PhD Student in Energy Engineering with Focus on Human-Buildings Interaction

Description:

The Department of Applied Physics and Electronics currently has approximately 100 employees and conducts research in areas such as energy engineering, laser spectroscopy, medical technology, and electronics. The department hosts the IHBI laboratory (Intelligent Human-Buildings Interaction), an interdisciplinary research environment that develops new methods for studying the interaction between people and the built environment. The laboratory offers an advanced experimental platform that integrates immersive virtual environments with a state-of-the-art climate chamber, making it possible to test realistic scenarios under controlled and reproducible conditions. We are now seeking a PhD student in energy engineering with a focus on Human-Buildings Interaction. The start date is September 15 or by agreement. The application deadline is August 15, 2026. Project Description The project aims to generate new knowledge about how households interact with energy systems in a sustainable built environment. Special emphasis is placed on people's different behaviors, opportunities for participation, and questions of social sustainability. The project is based on an interdisciplinary perspective where building technology is combined with environmental psychology and knowledge of human-building interaction. This contributes to a deeper understanding of how sustainable energy transitions can be designed to work well both technically and socially, and are adapted to real residential environments. The project uses a combination of different methods, including controlled experiments in the IHBI laboratory, studies in immersive and intelligent built environments, and analysis of behavioral and physiological data. The work also includes development of personas, use of LLM-enhanced decision narratives, and agent-based social modeling. The knowledge generated in the project shall form the basis for new methods and tools to better analyze household energy behaviors. Particular focus is on identifying barriers and variations among different user groups and developing evidence-based strategies for more inclusive and sustainable energy solutions in the built environment. As a PhD student in the project, you will work with experimental research using immersive virtual environments, climate chambers, and advanced sensor technology. The goal is to create new knowledge about how people perceive, use, and adapt to buildings, and to contribute to the development of more inclusive and energy-efficient solutions. Qualifications To be admitted to education at the research level, the applicant must have basic eligibility through a completed degree at an advanced level, completed course requirements of at least 240 higher education credits (hp), of which at least 60 hp at an advanced level, or in some other way acquired substantially equivalent knowledge. To meet the requirement of special eligibility for admission to doctoral education in energy engineering, the applicant must have completed course requirements of at least 120 hp within the field of energy engineering or related areas assessed as directly relevant to the subject area. Requirements for prior knowledge as stated above are considered met also by those who in another manner within or outside the country have acquired equivalent knowledge and can demonstrate this. The requirements must be met at the time of admission to doctoral education but do not need to be met at the time of application. We are seeking a highly motivated and goal-oriented candidate with the ability for critical thinking and a constructive approach to feedback. The applicant should also demonstrate good collaboration skills and be able to work effectively with other members of a research group. Excellent knowledge of English, both spoken and written, is required. It is highly meritorious if you have: background in building construction, building technology, or building energy documented knowledge and experience of research in sustainable built environments experience with studies of user behavior and experimental work in immersive or intelligent indoor environments experience with quantitative data analysis and modeling methods, such as agent-based modeling and AI-supported behavioral analysis Employment Terms The employment is expected to result in a doctoral degree and the doctoral student's main task is thus to be active in research, doctoral courses, and possibly work in the department's undergraduate education (up to 20%). The employment is limited to four years full-time or up to five years if teaching and other institutional work is performed. The salary follows the established salary level for doctoral students at Umeå University. Start date is September 15 or by agreement. The application deadline is August 15, 2026. Application Your application should contain the following: A personal letter with a brief description of your qualifications, research interests, and motivation for applying (maximum 2 pages). Curriculum vitae (CV). Certified copies of degree certificates and diplomas. A list of university courses with grades. Note that for international applicants, the grading system should be briefly explained. A copy of your thesis work and any relevant publications. Contact information for at least two references who have either worked closely with you or been your supervisor in an academic or professional context. The application, including all attachments, must be written in English or Swedish. The application is made through our electronic recruitment system. For more information, contact: Professor Weizhuo Lu Email: [email protected] Phone: +46 73 836 9536 Open to All We focus on your competence, not your other circumstances. We are open to adapting the role or workplace according to your needs.The Department of Applied Physics and Electronics currently has approximately 100 employees and conducts research in areas such as energy engineering, laser spectroscopy, medical technology, and electronics. The department hosts the IHBI laboratory (Intelligent Human-Buildings Interaction), an interdisciplinary research environment that develops new methods for studying the interaction between people and the built environment. The laboratory offers an advanced experimental platform that integrates immersive virtual environments with a state-of-the-art climate chamber, making it possible to…

Overview

Type

job

Status

active

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public

City

Umeå

Address

Umeå universitet

GPS

63.7970413, 20.2816791copyopen in

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3

Published

25. 5. 2026

Edited

30. 7. 2026

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