PhD Position in Electrical Engineering Focused on Cellulose and Conductivity

Electrification and digitalization are among the largest areas for transitioning to sustainable societies.

Uppsala University (https://www.uu.se/institution/elektroteknik/) conducts successful research and education in these areas – including renewable energy sources and electric vehicles, industrial IoT, 6G communication, and wireless sensor networks, as well as research and education in Life Science, health technology, smart electronic sensors, and medical systems. The Department of Electrical Engineering is an international environment with about 160 employees contributing to important technical energy and health solutions at the Ångström Laboratory.

Come and work with us! The position will be located at the Department of Networked Embedded Systems, within the Department of Electrical Engineering. Here you will find a pleasant working environment with an active PhD network and a variety of experimental projects. The department collaborates with Swedish companies - both public and private - and stakeholders in various research areas. We look forward to your application. Join us in building the future!

Research Project: (https://www.uu.se/om-uu/jobba-hos-oss/) Cellulose, the most common biopolymer, is crucial for sustainable materials and energy technologies. Its moisture-dependent electrical conductivity affects bio-based electronics, sensors, insulation, and green composites. Reliable methods for measuring and interpreting this conductivity promote both fundamental science and applications such as energy storage, smart packaging, and biodegradable systems.

Understanding the conductivity of cellulose is particularly important for transformer insulation, where oil-impregnated cellulose plays a central role. While traditional oils had much lower resistivity than pressboard, highly refined oils now show comparable values, making accurate models of cellulose conductivity crucial for robust insulation design. Even small amounts of moisture significantly increase conductivity, but a consistent microscopic model is still lacking. This project will integrate modeling and experiments on both non-impregnated and oil-impregnated cellulose to develop a comprehensive conductivity model for the oil-cellulose system.

The project, funded by Hitachi Energy AB, will be carried out in close collaboration with the industrial partner and their research organization. Access to state-of-the-art facilities and expertise is ensured, although specific regulations may apply regarding publication and intellectual property rights.

We offer a varied and exciting job designed by the PhD student and the research group together. The PhD student will be supervised by at least two supervisors. The Department of Electrical Engineering also offers salary supplements upon employment as a PhD student at the department.

Responsibilities

PhD studies require independent research work within a chosen subject, supported by supervisors and collaboration with other researchers.

The research tasks include:

• Development of experimental protocols and descriptive models to study conductivity in cellulose pressboard at multiple scales.
• Characterizing conductivity in the oil-pressboard system under varying time, field, temperature, and moisture conditions.
• Designing additional experimental and theoretical strategies to deepen the understanding of oil-cellulose insulation systems. Training in relevant techniques will be provided as part of the PhD education.
• The tasks may also include participation in teaching and other departmental work, but no more than 20% of the working time.

Qualifications

• The applicant must have a master's degree (or equivalent) in physics, engineering physics, materials science, or electronics.
• Strong collaborative skills and very good communication skills in spoken and written English are required.

Meritorious

• Previous experience working with cellulose or electrical measurement systems is meritorious.

About the Employment

Application procedure: Apply via the link below. The application should include a letter briefly describing yourself and your research interests. The application should also include a CV, copies of degree certificates and transcripts, thesis, and any other documents you wish to refer to. We ask that you provide contact information for references.

Salary: Individual salary setting.

Start date: 2026-04-01 or by agreement.

Employment form: Fixed-term employment according to HF 5 chapter § 7.

Extent of employment: 100%

Inquiries about the position can be made to: [Associate Prof. Apurba Dev; tel: +46 18-471 10 77; email: [email protected]].

Welcome with your application by January 31, 2026, UFV-PA 2025/3853.

Uppsala University is a broad research university with a strong international standing. The ultimate goal is to conduct education and research of the highest quality and relevance to make a difference in society. Our most important asset is all 7,600 employees and 53,000 students who, with curiosity and commitment, make Uppsala University one of the most exciting workplaces in the country.

Read more about our benefits and what it is like to work at Uppsala University here (https://uu.se/om-uu/jobba-hos-oss/).

The employment may be subject to security clearance. A prerequisite for employment during security clearance is that the applicant is approved.

We kindly decline offers of recruitment and advertising assistance.

Applications are received in Uppsala University's recruitment system.

Union representatives: Saco-S - [email protected], Seko - [email protected], ST (OFR/S) - [email protected]