PhD student position in Building Design and Occupant Practices for Climate Adaptation

We are looking for a highly motivated PhD student to join a multidisciplinary team of researchers working on approaches, methods and design solutions to address the challenges of overheating in multifamily buildings during heatwaves. This is one of three PhD positions available in the project. The position is a great opportunity for you to gain scientific knowledge and skills in a topic of great importance for the society and building industry.

Project description
The PhD position is part of a multidisciplinary initiative funded by the Swedish Research Council for Sustainable Development FORMAS. The overarching goal of the research is to comprehensively address the challenges of overheating in multifamily buildings during heatwaves by bringing together researchers from diverse fields, including building services engineering, architecture, sociology, psychology and building stock modelling, as well as housing companies and The Swedish Tenants’ Association. This specific PhD project will focus on integrating characteristics of building and apartment typologies with occupant behaviour, surveyed through building and apartment analysis, questionnaires and interviews, to understand how these affect overheating, and indoor thermal comfort and resilience. The research will be performed in close collaboration with PhD students and researchers from different fields, as part of the larger multidisciplinary project.

Information about the division and the department
The research project will enrol within the division of Building design at the Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering. The staff at the division for building design teaches and researchers in design and planning for design with a special focus on housing, facilities for health care, and resource efficiency and sustainability. Activities at the division are connected to two centers hosted by ACE, the Center for Health Care Architecture (CVA) and the Center for Housing Architecture (CBA). 

Major responsibilities
As a PhD student, your major responsibility is to pursue your doctoral studies related to the project. This includes carrying out empirical studies, applying theoretical perspectives, and communicating research results verbally and in writing. Your research activities will contribute to enhanced knowledge in the scientific field, in particular by presenting your results in scientific journals and at international conferences. You are also expected to communicate your results to actors in the industry, the public sector and the general public. 

This is a four year position. In order to develop as an academic you will be invited to take part in teaching, which might prolong the time of the position with the same amount of time as has been spent on teaching. 

The position as a PhD student at Chalmers University of Technology is a full-time temporary employment, with a competitive monthly salary and full social benefits. There are no tuition fees for PhD studies at Chalmers. The first contract is for one year which will then be renewed for a maximum of one year at the time.

Read more about doctoral studies at Chalmers here.

Qualifications
To qualify as a PhD student, you must have a master's level degree corresponding to at least 240 higher education credits. We expect you to have a master’s degree in architecture, civil engineering or social science.

Documented fluency in English is mandatory for this position and fluency in Swedish is meritorious. Documented experience in qualitative research and academic writing is qualifying.

We are looking for an applicant with a strong interest in pursuing research, who is independent, curious and creative. Interest in or experience in housing design for climate change is meritorious.

Contract terms
Full-time temporary employment. The position is limited to a maximum of four years.

We offer
Chalmers offers a cultivating and inspiring working environment in the coastal city of Gothenburg. 
Read more about working at Chalmers and our benefits for employees.

Chalmers aims to actively improve our gender balance. We work broadly with equality projects, for example the GENIE Initiative on gender equality for excellence. Equality and diversity are substantial foundations in all activities at Chalmers.

Application procedure
The application should be marked with reference number 20240175 and written in English. The application should be sent electronically and be attached as PDF-files, as below. Maximum size for each file is 40 MB. Please note that the system does not support Zip files.

CV: (Please name the document: CV, Family name, reference number)
• CV
• Other, for example previous employments or leadership qualifications and positions of trust.
• Two references that we can contact.

Personal letter: (Please name the document as: Personal letter, Family name, ref.number)
1-3 pages where you:
• Introduce yourself
• Describe your previous experience of relevance for the position (e.g. education, thesis work and, if applicable, any other research activities)
• Describe your future goals and future research focus

Other documents:
• Copies of bachelor and/or master’s thesis.
• Attested copies and transcripts of completed education, grades and other certificates, e.g. TOEFL test results.

Use the button at the foot of the page to reach the application form. 

Please note: The applicant is responsible for ensuring that the application is complete. Incomplete applications and applications sent by email will not be considered.

Application deadline: 2024-04-30

For questions, please contact:
Paula Femenias, Professor, Building Design,
paula.femenias@chalmers.se

Martine Buser, Associate Professor, Building Design,
martine.buser@chalmers.se 

*** Chalmers declines to consider all offers of further announcement publishing or other types of support for the recruiting process in connection with this position. *** 
   

Chalmers University of Technology conducts research and education in engineering sciences, architecture, technology-related mathematical sciences, natural and nautical sciences, working in close collaboration with industry and society. The strategy for scientific excellence focuses on our six Areas of Advance; Energy, Health Engineering, Information and Communication Technology, Materials Science, Production and Transport. The aim is to make an active contribution to a sustainable future using the basic sciences as a foundation and innovation and entrepreneurship as the central driving forces. Chalmers has around 11,000 students and 3,000 employees. New knowledge and improved technology have characterised Chalmers since its foundation in 1829, completely in accordance with the will of William Chalmers and his motto: Avancez!