

To fulfil the specific entry requirements to be admitted for studies at third-cycle level in mathematics, the applicant is required to have completed at least 60 ECTS credits within the field of mathematics, of which at least 15 ECTS credits shall have been acquired at second-cycle level. Applicants who have acquired largely equivalent skills in some other system, either within Sweden or abroad, are also eligible.

A successful candidate must have a solid knowledge of and show interest in discrete mathematics, graph theory and related subjects and is expected to have completed related courses.

Good communication skills in both written and spoken English are required.

You are expected to take on an active role in this project and institutional work. You have a scientific mindset, can work independently, and are structured, flexible and solution-oriented. Above all, you are determined to continuously develop your skills and contribute to discrete mathematics research.

The assessment of applicants is based on their qualifications and ability to benefit from the doctoral study they will receive.

About the employment
The position is intended to result in a doctoral degree. The main task of doctoral students is to pursue their third-cycle studies, including active participation in research and third-cycle courses. The duties may include teaching or other departmental work, although duties of this kind may be at most 20 per cent of a full-time post. The employment is for a fixed term of four years full-time or up to five years when teaching part-time. Salary is set according to the salary ladder for PhD positions at Umeå University. Employment commences in the Fall of 2024 or by agreement. 

Application
Applications will be accepted via our recruitment system. The deadline for applications is the 30th of April, 2024. Log in and apply via the button at the bottom of the page. The application must include the following documents written in English or Swedish:

• A cover letter briefly describing your qualifications and research interests, an explanation of why you are applying for the position and why you feel your qualifications and experience are relevant.
• Curriculum vitae.
• Authenticated copies of degree certificates, diplomas or equivalent, including documentation of completed academic courses, received grades, and other certificates.
• Copies of relevant work such as master’s thesis or articles you have authored or co-authored. If the master’s thesis has not been completed before the application deadline, a summary of the master’s thesis project and current progress shall be included. The summary can, at most, be five pages, including figures and references.
• Your GMAT (or GRE) and TOEFL/IELTS test scores, if available.
• Contact details for at least two references.

The Department of Mathematics and Mathematical Statistics values the qualities that gender balance brings to the department. We are therefore particularly keen to hear from female applicants.

Pursuant to Chapter 12 Section 2 of the Swedish Higher Education Ordinance (SFS 1993:100), the decision regarding the position cannot be appealed.

Additional information
Additional information about Associate Professor Istvan Tomon’s research:
https://sites.google.com/view/istvantomon/

For questions, you can contact Istvan Tomon:
e-mail: [email protected], telephone: +46 73 052 70 97 

Further information about the Discrete Mathematics group:
https://www.umu.se/en/research/groups/discrete-mathematics/

Further information about the Department of Mathematics and Mathematical Statistics:
https://www.umu.se/en/department-of-mathematics-and-mathematical-statistics/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/school/department-of-mathematics-and-mathematical-statistics/?viewAsMember=true