Doctoral student in space plasma physics: ionospheric sounding rockets - Hiring in process/Finished, not possible to apply

Project description

Third-cycle subject: Electrical Engineering 

Project title: Physics of the auroral E region as revealed by multipoint measurements

The region at 100-200 km altitude is the boundary between the atmosphere and space. Here ionized gas (plasma), controlled by electromagnetic fields, is coupled to the neutral atmosphere through collisions. The interaction between plasma and neutral gas leads to energy and momentum exchange between them.

In situ measurements in the lower ionosphere are only possible with sounding rockets. KTH has conducted two sounding rocket projects, where multipoint measurements were realized using free-flying units ejected from the same rocket. Data analysis from these two missions (SPIDER and SPIDER-2), as well as active participation in future sounding rocket missions, constitute the core of the PhD student project.

In particular, the data will be used to characterize electric currents, variations in electron concentration and temperature in the ionospheric E region, and will be related to aurora observations and other ground-based measurements. The overarching objective of the project is to improve the understanding of the energy transfer between the plasma and the atmosphere on different scales.

Supervision: Nickolay Ivchenko, associate professor.

What we offer

• The possibility to study in a dynamic and international research environment in collaboration with industries and prominent universities from all over the world.Read more
• A workplace with many employee benefits and monthly salary according to KTH’s Doctoral student salary agreement.
• A postgraduate education at an institution that is active and supportive in matters pertaining to working conditions, gender equality and diversity as well as study environment.
• Help to relocate and be settled in Sweden and at KTH.

Eligibility

To be admitted to postgraduate education (Chapter 7, 39 § Swedish Higher Education Ordinance), 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
• acquired, in some other way within or outside the country, substantially equivalent knowledge
• Requirements for English equivalent to English B/6, read more here.

Selection

In order to succeed as a doctoral student at KTH you need to be goal oriented and persevering in your work. During the selection process, candidates will be assessed upon their ability to:

• independently pursue his or her work
• collaborate with others,
• have a professional approach,
• analyse and work with complex issues,
• program in e.g. MATLAB,
• work with instrument hardware: integration and testing of electronics and mechanical systems and
• do field work (observation campaigns, rocket launches, etc).

Knowledge and experience within plasma or space physics is an asset. Earlier experience of working with sounding rocket data and hardware is of value.

After the qualification requirements, great emphasis will be placed on personal competency. 

Target degree: Doctoral degree

Information regarding admission and employment

Only those admitted to postgraduate education may be employed as a doctoral student. The total length of employment may not be longer than what corresponds to full-time doctoral education in four years ' time. An employed doctoral student can, to a limited extent (maximum 20%), perform certain tasks within their role, e.g. training and administration. A new position as a doctoral student is for a maximum of one year, and then the employment may be renewed for a maximum of two years at a time.

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/entral European Summer Time).

Applications must include the following elements:

• CV including your relevant professional experience and knowledge.
• Application letter with a brief description of why you want to pursue research studies, about what your academic interests are and how they relate to your previous studies and future goals. (Maximum 2 pages long)
• Copies of diplomas and grades from previous university studies and certificates of fulfilled language requirements (see above). Translations into English or Swedish if the original document is not issued in one of these languages.
• Representative publications or technical reports. For longer documents, please provide a summary (abstract) and a web link to the full text.

Other information

Striving towards gender equality, diversity and equal conditions is both a question of quality for KTH and a given part of our values.

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

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

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