Do you want to develop your research and teaching in an environment where collaboration with industry and society is a matter of course? With us, you will work with dedicated colleagues, access to modern research infrastructure and good opportunities to attract external funding. You are given the opportunity to make a real difference for your students, your research and society at large.

In geotechnics, we work with the mechanical properties of tailings, which are a residual product from ore processing. The material is collected in large piles near the concentrator and surrounded by tailings dams. Everything has to be stable for very long periods of time and this places great demands on the design of the dams. One method for describing the mechanical properties of soil materials is so-called CPT probing. Much work, including at Luleå University of Technology, has been carried out to clarify the mechanical properties of tailings. The work is conducted at Luleå University of Technology in close collaboration with research institutions and universities in many countries. Mainly in countries with large mining industries. At Luleå University of Technology, much work has been carried out in a specially built and internationally unique calibration chamber. We are looking for a postdoc to now be able to effectively utilize results from these experiments and bring them to practical use. The aim is to understand and increase the safety of tailings dams in an international context.

Description

Geotechnical engineering encompasses soil mechanics, soil materials science and foundation engineering. The subject includes applications in civil and infrastructure engineering, energy and mineral extraction.

Project description

You will work with the implementation and utilization of results from previous projects linked to the internationally unique calibration chamber for CPT equipment. It also involves further development of the CPT method for use in crushing products such as tailings. The work is done at Luleå University of Technology but with several international partners. In a first stage, the work is linked to improved methods to determine the buoyancy of tailings. The work is done in close collaboration with the mining company Boliden.

Duties

The duties involve research and development work. Mainly work with implementation of results from previous research projects on the use of the CPT method in tailings. Further development of methods to assess the buoyancy of tailings. Further development of the calibration cell and the theoretical basis for the CPT method. Using, among other things, the calibration cell, clarify the influence of water compressibility on evaluated properties.

Qualifications

To be eligible for employment, a PhD or equivalent foreign degree in geotechnics is required. It is an advantage if your degree was obtained no more than three years before the closing date for applications for this position. If there are special reasons, those who have obtained a doctoral degree earlier may be considered, for example in the case of various types of statutory leave.

Very good knowledge of soil mechanics is a requirement, as well as experience in numerical modeling of soil mechanics problems. Experience from the concept of "Critical State Soil Mechanics" is meritorious.

Experience from advanced laboratory work is a requirement and especially valuable is experience from conducting triaxial tests. Experience of dynamic test methods is meritorious.

You should have good language skills in English and Swedish and be able to express yourself well in both speech and text. Additional language skills are an advantage.

Experience from industry is an advantage, as implementation work takes place close to industrial partners. You should have a good ability to collaborate and work together with selected partners, national and international.

Information

This position is for a full-time employment period of at least two years, up to three years. Place of employment is Luleå. Intended to start as soon as possible, no later than August 2026.

For further information, please contact Professor Jan Laue, 0920-49 1288, jan.laue@ltu.se or Senior Professor Sven Knutsson, 0920-49 3312, sven.knutsson@ltu.se

Union representative:

SACO-S Diana Chroneer, 0920-49 2037 diana.chroneer@ltu.se

OFR-S Marika Vesterberg, 0920-49 1721 marika.vesterberg@ltu.se

Application

We prefer that you apply for the position via the application button below where you attach a cover letter as well as CV/resume and copies of verified diplomas. Please mark your application with the reference number below. Both the application and the diploma must be written in Swedish or English.

Date for application: June 23, 2026

Reference number: 3476-2026