Industrial Ph. D student - Volvo Cars Sustainability Centre i Göteborg

Want to join us on our exciting journey?

Volvo Cars is on an exciting journey, redefining the automotive experience by innovating to make people’s lives less complicated. We offer you a once-in-a-lifetime chance to make an impact in a company with unique opportunities to grow and make a true difference.

What we offer
We are looking for an Industrial Ph. D student to join our Sustainability Centre at Volvo Cars Headquarters in Gothenburg.  

In collaboration with Chalmers University of Technology we are starting a Ph. D project for Optimisation of the under hood flow for improving energy efficiency of BEVs. We are looking for an industrial Ph. D student who is ready to help us improve our electric cars (BEVs) and become leading in energy efficiency.

What you’ll do
As Industrial Ph. D student, you will work closely with your team at Volvo Cars and with your academic supervisor at Chalmers University. The focus of your project will be to increase the driving range of our electric cars (BEVs). Since the available energy in a BEV is limited, it is crucial to minimize all energy losses. With this overall goal, the project main objectives are:

• Propose improvements to the under hood that will result in an increased range extension of 0.5-1.0 % on the test vehicle in cruising conditions. 
• Improve and extend in-house knowledge on the design of front air-intakes, connecting channels and position of heat exchangers with regards to their impact on drag.
• Design a test vehicle, to be used partly as a reference model, but also to enable tests of innovative solutions for cooling/heating air flow.
• Use wind tunnel tests for drag estimates in combination with under hood aero and thermal measurements employing, e.g., laser technology.
• Develop and use advanced CFD methods for coupled aerodynamic and thermal computations.
• Study the influence of diverse flow environment conditions such as cross winds on the cooling and heating performance of a given design.
• Investigate possibilities of active control solutions through movable flaps and guiding vanes.

As an Industrial Ph. D student, your focus will be to pursue your research, publish your results in scientific journals, take courses, and perform limited teaching duties. In this role, you will be employed by Volvo Cars and divide your time between the Volvo Cars and Chalmers University facilities. 

You and your skills
We see that you have a M.Sc. university degree from a relevant area (Mechanical Engineering or equivalent). You need good knowledge of fluid- and thermodynamics and excellent command of English, both written and spoken. Experience with CFD, specially with CCM+, is considered an asset. 

To be successful in this task, you need to be goal oriented and highly motivated in perusing a Ph. D degree within this area. Completing a project like this requires a high level of self-drive, independency, and creativity. 

How to learn more and apply
Please submit your CV and application letter via the job ad. During the recruitment process you will also be asked to submit a transcript of your academic degrees. Please note that due to GDPR, applications via email will not be accepted.

For questions about the position please contact Hiring Manager Rosalie Olsson Aksell at rosalie.olsson@volvocars.com. For questions regarding the academic aspect please contact Simone Sebben at Chalmers University of Technology, simone.sebben@chalmers.se. For questions regarding the recruitment process, please contact Recruiter Maria Kihlgren at maria.kihlgren@volvocars.com. We want your application at the latest September 4, 2022. 

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Who are we?

Everything we do starts with people. Our purpose is to provide freedom to move, in a personal, sustainable and safe way. We are committed to simplifying our customers’ lives by offering better technology solutions that improve their impact on the world and bringing the most advanced mobility innovations to protect them, their loved ones and the people around them. 

Volvo Cars’ continued success is the result of a collaborative, diverse, and inclusive working environment. The people of Volvo Cars are committed to making a difference in our world. Today, we are one of the most well-known and respected car brands, with over 40,000 employees across the globe. We believe in bringing out the best in each other and harnessing the true power of people. At Volvo Cars your career is designed around your talents and aspirations so you can reach your full potential. Join us on a journey of a lifetime as we create safety, autonomous driving and electrification technologies of tomorrow.