Luleå University of Technology is growing rapidly with world-leading expertise in several research areas. Our scientific and artistic research and education are conducted in close collaboration with international, national and regional companies, public actors and leading universities. Luleå University of Technology has an annual turnover of over SEK 2.3 billion. We are more than 1,800 employees and have nearly 21,600 students.You will be part of the building materials group at Luleå University of Technology (LTU), one of Europe's leading technical universities. Our research group works at the intersection of materials science, sustainability and construction innovation in close collaboration with industry partners and leading universities worldwide. We offer a dynamic, international research environment where your work directly contributes to the green transition in the construction sector. Subject description Building Materials covers sustainable building materials and their application techniques, recycling and reuse, and applied building physics, with a particular focus on Arctic conditions. Project description The transition to sustainable construction requires new sources of cementitious materials and biomass combustion residues such as wood ash represent a significant and largely untapped opportunity. You will join a team developing and characterizing SCMs derived from wood ash and other by-product streams, with the goal of creating sustainable, low-carbon binder systems for use in concrete and mortar. The work spans the entire chain from raw material processing and reactivity assessment to mix design, characterization and performance testing under Nordic exposure conditions. The project is carried out in close collaboration with industrial partners in the forestry, energy and construction sectors. Work tasks - Independently operate and maintain laboratory characterization equipment, including scanning electron microscope (SEM-EDS), X-ray diffractometer (XRD) and thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA), without supervision - Independently plan, prepare and execute concrete and mortar testing programs, including pouring, curing and sample preparation - Perform freeze-thaw durability testing practically in accordance with Swedish standards and interpret the results - Perform SCM reactivity and verification testing independently using standardized methods (e.g. R3, strength activity index) - Design, mix and test alkali-activated material systems in the laboratory, with full responsibility for the experimental workflow from precursor preparation to performance evaluation - Troubleshoot and problem-solve experimental setups and adapt methods to new materials and research questions - Lead and contribute to scientific publications, technical reports and project deliverables - Collaborate with industrial partners and participate in national and international research networks - Contribute to the supervision of master and PhD students within the group Qualifications To be eligible for employment as a researcher, you must have a PhD in Building Materials. Requirements: - Documented practical experience in the independent use of SEM-EDS, XRD and TGA instrumentation: the candidate must be able to run, troubleshoot and interpret results without supervision - Proven experience in durability testing of concrete and mortar, especially freeze-thaw cycling according to Swedish standards - Expert knowledge of SCM characterization and reactivity verification methods (e.g. R3) - Experience in designing and testing systems for alkali-activated materials (AAM), including precursor selection, mix design and performance evaluation - Strong scientific writing and communication skills in English Meritorious: - Practical experience in processing wood ash or other biomass combustion residues for use as SCM, including grinding, screening, calcination or chemical treatment - Familiarity with a wide range of industrial SCM by-products (slag, fly ash, silica fume) and their effect on binder performance - Experience in core shielding properties of cementitious materials - Experience in characterization of concrete in interlayer transition zones (ITZ) - Track record of peer-reviewed publications in cementitious materials or concrete technology - Experience of working in close collaboration with industrial partners in an applied research environment in Sweden Information to be provided A fixed-term, full-time position between May 1 and October 30, 2026. Location: Luleå. For further information about the position, please contact: Magdalena Rajczakowska, 0920-49 3686, magdalena.rajczakowska@ltu.se Trade union representative: SACO-S Diana Chroneer, 0920-49 2037 diana.chroneer@ltu.se OFR-S Marika Vesterberg, 0920-49 1721 marika.vesterberg@ltu.se How to apply We prefer that you apply for the position via the application button below where you attach a cover letter, CV/resume and copies of verified diplomas. Please mark your application with the reference number below. Both the application and the diplomas must be written in Swedish or English. Deadline for applications: April 9, 2026 Reference number: 2503-2026