PhD student in Computer and Systems Sciences, with focus on Design of Energy Markets

The Department of Computer and Systems Sciences. With over 200 employees and 4,500 students, the Department of Computer and Systems Sciences (DSV) is a strong and dynamic research and educational environment. The discipline of computer and systems sciences bridges the gap between technology and the humanities, social sciences, and behavioral sciences, with great relevance to our lives today and in the future. Our research addresses how new information and communication technology should be designed to benefit people, organizations, and entire societies.

DSV offers a stimulating research community in an international environment. As a doctoral student at DSV, you study together with many other doctoral students, collaborate with senior research colleagues and get connected to other researchers in Sweden and abroad. DSV’s current location is Stockholm University's campus in Kista, north of central Stockholm, and we will move to the main Frescati campus within a couple of years.

More information about us, please visit: the Department of Computer and Systems Sciences.

Project description

Within the European Union´s Horizon Europe research and innovation program under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Action (MSCA), Stockholm University is offering a PhD fellowship for a Doctoral Candidate (DC), starting August 1, 2026 or as soon as possible hereafter as part of the ENERPOL MSCA Doctoral Network. ENERPOL is a European research and training network (MSCA Doctoral Network) that explores the role of households in the green energy transition. It addresses challenges such as volatile energy prices, inequality, and household risk exposure, while developing policy-relevant insights for fair and efficient energy systems. A consortium of leading universities and non-academic partners will train 14 DCs in cutting-edge methods, theory, and transferable skills. More information may be found on the ENERPOL home page at https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101226229. 

The part of the project carried out at Stockholm University will focus on prosumers in energy markets in order to inform market design. As an overarching objective, the project will tackle how the rise of prosumers and electrification of the broader economy affect the competitiveness of power producers via a Nash-Cournot model of regional energy sectors. The ensuing bottom-up equilibrium model with both flexible demand and variable renewable energy (VRE) output will enable the analysis of structural changes to the power sector and its coupling with adjacent sectors for heat, industrial demand, and transportation. From a policy perspective, such a framework will allow an assessment of both the role of prosumers in competitive energy markets and countervailing policy measures to mitigate economic and environmental distortions. In particular, market designs that reduce market power, energy-related household inequality, and risk in energy markets will be investigated. 

The project is part of a vibrant academic community with a strong international network, offering opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration, seminars, and scientific exchange within both academia and industry. In addition to a competitive salary and wellness benefits, the candidate is offered strong support for academic development, including funding for books, conference travel, and professional growth opportunities. Project funding includes also mobility payments and, where applicable, family or special-needs allowances. 

Applicants will be required to meet the European Commission’s MSCA Doctoral Network eligibility criteria, notably:

• Mobility Rule - Applicants can be of any nationality and must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in Sweden for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before the start of their employment at Stockholm University. Compulsory national service, short stays such as holidays, and time spent as part of a procedure for obtaining refugee status under the Geneva Convention are not considered.
• Doctoral Candidate requirement – the applicant must not be in possession of a doctoral degree at the first day of the employment. Researchers who have successfully defended their doctoral thesis but who have not yet been awarded the doctoral degree are not eligible.

Please note that you will only be considered for the position if you meet the general and specific entry requirements of postgraduate education and fulfill both of the above eligibility criteria of the European Commission’s MSCA Doctoral Network.

Qualification requirements

In order to be admitted to postgraduate education, the applicant must have the general and specific entry requirements. The qualification requirements must be met by the deadline for applications.

You meet general entry requirements if you have completed a second-cycle degree, or completed courses equivalent to at least 240 higher education credits, of which 60 credits must be in the second cycle, or have otherwise acquired equivalent knowledge in Sweden or elsewhere.

Specific entry requirements are described in in the general syllabus for doctoral studies in the field of Computer and Systems Sciences and state that the applicant must have completed courses at second-cycle level in Computer and Systems Sciences with a minimum of 60 higher education credits or equivalent. The applicant must also have completed a degree project (thesis) of at least 15 higher education credits. In addition, the applicant is required to have English language skills equivalent of Common European Framework of Reference for Languages Level B2.

Selection

The selection among the eligible candidates will be based on their capacity to benefit from the training. The following criteria will be used to assess this capacity:

• Independence in the analysis and organization of the earlier scientific work
• Problem formulation and rigor in previous scientific work and in the research plan
• Previously shown ability to keep the specified time limits
• Methodological and scientific maturity
• Communication and cooperation skills
• Subject-specific knowledge relevant to education.

The following will be considered meritorious:

• Track record demonstrating excellent modeling work related to energy systems or environmental policy evidenced by an M.Sc. thesis or equivalent
• Methodological toolkit related to applied mathematics, environmental economics, game theory, or operations research
• Skills in data management and computational implementation of large-scale optimization models.
• Domain knowledge of the power sector and energy policy
• Willingness to work collegially as part of an interdisciplinary team and evidence of previous collaboration with researchers from different disciplines.
• Ability to communicate research results and an interest to engage with stakeholders outside the academic community
• Excellent written and spoken English skills (Swedish is not a requirement)
• Willingness to attend all ENERPOL training events and secondments.

Admission Regulations for Doctoral Studies at Stockholm University.

About the employment

We offer a fixed-term employment as a doctoral student according to Chapter 5 of the Higher Education Ordinance (1993:100). The period of employment may not be longer than what corresponds to full-time doctoral education for four years. As a doctoral student, you should primarily devote yourself to your own doctoral education, but the employment may include work with education, research and administration to a limited extent (maximum 20 %).

A new employment as a doctoral student is for a maximum of one year, the employment is then renewed for a maximum of two years at a time.

Stockholm University strives to be a workplace free from discrimination and with equal opportunities for all.

Contact

For more information, please contact either Professor Afzal Siddiqui, asiddiq@dsv.su.se, or Director of PhD studies, Åsa Smedberg, studierektorF@dsv.su.se.

Application

Apply for the PhD student position at Stockholm University's recruitment system. Attach a personal letter and CV as well as the attachments requested in the application form, such as detailed qualifications, publications or writing samples (if existing), at least one support letter, and a statement of intent. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that the application is complete in accordance with the instructions in the job advertisement, and that it is submitted before the deadline. We recommend that the application, with associated documents, be written in English.

The instructions for applicants are available at: How to apply for a position.