Vacant job

Lund University was founded in 1666 and is consistently ranked among the world's leading universities. There are approximately 46,000 students and 8,500 staff members in Lund, Helsingborg, and Malmö. We are united in our strive to understand, explain, and improve our world and people's conditions.

Description of the activity

The BAR group at the Department of Physics, Division of Particle and Nuclear Physics at Lund University, is looking for a skilled and motivated doctoral student to work within the new research environment "Radiation Safety and Society: Building Sweden's Interdisciplinary Capacity for Future Nuclear Power".

The Division of Particle and Nuclear Physics, with approximately 60 employees, conducts a mix of research in both theoretical and experimental particle and nuclear physics as well as experimental nuclear physics. The BAR group collaborates closely with the Environmental Radiology Group at Medical Radiation Physics (Faculty of Medicine, Lund University) and together we currently consist of four university teachers, one researcher, two project assistants, four doctoral students, and two emeriti.

Being a doctoral student

As a doctoral student, you are both admitted as a student and employed by Lund University.

As a research student, you are trained in a scientific approach. This can be briefly described as gaining practice in critical and analytical thinking, solving problems independently using appropriate methods, and developing research ethics awareness. Additionally, doctoral students are given the opportunity to work on projects, develop leadership skills, and enhance pedagogical abilities. Throughout your studies, you are guided by supervisors. The doctoral studies conclude with a thesis and a doctoral degree. More about being a doctoral student at the Faculty of Science.

Subject and project description

The recently established research environment "Radiation Safety and Society: Building Sweden's Interdisciplinary Capacity for Future Nuclear Power" – which covers various aspects of existing and new nuclear power – brings together researchers from four faculties at Lund University (Science, Medicine, Engineering, Social Sciences) as well as expertise in linguistics and discourse analysis from Karlstad University. The research environment constitutes an interdisciplinary community of knowledge and practice regarding radiation safety and nuclear energy within the subjects of physics, occupational safety engineering, medical radiation physics, strategic communication, and the Swedish language.

We are now recruiting three doctoral students within three areas related to the safety and societal aspects of nuclear power: 1) environmental impact from existing and new nuclear power (this call; physics); 2) safety aspects for workers, as well as authorities' and industry's understanding of current and proposed future foundations for radiation protection; 3) communication for inclusion and understanding of radiation and nuclear technical risks. The three doctoral students will collaborate during specific phases of their education, promoting interdisciplinary exchange.

Work tasks

You will primarily focus on your doctoral education, which includes participation in research projects, doctoral education courses, seminars, and conferences.

The doctoral project will work with various aspects of environmental monitoring of current and future nuclear reactors, focusing on the marine environment on the Swedish west coast. The tasks include:

• Review existing national and international environmental monitoring programs for current reactor types in relation to IAEA guidelines, focusing on tritium and carbon-14. Propose future environmental monitoring programs for several reactor designs (including light water reactors and new types).
• Propose and partially develop robust and cost-effective methods for monitoring carbon-14 and organically bound tritium.
• Conduct in-depth studies of marine radioecology for carbon-14 at a nuclear power plant on the Swedish west coast. The work involves travel to sampling sites. You will participate practically in both sample collection and laboratory sample processing and analysis.
• Evaluate how results from environmental monitoring at current nuclear power plants are communicated. Identify good examples, focusing on plain language and target group adaptation. This part of the doctoral work will be carried out in collaboration with the other doctoral students within the interdisciplinary research environment.

The work tasks include participation in teaching and other departmental activities (however, max 20% of working time).

Qualifications

To be admitted and employed as a doctoral student, you must meet the requirements below.

Admission requirements

You meet the basic eligibility for postgraduate studies if you have:

• completed an advanced level degree or
• completed course requirements of at least 240 higher education credits, of which at least 60 higher education credits at an advanced level or
• acquired substantially equivalent knowledge in some other way.

You meet the special eligibility for physics if you have:

• completed an independent project (e.g., thesis) in a relevant subject comprising at least 30 higher education credits

The special eligibility may also have been obtained through other equivalent education, which is assessed in each individual case. To enable interdisciplinary initiatives and significant deepening in certain areas, qualifications other than the applicant's may be considered.

For the full advertisement see: https://lu.varbi.com/what:job/jobID:899950/ (https://lu.varbi.com/what:job/jobID:899950/)