PhD Opportunity in Space Weather and Power Grid Resilience at Umeå University Umeå University in Sweden

Umeå University is advertising a PhD opportunity in Space Weather and Power Grid Resilience within the Solar-Terrestrial Physics and Space Weather Group. The project focuses on the physics of ionospheric currents, geomagnetically induced currents (GICs), and their impact on critical infrastructure such as power grids. The research is especially relevant to northern Sweden’s ongoing societal and industrial transformation and to understanding how space weather can affect modern energy systems.

The successful candidate will work on modeling the coupled ionosphere–ground system in the time domain, analyzing the evolution of three-dimensional ionospheric currents, and developing improved methods for estimating ionospheric currents from ground-based measurements. The topic combines physics, electrodynamics, data analysis, scientific programming, and potentially computational science and numerical methods.

Eligibility highlights include a Master’s degree or 240 ECTS equivalent, with at least 120 ECTS in Physics. Applicants should have documented experience in electrodynamics, data analysis, and programming in Python, Matlab, or C/C++. Experience in space/plasma physics, computational science, or PDE-based numerical methods is considered a merit. Strong English communication skills and the ability to work both independently and in a team are also expected.

The position is funded by the Swedish Space Research School and lasts 4 years, with the possibility of extending to 5 years if 20% teaching/departmental work is included. Salary is set according to Sweden’s doctoral student salary scales. The start date is 14 September 2026, or by agreement.

The application deadline is 20 May 2026. Applications must be submitted via the Varbi e-recruitment system in PDF format and should include a cover letter, CV, degree certificates, transcripts with grading explanation, copies of a Master’s thesis or publications, and at least one academic reference. Scientific inquiries can be directed to Associate Professor Maria Hamrin at [email protected].