PhD Student in Space Research within Atmospheric Science

Luleå University of Technology experiences rapid growth with world-leading expertise within several research domains. We shape the future through innovative education and groundbreaking research results and drawing on our location in the Arctic region, we create global societal benefit. Our scientific and artistic research and education are carried out in close collaboration with international, national and regional companies, public actors and leading universities. Luleå University of Technology has an annual turnover of SEK 1.8 billion. Today, we have 1,770 staff and 17,200 students.

In the coming years, multi-billion investments will be made in large projects in Northern Sweden to create a fossil-free society both nationally and globally. Luleå University of Technology is involved in several of these cutting-edge research projects and in the societal transformation that they entail. We offer a broad range of courses and study programmes to match the skills in demand. We hope that you will help us to build the sustainable companies and societies of the future.

Northern Sweden is a European space region with several major players collaborating in space technology and space science. Luleå University of Technology provides research and education, the Swedish Institute of Space Physics (IRF) focuses on space plasma research and instrument development, EISCAT Scientific Association carries out the radar observations of the upper atmosphere and ionosphere, and the Swedish Space Corporation (SSC), provides services and infrastructure with its facility Esrange.

Our Department of Computer Science, Electrical and Space Technology is seeking a doctoral researcher to contribute to our growing activities in Space Science at our Division of Space Technology on Kiruna Campus. The division offers a number of Master’s Degree programs in Space Science and Technology and conducts research in the areas of planetary and atmospheric science as well as space systems and technology. Researchers in Planetary Science have been and are involved in several international space missions, ranging from ESA’s Rosetta to JAXA’s MMX. The research infrastructure includes state-of-the-art experimental facilities for experimental planetary science.

Subject description
Atmospheric science deals with research on the atmosphere of Earth and other planets by modelling along with development and use of instruments for remote sensing and in situ observations. Special focus is on the atmosphere's dynamical, chemical, and physical processes, as well as better weather and climate predictions.

Project description
You will be welcomed into an expanding group of researchers in Luleå University of Technology’s Division of Space Technology, whose focus is on investigating small bodies’ physical properties and processes in the laboratory. Under the Atmospheric Science heading, we investigate the interactions of Earth and other planetary bodies with their environment. Our research topics include mass and energy fluxes within planets and their atmospheres, as well as snow, ice, and dirt in terrestrial and space environments. Researchers in Kiruna develop instruments for use on the ground, on balloons and on spacecraft and analyse data from Earth-observing satellites and deep space probes.

The position is enabled by the involvement of Luleå University of Technology researchers in several minor bodies missions including ESAs Rosetta and Comet Interceptor, JAXA’s Hayabusa2 & MMX, and NASA’s DART. The surfaces of small asteroids recently sampled by the Hayabusa2 and OSIRIS-REx missions are largely covered by a regolith of decimetre-sized or smaller particles. Building upon our expertise in thermal simulations we aim to investigate processes such as fracturing, mechanical agitation, photochemistry and thermal fatigue on asteroids and comets from an experimental perspective.

Duties
In collaboration with your supervisors, you will participate in the following activities.

- Procurement and production of asteroid and/or comet analogues, such as meteorites;
- setup and testing of laboratory experiments;
- sample preparation for structural analysis;
- data analysis and comparison with remote measurements;
- dissemination of results at international conferences and in scientific publications.

In addition to learning and improving your skills while working with these duties, you will conduct literature reviews and read courses as part of your graduate education. Optionally, you may engage in teaching and other departmental duties, limited to a maximum of one year of the total period not exceeding five years.

Qualifications
We are looking for an enthusiastic, adaptable candidate with experience of working independently and as a member of a team. You must have a master’s degree or equivalent in (geo)physics, astronomy, space science or another related subject, such as e.g. quantitative geosciences. It is meritorious if you have experience designing & running experiments and analysing experimental data, ideally complemented with some knowledge of numerical simulations. Some knowledge of meteoritics or cosmochemistry will be an asset. You must be an effective communicator and fluent in English.

For further information about a specific subject see;  General curricula for the Board of the faculty of science and technology

Currently, female staff are underrepresented in our division and we particularly encourage women to apply. Provided that the qualifications are equivalent, the underrepresented gender will be given priority.

Other information
Employment as a PhD student is limited to 4 years, teaching and other department duties may be added at max 20% (up to a maximum of five years) regulated by the Swedish Higher Education ordinance. Location: Kiruna.

For further information, please contact Prof. Axel Hagermann, +46 980 67583, [email protected] or Head of division Dr. Victoria Barabash, +46 980 67532, [email protected]

Union representatives:
SACO-S Kjell Johansson (+46)920-49 1529 [email protected] , OFR-S Lars Frisk, (+46)920-49 1792 [email protected]

In case of different interpretations of the English and Swedish versions of this announcement, the Swedish version takes precedence.

Application
We prefer electronic applications which can be created by clicking on the apply button below. The application must be in English or Swedish and should include a CV, personal letter, verified copies of relevant diplomas, and contact information of two potential referees. Mark your application with the reference number below.

Reference 4691-2021
Last day of application: January 31, 2022

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