Vacant job

We are looking for a Doctoral Student in Complex Mobility Systems. The position is part of a Swedish Research Council-funded project developing dynamic synthetic populations and mobility digital twins for resilient and equitable transport planning. The project combines agent-based modelling, large-scale mobility data, transport networks, generative modelling, resilience indicators, and equity analysis.

About us

The candidate will be based at the Department of Environmental and Energy Sciences (https://www.chalmers.se/en/departments/env/research/frt/) at Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg, Sweden. With around 50 staff members, including faculty and doctoral students from engineering, natural sciences, and social sciences, the division promotes challenge-driven, multidisciplinary research and offers courses linked to its research areas. Our group, STEAM – Sustainable Transport, Energy Analytics and Modelling, studies the transformation of transport and energy systems using data-driven, computational and policy-relevant approaches. We work at the intersection of mobility systems, energy systems, electrification, resilience, equity and sustainability, combining large-scale empirical data, modelling, simulation and systems analysis.

In the graduate school Energy, Environment and Systems (https://www.chalmers.se/en/research/we-train-new-researchers/graduate-schools/energy-environment-and-systems/), you will learn the use of techniques and analytical methods regarding the environment, energy, nature and society. The graduate school offers different specializations: Energy Conversion, Industrial Energy Systems, Energy and Material Systems, Physical Resource Theory, Environmental Systems Analysis and Complex Systems.

The graduate school is organised within the Department of Environmental and Energy Sciences (https://www.chalmers.se/en/departments/env/) and the Department of Mechanical and Maritime Sciences (https://www.chalmers.se/en/departments/tme/).

About the research project

The position is connected to the DYnamic populatioNs for resilient And equitable MObility systems (DYNAMO) project. The project develops next-generation synthetic populations that are dynamic, scenario-conditioned and suitable for stress-testing mobility systems under disruptions. The work combines mobile phone data, census and urban data, activity-based and agent-based modelling, generative sequence models, transport networks, digital twins, resilience indicators and equity-sensitive analysis. The project explicitly seeks to move beyond static “average-day” demand modelling towards dynamic, behaviourally rich and policy-relevant simulations of how different groups adapt under changing conditions.

The project is carried out in collaboration with the Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Danmarks Tekniske Universitet (DTU, Denmark) and Universidad del Desarrollo / ISI Foundation (Chile/Italy), contributing expertise in human mobility modelling, resilience science, and empirical disruption analysis using large-scale mobile phone data from Chile.

Who we are looking for

The successful candidate will be expected to contribute intellectually to the theoretical development of the project. We are particularly interested in candidates whose background can help us connect empirical mobility data and computational modelling with theories of complex systems, network dynamics, resilience, disruption response, adaptation, inequality, or urban systems.

The following requirements are mandatory:

A master’s degree corresponding to at least 240 higher education credits, or equivalent, in a relevant field such as engineering, applied mathematics, physics, computer science, data science, complex systems, transport systems, urban science, geography, urban planning, computational social science, or a related field.

Strong quantitative, analytical, computational, or theoretical training relevant to the research topic.

Meritorious educational qualifications:

Read more about this at www.chalmers.se (http://www.chalmers.se)

Mandatory experiences and skills

• Strong motivation to conduct doctoral research
• Good analytical and problem-solving skills
• Good programming, modelling, data analysis, or mathematical skills, with the ability to understand and engage with computational model implementation.
• Ability or strong motivation to work with activity-based modelling, agent-based modelling, synthetic populations, mobility data, or geospatial data.
• Very good written and spoken English
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in an interdisciplinary research environment

The following experience will strengthen your application:

Read more about this at www.chalmers.se (http://www.chalmers.se)

What you will do

Your main responsibility will be to conduct doctoral research and complete a PhD degree. Depending on your profile, your work may include:

• Developing theoretical and computational models of complex mobility systems
• Studying how people and networks adapt to disruptions
• Contributing to dynamic synthetic populations and agent-based simulations
• Applying complex systems, network science, resilience, or computational social science methods
• Analysing mobility, demographic, land-use, transport network, or other urban data
• Developing indicators for accessibility loss, unmet mobility needs, recovery, vulnerability, and equity
• Publishing in international journals and presenting at conferences
• Contributing to open and reproducible research workflows
• The position may also include departmental duties, such as teaching, up to the level allowed by Chalmers’ doctoral employment rules.

Contract terms

• The Doctoral student positions are fully funded from start.
• The position is a fixed-term appointment of four years, with the possibility to teach up to 20%, which extends the position up to five years.
• A starting salary of 35,725 SEK per month (valid from May 1, 2026).
• Doctoral studies require physical presence throughout the entire study period. A valid residence permit must be presented by the study start date; otherwise the admission may be withdrawn.

What we offer

Read more about what we offer at www.chalmers.se (http://www.chalmers.se)

Application procedure

Read more and apply at www.chalmers.se (http://www.chalmers.se)

We welcome your application no later than 2026-08-11. Shortlisting is planned for late August, with first interviews expected around 1 September.

For questions, please contact:

• Sonia Yeh, Professor, Department of Environmental and Energy Sciences. Email: [email protected], 031-772-67 16

We look forward to your application!

*** Chalmers declines to consider all offers of further announcement publishing or other types of support for the recruiting process in connection with this position. ***