The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering works with every aspect of construction in the community – houses to live in, roads to travel on, and water to drink – from planning to maintenance, taking into account the environment, energy and economics. Analysis and problem-solving focus on the ways in which technology, humans and nature interact in society.
The Department has around 130 employees, divided between six research divisions and an administrative team, and is based at the Johanneberg Campus.
When it comes to research and education, our Department is at the forefront, and through our work, we contribute to a sustainable built environment.
Information about the division
The successful candidate will work at the division of Water Environment Technology (WET) at the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the Chalmers University of Technology. WET brings together scientists with expertise in process engineering, hydraulics, environment, and sustainability. Research is performed in a number of research fields, including drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater engineering. The successful candidate will work in close cooperation with the Norwegian Public Roads Administration regarding the construction of the E39 highway. More information about WET can be found athttps://www.chalmers.se/cee/EN/divisions/wet. More information about the construction of the E39 highway can be found at http://wp.portal.chalmers.se/e39/home/.
Major responsibilities
The construction of roads has an effect on local and regional biodiversity and the ecosystem services that this provides. Stormwater systems, such as ponds and wetlands, have the potential to promote aquatic biodiversity and provide new opportunities during and after road construction. Previously, stormwater systems have been primarily designed and constructed for the removal of particles and particle associated pollutants, as well as peak flow reduction. However, further research is needed in order to propose technical design and provide management recommendations for extended, biodiversity-promoting stormwater systems. The overall aim of this project is to develop a solution for the biodiversity-neutral construction of roads. In this project, a model to simulate the influence of environmental factors on the aquatic biodiversity in stormwater systems will be developed. The developed model will be used to design biodiversity-promoting stormwater systems along highways. The model will enable the design of stormwater systems that compensate for the adverse biodiversity effects of road construction. This project will be performed in close cooperation with the Norwegian Public Roads Administration regarding the construction of the E39 highway. This project will facilitate the biodiversity-neutral construction of the E39 highway in particular, and the construction of biodiversity-neutral roads in general.
As a PhD student you are expected to work independently; have the ability to plan and organise your work; to be able to work in close collaboration with other group members and partners; and to be able to communicate scientific results, both orally and in written form in English. Knowledge of Swedish and/or Norwegian is advantageous due to close collaboration with Swedish and Norwegian stakeholders.
You are expected to participate in teaching Bachelor and Master level courses in the field of civil and environmental engineering. Bachelor courses are taught in Swedish, and applicants that do not have Swedish as a native language should be able to teach in Swedish within two years of employment. Chalmers offers courses in Swedish language.
Position summary
Full-time temporary employment. The position is limited to a maximum of five years.
Qualifications
To qualify as a PhD student, you must have a master's level degree corresponding to at least 240 higher education credits in Civil and/or Environmental Engineering, Aquatic Ecology/Biology or a closely related field. Experience and/or education in any or several of the following fields are advantageous: empirical and/or process-based modelling, freshwater ecology, eco-/biostatistics, ecological modelling, taxonomy.
Chalmers continuously strives to be an attractive employer. Equality and diversity are substantial foundations in all activities at Chalmers.
Application deadline: January 11, 2015
For questions, please contact:
Ekaterina Sokolova, WET, ekaterina.sokolova<στο>chalmers.se
Greg Morrison, WET, greg.morrison<στο>chalmers.se
Apply here: http://www.chalmers.se/en/about-chalmers/vacancies/Pages/default.aspx?rmpage=job&rmjob=2646