Ph.D. student in systems engineering with a focus on statistical modeling

Blekinge Institute of Technology is a place of curiosity and ingenuity with a campus in the middle of the Blekinge archipelago. Here we offer education from undergraduate to doctoral level and conduct world-class applied research. We change and make a difference. Do you want to become one of us?

The research will be conducted at the Department of Mathematics and Natural Sciences , Faculty of Engineering. We conduct education and research in systems engineering, electrical engineering, marine engineering, statistics, mathematics, and physics. The research in systems engineering is conducted with an applied technical research orientation with a close connection to statistics and applied mathematical modeling. The department has a long-standing collaboration in the field of traffic and transport and has, among other things, been an active part of national and international projects. Our research portfolio includes close collaboration with the Swedish Transport Administration and the industry program Capacity in Railway Traffic (KAJT), where universities and colleges work together to develop methodologies and mathematical and statistical models that describe how trains can be rescheduled to minimize delays.

The doctoral candidate will conduct research within the postgraduate subject of systems engineering, focusing on the development of statistical modelling approaches to support efficient resource use and strategic planning. The doctoral student will have an individual study plan in the subject of systems engineering. 

As part of the employment, teaching is included (up to 20 %) at the basic and advanced levels. Rules and benefits for doctoral students in Sweden apply to this employment. 

Research focus 

The need for self-learning and decision-support systems is important in today's society in many different contexts. Planning and controlling the use of resources are often multifaceted and complex problems – in particular if there is a requirement that decisions must be made in real-time and there are stochastic factors affecting the system. In this sense, Blekinge Institute of Technology has conducted research in the field of transport for many years and in several different domains. 

We are expanding our research group, working on the development of decision support systems and efficient resource management for rail traffic. We are looking for a curious and committed individual with the ability, interest, and motivation to learn how to describe, analyze, and solve relevant and complex problems—both independently and in collaboration with a team of researchers. 

The Ph.D. student will work in and be linked to ongoing external major research projects together with other universities, companies, and authorities.  

• To be employed as a PhD student, it is required that the applicant is or will be admitted to postgraduate education. 
• Eligible for admission to postgraduate education is those who have completed a degree at the advanced level, completed course requirements of at least 240 higher education credits, of which at least 60 higher education credits at advanced level, or at in any other way within or outside the country acquired substantially corresponding knowledge (Chapter 7, Section 39 in the Higher Education Ordinance (1993:100)). 

Specific entry requirements 

• Applicants should have a master's degree in statistics, mathematical statistics, or equivalent. 

• Proficient in time series and regression models.
• It is an advantage to have a good knowledge of model derivation (maximum likelihood-based) and scientific programming skills. 
• Experience in statistics linked to industrial applications within and/or outside the railway domain is considered a merit.
• Proficient skills in written and oral communication in English. Ability to work independently as well as in a team. 

Security-related requirements

May be subject to assessment for authorization to work with security-classified data, as well as the possibility of security vetting by an external party.

Salary

For doctoral students at the university, a uniform salary scale is applied, meaning that the salary is progressively adjusted in accordance with achieved milestones throughout the doctoral education. The doctoral training and associated research are aligned with national transportation needs and are relevant to the Swedish Transport Administration (Trafikverket) and the KAJT competence centre.

Place of employment: Karlskrona.

Employment level: 100%.

Commencement: To be agreed.

Duration: Temporary position. The duration is up to 4 years of full-time research. The position may comprise up to 20% of other duties
(e.g., teaching), in which case the duration can be extended to a maximum of 5 years.

Application deadline: January 15th, 2026. 

Your application should include the following:

• A description of your background, knowledge, and experience in the area(s) relevant to the position.
• A CV.
• Grades and diplomas in certified copies.
• The earliest date you can start work.
• An appendix of current publications (if applicable).
• A link to your thesis (most recent/highest degree) (if applicable).

You apply online through our recruitment system by clicking on the “apply” button below.

If you have protected personal data, you should not register your application in our recruitment system. Instead, contact the HR Partner listed as the contact person in the advertisement for further instructions.

Instructions to applicants can be found at https://www.bth.se/english/about-bth/work-at-bth/vacancies. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that the application is complete in accordance with the advertisement and instructions.

In case of different interpretations of the English and Swedish versions of this announcement, the Swedish version takes precedence.

Blekinge Institute of Technology, BTH, embraces diversity and welcomes applicants with varying backgrounds and experiences.
We work actively to take advantage of the qualities that diversity and an even gender distribution contribute to our operations.

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