KTH Royal Institute of Technology

The Division of Transport Planning performs research and education programs for future transport system. The research is interdisciplinary and covers all modes of transport for passenger and freight, mainly in road, rail and public transport, both in traffic technology and transport models. Our research includes evaluations of transport investments and policy measures, travel behaviour, environmental impact analysis, public transport, sustainable transport systems, road and rail operations and control. We are part of many national and international projects concerning development and analysis, and have extensive collaborations with decision makers and officials.

One part of the division is the Rail Traffic Group, which is also part of the KTH Railway Group (competence center in the Railway system), where this signalling research will be located

Project description
Third-cycle subject: Transport science

This employment focuses on the use of formal mathematical methods in order to assure the quality of safety for current and future rail traffic on the railways. In order to maintain the present level of safety even in the future development of different traffic concepts, new mathematical methods need to be developed and implementedSome applications may be to develop new methods in developing interlocking system to control switches to ensure that no security critical states arise to specify, develop and verify software in order to increase confidence in the system's reliability and correctness and to reduce the number of errors. Formal verification is done by a software tool making automatic mathematical tests of a system.

Another approach may be virtual-coupled trains, that the trains are performed as if they were coupled, but without physical coupling (platooning). By drastically change the distance between two trains, so-called headway including displacement and coupling in speed, virtual-coupled trains can help increase railway flexibility and capacity without expanding the infrastructure. The concept means that you violate the traditional rule for just one train per block section. This creates the need for comprehensive analyzes of safety and additional risks by formal methods.

This project is an excellent start of a career in the development of the Railway signalling system, either in the academic or the Railway industry. In addition to the time you spend in your own postgraduate education, the work will also include 20% work at the department, which mainly refers to academic education at KTH.

The applicant will collaborate with Railway industry actors and Shift2Rail, other PhD students and staff at KTH. 

Eligibility

To be admitted to postgraduate education (Chapter 7, 39 § högskoleförordningen), the applicant must have basic eligibility in accordance with either of the following:

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

The applicant should have a master degree in Civil Engineering or in a similar subject field.

Master students who finish their studies before 2018-09-01 are eligible to apply for this position.

Selection

In order to succeed as an doctoral student at KTH you need to be goal oriented and persevering in your work. In the selection of the applicants, the following will be assessed:

  • ability to independently pursue his or hers work,
  • ability to collaborate with others,
  • have a professional approach and
  • analyse and work with complex issues.

Additional important merit characteristics:

  • High motivation for conducting scientific research
  • strong academic qualifications, good knowledge of written and spoken English, well-developed analytical ability
  • good knowledge and great interest in structural mechanics, finite element methods, numerical methods and programming.

After the qualification requirements, great emphasis will be placed on personal qualities and personal suitability.

Target degree:Licentiat examina

Information regarding admission and employment

Only those who are or have been admitted to third-cycle studies may be employed as a doctoral student. The term of the initial contract may not exceed one year. The employment may be extended for a maximum of two years at a time. However, the total period of employment may not exceed the equivalent of four years of full-time study. Decisions on employment as a doctoral student may not be appealed.

Eligibility, selection and admissions are regulated in antagningsordning till utbildning vid Kungl. Tekniska högskolan and the program description for the doctoral program and current subject syllabus available on KTH's website.

Doctoral students should primarily devote themselves to their own education, but may engage in teaching, research, and administration corresponding to a maximum of 20 % of a full-time position.

Union representatives

You will find contact information for union representatives on KTH's website.

Doctoral section (Students’ union on KTH Royal Institute of Technology)

You will find contact information for doctoral section on the section's website.

Application

Apply for the position and admission through KTH:s recruitment system. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that the application is complete in accordance with the instructions in the advertisement.

Applications must be received at the last closing date at midnight, CET / CEST (Central European Time / Central European Summer Time).

Applications must include the following elements:

  • CV including your relevant professional experience and knowledge.
  • Statement of purpose: Why do you want to pursue a PhD, what are your academic interests, how they relate to your previous studies and future goals; maximum 2 pages long.
  • Copy of the degree certificate(s) and transcripts of records from your previously attended university-level institutions. Translations into English or Swedish if the original documents are not issued in one of these languages.
  • Representative publications or technical reports: Documents no longer than 10 pages each. For longer documents (e.g. theses), please provide a summary (abstract) and a web link to the full text.

Other

We firmly decline all contact with staffing and recruitment agencies and job ad salespersons.

Gender equality, diversity and zero tolerance against discrimination and harassment are important aspects of KTH´s work with quality as well as core values in our organization.

For information about processing of personal data in the recruitment process please read here.

Disclaimer: In case of discrepancy between the Swedish original and the English translation of the job announcement, the Swedish version takes precedence.

Type of employment Temporary position
Contract type Full time
First day of employment As agreement
Salary Monthly salary according to KTH:s Doctoral student salary
Number of positions 1
Full-time equivalent 100%
City Stockholm
County Stockholms län
Country Sweden
Reference number A-2019-0708
Contact
  • Anders Lindahl, projektledare, +46 8 790 80 95, E-post: anders.lindahl@abe.kth.se
Published 11.Apr.2019
Last application date 05.May.2019 11:59 PM CEST

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