Vacant job

Project Description

Research Subject: Civil Engineering, focusing on Soil and Rock Mechanics

We are looking for a PhD candidate in the Department of Soil and Rock Mechanics, who wants to improve the current methods of sealing rock tunnels against infiltrating groundwater through injection.

Currently, sealing constitutes a large part of the construction costs and time in tunnel projects. At the same time, there are difficulties in achieving successful injection, as the tightness is hard to predict.

This PhD project aims to develop new design principles for injection. The project is of great practical importance, as the research results will be used as a basis for the development of a new European standard for tunnel construction.

Responsibilities include:

• Studying how uncertainties in injection design can be described as probability distributions,
• Exploring how injection design can be described as verification of limit states and performing calculations under realistic conditions,
• Reporting research results in scientific articles, deepening your knowledge in soil and rock mechanics, and contributing to the department's teaching.

Through close collaboration and an open and supportive work environment, you will have the opportunity to grow and develop specialized knowledge for a future career in industry or academia.

Supervision: Johan Spross (geotechnical design), Fredrik Johansson (rock mechanics), and Liangchao Zou (groundwater modeling) are proposed to supervise the PhD candidate. Decisions will be made upon admission.

Eligibility for Admission

To be admitted to doctoral studies (Chapter 7, Section 39 of the Higher Education Ordinance), the applicant must have basic eligibility:

• completed a degree at the advanced level, or
• completed course requirements of at least 240 higher education credits, of which at least 60 higher education credits at the advanced level, or
• acquired equivalent knowledge in some other way, within or outside the country.

In addition to the above, there is also a link (https://www.kth.se/studies/phd/entry-requirements-for-doctoral-studies-1.520175).

Selection

To succeed in your doctoral studies at KTH, you need to be goal-oriented and persistent in your work. In the selection of applicants, the ability to:

• independently drive your work forward,
• collaborate with others,
• maintain a professional attitude, and
• analyze and work with complex issues.

The applicant should have studied geotechnics, rock mechanics, groundwater modeling, or other relevant subjects, to an extent of at least 60 credits at the advanced level, e.g., as part of a degree in civil engineering. Experience working as a practicing geotechnical engineer, hydrogeologist, or rock mechanic is meritorious, as well as knowledge in statistics and risk and safety analysis, and programming. The applicant must be proficient in English, both spoken and written, and have good academic grades.

After the eligibility requirements, great importance will be placed on personal qualities.

Target Degree: Licentiate Degree

Information on Admission and Employment

Only those who have been admitted to doctoral studies may be employed as PhD candidates. The total employment period may not exceed what corresponds to full-time doctoral education for four years. An employed PhD candidate may, to a limited extent (maximum 20%), perform certain tasks within e.g., education and administration. A new employment as a PhD candidate is valid for a maximum of one year, and the employment may then be renewed for a maximum of two years at a time. For studies that will conclude with a licentiate degree, the total employment period may not exceed what corresponds to full-time doctoral education for two years.

As a PhD candidate, you will have access to link (https://www.kth.se/om/jobba-pa-kth/kth-en-arbetsplats-med-manga-formaner-1.467932) and will receive a monthly salary according to link (https://intra.kth.se/anstallning/anstallningsvillkor/lon/doktorandstegen-1.572915). Read more about link (https://www.kth.se/studies/phd/doctoral-studies-phd-1.9318)

Union Representatives

Contact information for link (https://intra.kth.se/administration/rekrytering/annonsering/fackrepresentanter-1.500898)

Doctoral Section (Student Union of the Royal Institute of Technology)
Contact information for link (https://www.dr.kth.se/).

Application

You apply via KTH's recruitment system. As an applicant, you have the main responsibility for ensuring that your application is complete when submitted.

The application must reach KTH by the last application day at midnight, CET/CEST (Central European Time/Central European Summer Time).

The application should include the following content:

• CV with relevant professional experiences and skills.
• Application letter with a brief account of why you want to pursue doctoral studies, your academic interests, and how they relate to your previous studies and future goals. (Max 2 pages)
• Copies of degree certificates and transcripts from previous university studies and certificates of fulfilled link (https://www.kth.se/en/studies/phd/admission-requirements-1.520175). Translations into English or Swedish if the original document is not issued in one of these languages. Copies of originals should be link (https://www.kth.se/student/studier/examen/vidimering-av-handlingar-1.55190)
• Representative publications or technical reports. For longer documents, please attach a summary (abstract) and a web link to the full text

Other

For link (https://www.kth.se/om/work-at-kth/processing-of-personal-data-in-the-recruitment-process-1.823440) in connection with recruitment.

It may occur that an employment at KTH is classified in a security class. If this is the case for this employment, a security review of the applicant will be conducted in accordance with the Security Protection Act (2018:585) after consent. In these cases, a prerequisite for employment is that the applicant is approved after the security review.

We kindly ask for no direct contact with staffing and recruitment companies or sellers of job advertisements.

Become a part of KTH

KTH shapes the future through education, research, and innovation. As a leading international technical university, we play an active role in driving and participating in the transition to a sustainable society. Here, you will have the opportunity to grow and develop in a creative and dynamic workplace with good working conditions and benefits. Equality, diversity, and equal opportunities are a quality issue and an obvious part of KTH's values as a university and government authority.

Read more about working at KTH (https://www.kth.se/om/jobba-pa-kth)