Researcher in Energy Communities and Virtual Energy Sharing

Job description

Energy communities are emerging across Europe as a key mechanism to engage consumers and prosumers, accelerate the uptake of distributed renewable energy, and support a more flexible and sustainable energy system. Traditional energy sharing requires physical connections between buildings or assets, which limits scalability. Virtual energy sharing, by contrast, allows members of an energy community to share electricity via the public grid, regardless of physical layout. This creates new opportunities for customer empowerment, optimized use of local renewable production, and improved grid efficiency.

This project aims to design, develop, and test a digital platform that enables effective virtual energy sharing in Sweden. The platform will support customers in understanding and optimizing their shared electricity use, while also ensuring that sharing activities are compatible with grid constraints and regulatory requirements. It will incorporate methods for allocating shared energy, assessing customer benefits, coordinating with distribution grid needs, and providing interfaces for all actors involved.

The project is funded by Swedish Energy Agency, in collaboration with E.ON (a leading European energy company and distribution grid operation).  The results will provide a foundation for large-scale adoption of virtual energy sharing in Sweden, supporting customer participation, and long-term climate goals.

Qualifications

Requirements

• A doctoral degree or an equivalent foreign degree 
• Research expertise in at least one of the following topics: power systems, Energy markets, digitalization, optimization
• Very good knowledge in English, both written and verbal, as it is required in daily work.
• Strong programming experience in Python/Matlab.

Preferred qualifications

• Strong expertise in power system digitalization/deep reinforcement learning, or power system optimization and energy management
• Experience in digital platform development (e.g., local energy trading platform) is preferred
• Collaborative abilities
• Independence
• Knowledge of diversity and equal opportunity issues, with specific focus on gender equality 

Great emphasis will be placed on personal skills.

Join us at KTH

KTH shapes the future through education, research and innovation. As a leading international technical university, we play an active role in advancing the transition towards a sustainable society. At KTH, you have the opportunity to grow and develop in a creative and dynamic environment, with good working conditions and attractive benefits. Equality, diversity and equal opportunities are essential to quality and form an integral part of KTH’s core values as a university and public authority.

Learn more about our benefits and what it's like to work and grow at KTH.

Trade union representatives

Contact information to trade union representatives.

To apply for the position

Log into KTH's recruitment system in order to apply for this position. You are responsible to ensure that your application is complete according to the instructions in the ad. 

The application must include:

• CV including relevant professional experience and knowledge.
• Copy of diplomas and grades from your previous university studies. Translations into English or Swedish if the original documents have not been issued in any of these languages.
• Research statement on previous research achievements (2 pages) and research plan (3 pages)

Your complete application must be received by KTH no later than the last day of application, midnight CET/CEST (Central European Time/Central European Summer Time). 

About the employment

The employment is valid for a limited time according to the agreement - for up to 12 months, with access according to agreement.

Other information

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