Postdoc in Gears: From Manufacturing to Performance at KTH, Stockholm (XPRES)
Job Description
KTH’s School of Industrial Engineering and Management is hiring a postdoc in machine elements and production development to study how manufacturing methods and manufacturing variation affect gear performance. You will run experiments on an FZG gear test rig, characterise gear geometry and surfaces, and link them to efficiency, wear and service life. The project also covers powder-metallurgy gears and grease lubrication in precision drives.
At a glance
- Position: Postdoctoral fellow (1 post), up to two years
- Where: KTH, School of Industrial Engineering and Management, Stockholm
- Centre: XPRES, the Centre of Excellence in Production Research (KTH, MDU, RISE and Swerim)
- Reference: PA-2026-2897
- Contact: Ellen Bergseth, bergseth@kth.se
- Apply by: 24 September 2026
- Apply: 24 September 2026 (midnight CET/CEST)
About the gears postdoc
- Plan and run experimental studies on an FZG test rig, including efficiency and surface fatigue tests
- Characterise gear geometry and surface properties, and study their effect on efficiency, wear and service life
- Investigate alternative materials and methods, such as powder-metallurgy gears, and new lubrication strategies such as grease lubrication
- Work out how high efficiency can be balanced against long service life
- Collaborate across mechanical design, materials engineering, lightweight design and production development, with academic and industrial partners
What to include in your application
KTH asks for a CV with relevant professional experience, copies of your diplomas and grades (with English or Swedish translations if needed), and a statement of at most two pages on why you want to do research and how it relates to your studies and goals. Applications go through KTH’s recruitment system and must arrive by midnight CET/CEST on the closing date.
What KTH is looking for
- A doctoral degree or equivalent foreign degree, by the time the employment decision is made
Nice to have
- A doctorate obtained within the three years before the deadline
- Experience of surface fatigue and efficiency testing on an FZG rig or equivalent machine
- Experience in gear design
- Experience measuring gear geometry and characterising gear surfaces
- Ability to communicate scientific results in Swedish and English
- Awareness of diversity and equal opportunity, especially gender equality
Pay and location
KTH’s advert lists a monthly salary but does not state the amount. The post is full time in Stockholm for at most two years, starting by agreement.
How to apply
Apply through the official KTH page. The closing date is 24 September 2026 (midnight CET/CEST).
See all our postdoc jobs, or browse more research jobs on ResearchJobs.in.
Hiring institution: KTH Royal Institute of Technology
Official advertisement: kth.varbi.com
How to prepare for this application
- Show rig experience: describe FZG or back-to-back gear tests you ran, with the test conditions and what you measured.
- Metrology matters: list gear-measurement and surface tools you know, such as CMM gear measurement, profilometry or interferometry.
- Connect process to function: give one example where you tied a manufacturing variable to a performance result.
- Keep the statement tight: KTH asks for at most two pages on your research interests and goals.
- Deadline: applications close on 24 September 2026.
About KTH
KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm is Sweden's largest technical university, with research and teaching across engineering, natural sciences, architecture and technology management.
