Vacant job

Are you ready to take the next step in your academic journey? As a PhD student with us, you will work closely with leading researchers in a strong and international research environment, with access to advanced laboratory equipment and good funding opportunities. You are offered a secure employment, high-quality supervision, and room to grow, both as a researcher and as a person.

Take the chance to pursue a PhD in a collaborative and international research environment at Luleå University of Technology. The research subject Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) studies integrated software and application architectures for massively distributed embedded systems across the entire IoT–Edge–Cloud continuum. The subject combines research into distributed and decentralized architectures, semantic interoperability, AI-supported decision support, and adaptive hardware platforms. The research is conducted in close collaboration with industry, European research initiatives, and international academic partners.

Subject Description

Cyber-Physical Systems focus on integrated software and application architectures with implementations of highly distributed embedded systems that interact with each other and their environment to enable secure, goal-oriented, autonomous, and scalable solutions.

Project Description

The Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) research group at Luleå University of Technology is currently building CPS Lab, an experimental environment for research on connected, intelligent, and autonomous systems. The vision is to create a living laboratory where researchers, students, and industry partners can develop, deploy, and evaluate future cyber-physical systems under realistic conditions.

The laboratory offers a unique environment where physical systems, digital infrastructure, and AI technologies meet. Researchers have access to industrial equipment and data, resources for edge and cloud computing, advanced AI infrastructure, and autonomous platforms, enabling experiments across the entire chain – from sensors and embedded systems to large-scale computing environments. The laboratory also serves as a testbed for new forms of human-AI collaboration, intelligent decision support, adaptive user experiences, and reliable autonomous systems.

The research is conducted in close collaboration with industry partners and addresses challenges in areas such as manufacturing, energy, transportation, and critical infrastructure. The position is particularly suitable for candidates who appreciate combining fundamental research with practical experimentation and who want to help shape the future of cyber-physical systems.

Job Responsibilities

As a PhD student, you will contribute to research on the next generation of cyber-physical systems (CPS), where sensors, computing, communication, and decision-making are tightly integrated. Your work may include distributed systems, blockchain technology, industrial data sharing, reliable AI, cloud and edge computing, and the development of autonomous CPS. A central goal is to understand how complex systems can operate safely, efficiently, and intelligently in real-world environments. CPS Lab will serve as the primary environment for your research studies.

You will communicate your research findings through scientific journals and at international conferences. The majority of your working time will be devoted to your own research studies. The position involves both experimental and theoretical work, development of software prototypes, evaluation of distributed systems, and participation in research collaborations with senior researchers and industry partners. You will also contribute to teaching and supervision activities.

Qualifications

To be eligible for the position, you must have a master's degree in computer science, software engineering, electrical engineering, or a related field.

Requirements:

• Good programming skills
• Knowledge of distributed systems, computer networks, or embedded systems
• Ability to communicate in English, both orally and in writing

Desirable qualifications (equally valued):

• Experience with distributed and decentralized systems
• Knowledge of cloud, edge, or IoT environments
• Experience in developing open-source software
• Knowledge of orchestration, virtualization, or container technologies
• Experience with secure and scalable communication systems
• Knowledge of fault tolerance, resilience, or autonomous coordination in distributed systems
• Experience with software prototypes, system integration, or experimental evaluation

We value teamwork, curiosity, and an interest in working in interdisciplinary and international research environments. You should be able to work independently while actively contributing to the research group's joint efforts.

For further information about the specific doctoral education, see http://www.ltu.se/research/Utbildning-pa-forskarniva/Studieplaner/Allmanna-studieplaner-Teknisk-fakultetsnamnd (http://www.ltu.se/research/Utbildning-pa-forskarniva/Studieplaner/Allmanna-studieplaner-Teknisk-fakultetsnamnd)

Information

Employment as a PhD student is fixed-term for 4 years; teaching and other institutional duties may be added up to 20% of full-time. Place of work: Luleå. Intended start date: by agreement.

For further information, you are welcome to contact Professor Ulf Bodin, 0920-49 3036, [email protected] (mailto:[email protected])

Union representatives:

• SACO-S Diana Chroneer, 0920-49 2037 [email protected] (mailto:[email protected])
• OFR-S Marika Vesterberg, 0920-49 1721 [email protected] (mailto:[email protected])

Application

We prefer that you apply for the position via the application button below, attaching a cover letter, CV/resume, and copies of verified degree certificates. Please mark your application with the reference number below. Both the application and degree certificates must be written in Swedish or English.

Application deadline: 2026-07-17

Reference number: 4023-2026