PhD student in machine design

KTH svarar för en tredjedel av Sveriges kapacitet av teknisk forskning och ingenjörsutbildning på högskolenivå. Utbildningen och forskningen täcker ett brett område – från naturvetenskap till alla grenar inom tekniken samt arkitektur, industriell ekonomi och samhällsplanering. Totalt finns vid KTH 12 400 helårsstudenter på grundnivå och avancerad nivå, nästan 1900 aktiva forskarstuderande och 5100 anställda.

Verksamheten vid KTH Industriell teknik och management omfattar de ingenjörs-, teknik och ekonomivetenskaper som är nödvändiga för att kunna utveckla nya produkter, material och produktionsprocesser på ett tekniskt ledande, ekonomiskt lönsamt och miljömässigt uthålligt sätt. Skolans kunskapsområden är energiteknik, industriell design och innovation, produkt- och produktionsutveckling, materialutveckling, mikro- och nanoteknik samt industriell ekonomi, organisation och ledning.

Institutionen för maskinkonstruktion bedriver omfattande forskning och utbildning inom produktframtagningsområdet. Verksamheten spänner över följande områden: maskinelement, maskinkonstruktion, mekatronik och inbyggda styrsystem, förbränningsmotorteknik, integrerad produktutveckling och innovation samt industriell design.



Job description

A significant proportion of all the energy generated and consumed worldwide is lost due to friction and wear; these phenomena are also responsible for the demise of innumerable machines.

To try and remedy this, the past several decades have seen vigorous research efforts to limit frictional losses and decrease wear rates. 

The project here offers a systematic study of the novel "active" approach to the problem of friction and wear reduction in lubricated contacts, viz., manipulating in real time the lubricant rheology and near surface structure of the novel lubricants. The overall purpose of the project is to understand how to change friction in real time in contacts lubricated with the novel lubricants. In particular, we aim to elucidate the effect of fluid structure and electric field on the rheological response of the lubricants, investigate controllability of elasto-hydrodynamic lubrication using novel lubricant technology, explore controlled friction in the boundary lubrication and integrate the knowledge obtained into a demonstrator.

This project is supported by the Swedish Research Council and is connected to the I-LEAP project: https://www.wallenberg.com/KAW/forskning/jonvatskor-grunden-framtidens-hogpresterande-och-miljovanliga-smorjmedel.

Qualifications 

A master degree in mechanical engineering, physics, chemistry or similar academic education is required. Research experience is of advantage.

You have a strong motivation for conducting scientific research and working with complex questions. It’s natural for you to solve problems in a structured and thorough way and you often come up with ideas and new ways of working. You possess good analytical skills and take responsibility for the development of your work, solving problems independently. You have excellent communication skills in English, both orally and written and work well independently as well as in a team.

Trade union representatives

You'll find contact information to trade union representatives at KTH:s web page.

Application

Log into KTH's recruitment system in order to apply to this position. You are the main responsible to ensure that your application is complete according to the ad. Your complete application must be received at KTH no later than the last day of application. The application must include the following documents: Curriculum vitae, official record of transcripts and copy of degree certificate, a brief description of why the applicant wishes to engage in the scientific research and references.

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