PhD Student in High Capacity Transport (HCT) Vehicles

VTI, the Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute, is a governmental authority that conducts applied research and qualified investigations in the field of transport. We are about 250 employees and have an annual turnover of about SEK 300 million. The head office is located in Linköping, while the other offices are located in Stockholm, Gothenburg, and Lund.

We are now looking for an additional employee for the Vehicle System and Driving Simulation unit, FSK. The unit conducts outstanding research in vehicle systems, vehicle technology, and simulation. Applications exist in all modes of transport and are often aimed at technology development in electrification, autonomy, digitalization, and the transition to a sustainable transport system. Much of the activities take place in collaboration with other units and external parties, often linked to behavioral science issues or research related to environmental and energy issues. The unit develops and operates some of VTI's important research equipment; advanced driving simulators, VR/XR labs, and equipment to measure road and tire interaction. We develop most of the software for this equipment ourselves, which makes up a large part of our work. The unit has about 20 employees and is located in Linköping, Gothenburg, and Lund.

The position is located in Linköping.

About the role

The research project focuses on the performance of High Capacity Transport (HCT) vehicles and aspects that should be considered for automation of these vehicles. It has been shown that HCT vehicles are one of the key contributors to the reduction of fuel consumption and emissions of goods transport. Automation of these vehicles should be studied to meet future transport demands and further enhance their effectiveness and safety. Examples of relevant research topics in the project are collecting and analyzing data from HCT vehicles driving in real traffic under different conditions, identifying critical scenarios, developing scenario-based test methods for automated HCT vehicles, and driving behavior modeling for autonomous functions.

As a doctoral student, you will be enrolled at the Division of Vehicular Systems at the Department of Electrical Engineering at Linköping University (LiU). Your doctoral education includes several elements, such as completing doctoral courses and conducting high-quality applied research under supervision from VTI and LiU. The work includes planning research projects, collecting and analyzing data, and developing new models and methods. The work also includes writing research articles and presenting research results at scientific conferences.

About you

We are looking for a candidate who has an MSc degree in automotive engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, or similar. You are interested in vehicle dynamics and control, data analysis, model development, and simulation, are analytical, and open to new challenges.

You will have many contacts with internal and external partners, researchers, and collaborate with other doctoral students. Therefore, we place great emphasis on your ability to collaborate, communicate, take your own initiative, and work independently. You express yourself well in English, both verbally and in writing. It is also a merit if you know Swedish. We attach great importance to your personal qualities.

Appointment period

As a doctoral student, you will be employed at VTI at the same time as you are admitted to the doctoral program at the Division of Vehicular Systems at the Department of Electrical Engineering at Linköping University. The employment is limited to four years full-time. You will initially be employed for one year, after which the employment will be renewed for a maximum of one year at a time, based on the completed study plan.

More information

More information about VTI and specifically the FSK unit can be found here: Vehicle Systems and Driving Simulation (https://www.vti.se/en/research-areas/vehicle-systems-and-driving-simulation)

More information about the Division of Vehicular Systems at Linköping University can be found here: Vehicular Systems (FS) - Linköping University (https://www.liu.se/en/research/vehicular-systems)

You can read about how we handle your personal data at Personal data (https://www.vti.se/en/privacy-policy).

We decline all offers of advertising or recruitment assistance in connection with this recruitment.

Ref. no: 2025/0183-3.1

Application

You are welcome to submit your application, no later than April 27, 2025, with a cover letter, CV, degree certificate, as well as copies of grades and other documents you wish to refer to. Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.