Doctoral candidate in mechanical engineering - Hiring in process/Finished, not possible to apply

Doctoral candidate in mechanical engineering - Energy usage and biomechanics in sport

Description of the department: The Sports Tech Research Centre is a multidisciplinary research centre that conducts research into innovative development and verification of products, materials, technologies and methods, primarily for sports and outdoor companies, hospitals and industry. The research also covers medical applications, devices for people with physical disabilities, and additive manufacture (3D-printing), with applications in the fields of medicine, and material and process development. The centre has several technologically advanced laboratories, some of which are the only ones of their kind in the world.

Work tasks: In the field of parasport, there is frequently a need to correct performance results based on how a physical disability affects performance in order to make sport fair and equitable. Energy consumption in the body is important in all sports, and in endurance sports it has a decisive influence on performance. The project is expected to result in new validated numerical models for optimising pace-maintaining strategies and supportive models for classification in parasport.  

The doctoral candidate will be working with issues relating to energy consumption in the entire body or in various parts of the body, optimising energy consumption in practitioners of sport and how physical disability affects energy consumption and consequently performance. The research studies contain elements such as the development of numerical models, experimental verification and validation of theoretical models, application to actual problems, and compiling, analysing, documenting and publishing results. 

The doctoral student will be appointed on a full-time basis and will be required to apply himself or herself to their own education at researcher level, the objective being to develop the capacity for independent analysis while continuing work on a licentiate paper. The proportion of researcher training is at least 80 per cent of the time, while service within the institution may be 20 per cent, which may potentially include teaching. 

Qualification and basis for assessment: We are looking for applicants who have studied mathematics, mechanics (ideally biomechanics), simulation, measurement technology, material technology, product development and physiology. The qualifying candidate will have passed an examination at advanced level, or satisfied course requirements of at least 240 credits, of which at least 60 must be at advanced level, or otherwise acquired in principally equivalent knowledge in Sweden or abroad. Candidates with at least 90 credits in any of the subject areas listed above, or otherwise acquired in principally equivalent knowledge in Sweden or abroad, will be regarded as particularly qualified.

In addition to the formal qualification requirements, selection will also be based on other work (e.g. exam and project work), courses and interviews with the applicants. Applicants should have a very good understanding of modelling, simulation and optimisation, ideally with the human body as a model. Practical skills in experimental studies in laboratory and field environments are considered an additional qualifying factor, as is experience of scientific work. Personal qualifications, such as the ability to work with others, initiative and suitability for doctoral studies will be given equal weighting to formal subject knowledge. Since the position may include some teaching, good written and spoken Swedish and/or English is desirable. The application should include a brief description of the applicant's visions and goals.

Appointment and taking up duties: This doctoral appointment is equivalent to two years' full-time studies (maximum 2.5 years' full-time appointment at 80% researcher studies) and is intended to result in a licentiate examination in the researcher training subject Sports technology and quality technology. The appointment can be extended to a doctoral examination on condition that further financing is obtained. Taking up duties by agreement.  

Place of appointment: Östersund 

Pay: According to Mid Sweden University's pay scale for doctoral students.

Information: Further information is provided by departmental director Fredrik Ståhl, fredrik.stahl@miun.se, tel. +46 (0)10-142 84 64 and the centre director Mikael Bäckström, mikael.backstrom@miun.se, tel. +46 (0)10-142 83 01. See also the Sports Tech Research Centre's website www.miun.se/sportstechresearchcentre.

The application: The application should be accompanied by a confirmed list of qualifications, copies of certificates and examination certificates, stating the desired research field and with a description of visions and goals as above, as well as any other documentation that the applicant wishes to refer to.

Please submit your application via our recruiting system by no later than 2018-05-12.

Please submit your application via miun.se/jobb!