PhD student in industrial engineering focusing on hydrogen supply systems using offshore wind power

Are you interested in working with hydrogen supply systems using offshore wind power, with the support of competent and friendly colleagues in an international environment? Are you looking for an employer that invests in sustainable employeeship and offers safe, favourable working conditions? We welcome you to apply for a PhD position at Uppsala University.

The Department of Civil and Industrial Engineering consists of three divisions: Industrial Engineering and Management, Quality Science, Civil Engineering and Built Environment. The department has approximately 100 employees and has its research and education both at the Ångström Laboratory in Uppsala and at Campus Gotland. For more information, see the web of the department.  This position will be affiliated with the Division of Quality Science and will be located at Campus Gotland in Visby. For more information, see the web of the division.  

Industrial Engineering is a broad, interdisciplinary field that spans several sub-areas from organization and management, innovation and entrepreneurship, and industrial and social marketing within technology- and innovation-intensive operations, to automation and optimization, machine design, production, and production systems. At Campus Gotland, research is focused on the use of hydrogen in the maritime sector, particularly on the design of efficient hydrogen supply systems for the maritime sector.

At Uppsala University, a graduate school in sustainability studies – GRASS – was established in 2021. Now, a second cohort of the graduate school is starting. The main mission of the graduate school is to conduct research based on key social challenges, where local relevance meets international excellence. It examines fields such as cultural heritage, digital methods, sustainable consumption and future energy systems, and addresses significant aspects of preservation and change, as well as the definition and management of resources. The graduate school is rooted in ongoing interdisciplinary collaborations in research and education, conducted in an international environment. Uppsala University Campus Gotland, where the graduate school is located, is a hub for the University's research and education in sustainability. We work with international partners, guest researchers and local actors with a special focus on knowledge development to manage and cope with the transition needed to live well in a world with climate change. As a doctoral student, you will be part of this interdisciplinary research environment. You will also benefit from courses, seminars and first-class doctoral supervision offered at the graduate school.

Project description

The rapid development of the offshore wind power industry and the reduction in costs present a realistic solution for achieving 100% renewable systems. However, energy fluctuations can be problematic in local or regional energy systems. Wind farms can potentially manage power fluctuations by incorporating large-scale hydrogen production, which can contribute to the green transition.

This PhD project is part of the “WHYBS – Wind and Hydrogen Systems” project, involving two PhD students. The project focuses on how large offshore wind farms can supply energy for hydrogen production, which can be used for storage, in the transport sector, or for large-scale industrial applications. As a PhD student in this project you will join a research group that focuses on large-scale hydrogen supply systems. This project aims to develop optimization models for strategic and tactical planning and control for cost-effective hydrogen production integrated with an offshore wind farm.

Your work will address the strategic question of how much hydrogen production and storage capacity should be built to optimize the system based on given demand scenarios. Furthermore, the project will study the tactical production planning for hydrogen given the demand for hydrogen and electricity. You will work closely with a PhD student focusing on wind power in this project, who will provide you with important knowledge about wind energy potential.

Duties

The main task of a PhD student is to devote themselves to their doctoral studies, which includes both participation in research projects and doctoral courses. The duties may also include involvement in teaching and other departmental work, but not exceeding 20% of the working time.

Admission requirements
To meet the entry requirements for doctoral studies, you must

• hold a Master’s (second-cycle) degree, or
• have completed at least 240 credits in higher education, with at least 60 credits at Master’s level including an independent project worth at least 15 credits, or
• have acquired substantially equivalent knowledge in some other way.

Requirements

• Master's degree in engineering or equivalent.
• Good knowledge in mathematics, especially optimization theory.
• Excellent proficiency in English, both spoken and written.

For employment as a PhD student, the candidate must be admitted or will be admitted to doctoral education, where the ability to benefit from doctoral education is crucial.

Additional qualifications

• Energy technology.
• Programming in modeling languages (e.g., AMPL) or Python.
• Experience in modeling, simulation, and optimization of energy systems.

Application Procedure: Apply via the link below. The application should include a letter briefly describing yourself and your research interests. The application should also include a CV, copies of degree certificates and transcripts, a thesis, and any other documents you wish to refer to. We would like you to provide contact information for referees and/or attach recommendation letters.

Rules governing PhD students are set out in the Higher Education Ordinance chapter 5, §§ 1-7 and in Uppsala University's rules and guidelines.

About the employment
The employment is a temporary position according to the Higher Education Ordinance chapter 5 § 7. Scope of employment 100 %. Starting date August 25, 2025. Location: Visby.

For further information about the position, please contact: Björn Samuelsson, phone +46 70 370 3971, e-mail bjorn.a.samuelsson@angstrom.uu.se

Please submit your application by 30 April 2025, UFV-PA 2025/621.

Are you considering moving to Sweden to work at Uppsala University? Find out more about what it´s like to work and live in Sweden.

About Campus Gotland: Uppsala University Campus Gotland offers the best of two worlds: the full-scale university’s broad offering and weight and a unique, small-scale campus in an interdisciplinary research environment. Campus Gotland is a hub for the University’s research and education in sustainability. Find out what it’s like to live on Gotland.