Doctoral student in space physics

Project description

The goal of the project is to advance our understanding of solar wind formation and energization processes. We use in situ observations of the solar wind by the NASA Parker Solar Probe spacecraft launched 2018 and according to NASA being the first-ever mission to "touch" the Sun. Solar wind acceleration occurs over a larger height interval and Parker Solar Probe allows for the first time sampling regions where significant solar wind acceleration is ongoing locally. The solar wind formation is a very dynamic process and the project plans to quantify the relative role played in it by localized dynamic structures such as switchbacks, current sheets and flux ropes forming at close distances to the Sun. The project particularly focuses on the regions around the critical Alfvén surface, an important region where the solar wind goes from being sub-Alfvénic at small distances to being super-Alfvénic at larger distances. The science questions to be answered are how the properties of switchbacks, currents sheets and flux ropes change across the region surrounding the critical Alfvén surface and what are the new physical processes appearing in the regions close to and below the critical Alfvén surface?

Scientists and doctoral students at of Space and Plasma Physics play an active role in a large number of international space projects, where we have built instruments, plan operations, and analyze data. We also do science within basic plasma physics, and subjects relevant to fusion research and industrial plasma physics applications.

Third-cycle subject : Electrical Engineering

Supervision: Professor Andris Vaivads

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.

Work and study in Stockholm, close to nature and the water.

Help to relocate and be settled in Sweden and at KTH.

The possibility to work with exciting data from space probes within international collaborations.

Admission requirements

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 second cycle degree (for example a master's degree), or

completed course requirements of at least 240 higher education credits, of which at least 60 second-cycle higher education credits, or

acquired, in some other way within or outside the country, substantially equivalent knowledge

In addition to the above, there is also a mandatory requirement 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 and

analyse and work with complex issues.

A specialization in space physics or plasma physics is considered meritorious.

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.

Union representatives

Contact information KTH's website.

Doctoral section (Students' union on KTH Royal Institute of

Technology)

Contact information 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/Central European Summer Time).

Applications must include:

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.Copies of originals must be certified.

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, 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.