Project Researcher (PhD Student) or Postdoctoral Researcher in Electricity Markets and Flexibility University of Vaasa in Finland

The University of Vaasa is recruiting two full-time, fixed-term researchers for the Electricity Markets and Flexibility project, funded by the Research Council of Finland. The positions are offered as either Project Researcher (PhD Student) or Postdoctoral Researcher, and run for three years. The work is based in the School of Technology and Innovations in Vaasa, Finland, within the electrical engineering discipline.

The project addresses a timely and highly relevant topic in the transition to low-carbon energy systems: how electricity markets should be designed, and how demand-side flexibility should be mobilised, so that a power system with high shares of variable renewable generation remains reliable, affordable, and efficient. The research combines quantitative modelling of electricity markets and energy systems with empirical analysis of how flexibility is created, priced, and traded.

Two connected research themes are available. Theme A focuses on electricity market design and the cost of the whole energy system, including wholesale, balancing, reserve, and capacity markets, scarcity pricing, locational signals, network charging, cost allocation, and sector coupling with heat and transport. Theme B examines power system flexibility in data centres, with topics such as shifting computing workloads in time and space, on-site storage and backup capacity, thermal flexibility, waste heat recovery, participation in energy and reserve markets, grid connection agreements, and techno-economic assessment of flexible operation.

The successful candidate will contribute to project activities, develop and document quantitative models, work with an interdisciplinary network of universities, research organisations, system operators, energy companies, technology providers, and data centre operators, and help produce high-quality scientific publications. Depending on the role and university guidelines, teaching or supervision tasks may also be included. For the Project Researcher route, the appointee is expected to apply for and pursue a doctoral degree in Electrical Engineering through the University of Vaasa doctoral programme.

Eligibility highlights include a master’s degree or PhD in a relevant field, strong quantitative and analytical skills, programming or modelling experience, and excellent English communication skills. Experience in energy system modelling, power system modelling, electricity market modelling, optimisation, simulation, econometrics, or data analysis is desirable, as is familiarity with data centre operations or ICT energy use for Theme B.

The positions are paid research appointments. Monthly salary is based on the Finnish University Salary System: Project Researcher (PhD Student) level 2–4 (€2331–2907) and Postdoctoral Researcher level 5 (€3366), plus a personal salary component. The application deadline is 30 September 2026. Applicants must submit the required documents through the online application system, including a CV, a cover letter, transcripts and certificates, and a writing sample; postdoctoral applicants should also include a list of publications.