The Swedish School of Textiles at the Faculty of Textiles, Engineering and Business is a centre for the textile and fashion sector’s competence provision through our educational programmes, research activities, and close industry collaboration. We offer educational programmes at the Bachelor’s and Master’s levels as well as doctoral education in the area of Textiles and Fashion. Our work builds upon multidisciplinary collaboration among artistic and technical design, textile technology, and management.

About the project

We are now seeking a doctoral student in textile technology with a focus on textile actuation. Textile actuation is a strong research field at the Swedish School of Textiles with a number of ongoing and completed research projects. Textile activation is about manufacturing fibres and textile materials with the ability to exert experienced mechanical force on their surroundings and/or change their own shape. This is made possible via various physico-chemical mechanisms, some of which are inspired by nature. The field is closely related to the emerging field of soft robotics, as well as assistive technology and materials science.

In a new European project, Softwear, within Marie Curie-Skledowska Action (MSCA), we are now recruiting for a doctoral student for this area. We are looking for a driven person with a solid background in textiles who can become a future leader in advanced textiles. The doctoral student will be part of a European doctoral education programme at the highest international level and will work with top-ranked universities across Europe. You need to have an excellent academic history, broad and solid knowledge, as well as experience of textile processes such as fibre forming, weaving, knitting and dyeing. Interest in research, the desire to be at the international forefront of research, and creativity are important factors. 

The employment is limited to two years of doctoral studies to be completed with a Degree of Licentiate.The doctoral student will be part of the Polymeric E-textiles research group led by Associate Professor Nils-Krister Persson. Read more about the research group Polymeric E-textiles.

Job description

The position includes the following:

• Doctoral education
• Conduct scientific studies regarding textile actuation
• Manufacturing, using textile techniques and textile form factors, of actuating materials
• To act as textile expertise for colleagues in the research school and educate others in the use of textiles for actuation
• Scientific reporting and presentation including writing of scientific articles

There are no departmental duties planned for this doctoral student.

For more information about your journey as a doctoral student, please review our Doctoral Student Handbook. Here you will find everything from the application process to what is required to achieve a doctoral degree: Doctoral Student Handbook

Qualifications

Employment takes place under the condition that the applicant fulfills the requirements and is accepted as a doctoral student. Admission will be to the Textiles and Fashion research school with a specialisation in textile technology.

To be employed, the following is required:

• a Master's degree in Textile Engineering, or a Bachelor's degree in Textile Engineering or Textile Design with a Master's degree in Materials Science, Biotechnology, Human-Machine Interaction or an equivalent field that the employer deems equivalent.
• solid knowledge and experience of textile processes such as fibre forming, weaving, knitting, and dyeing.
• basic knowledge of electronics.
• good ability to collaborate and take initiative, ability to work in a structured manner, and to be able to prioritise among tasks.
• good communicative ability in English, in both speech and writing.

The applicant

• may not hold a doctoral degree at the time of recruitment.
• can be of any nationality.
• need to comply with the mobility rules: must generally not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the home country of the recruiting organisation for more than 12 months in the last 36 months (counting from) the date of recruitment.

Merits for this position are:

• well-executed independent work during one’s education.
• experience of scientific work and scientific writing in addition to one’s education.
• experience of developing textile prototypes, products, or processes.
• experience of working with textile, producing companies.
• experience of working with customers within or outside the textile sphere.
• knowledge of programming.
• experience of textile-related teaching.

Proficiency in English equivalent to English 6 (Swedish Bachelor's degree meets the English requirement) is a requirement. It is possible to demonstrate that the language requirements are met through TOEFL/IELTS/Previous upper secondary or university studies. More information about passing English tests, previous studies, and required documents is provided by University Admissions in Sweden under information for the Master's level.

Contact 

Contact those below if you want to know more:

about the position: Head of Department Niina Hernández, Recruiting Manager
niina.hernandez@hb.se

about the research area: Associate Professor Nils-Krister Persson, research group leader
nils-krister.persson@hb.se

About the research school: Maria Persson, Director of Studies at the Doctoral Programme in Textile Technology
maria.persson@hb.se

The trade union representative is Matilda Johansson, Saco-S. Trade union representatives can be reached via the university switchboard, +46 (0)33-435 40 00.

About the employment

The employment is limited to two years full-time, with studies to be completed with a Degree of Licentiate (Higher Education Ordinance Chapter 5).

Starting date as soon as agreed upon. Location: Borås, Sweden.

Application

You can apply for the position via our website by clicking on “Apply.” For more information on how to apply, please visit the Information for applicants webpage. After the application deadline, no additions can be made electronically.

Write clearly in your application which position you are applying for and include the applicable reference number: PA2024/144. A complete application should include the following electronic documents: 

1. Personal letter with a well-thought-out motivation for your application, indicating the position applied for.
2. CV (overview list of education and work experience in chronological order) with reference contact information
3. Degree project (independent work).
4. Degree certificate proving eligibility and requirements for the position, including certificate of language requirements English 6.
5. Copy of passport/ID document

For applicants with a foreign degree

If an applicant’s degree is from a higher education institution outside Sweden, or which has not been verified by a Swedish authority before, it is important that to attach the diploma and grades in order to facilitate assessment.

Please submit your application by midnight 1 January 2025 (CET, Central European Time).

Other

The University of Borås provides good work conditions and benefits. Our modern campus is located in the city centre with good access to public transport. It offers good commuting opportunities. Working for sustainable societal development throughout our operations and working to promote diversity, equality, and accessibility are a given at the University of Borås.

Facts about the University of Borås
Work with us

Prior to this recruitment, the University of Borås has considered recruitment channels and marketing. We therefore strongly discourage contact with advertisers and recruitment agencies in the recruitment process.