Doctoral student in Electricity market optimization

Project description

European states (and Sweden) are working toward a sustainable intermittent renewable future. This green vision has brought about several important challenges. One of the major challenges is the increasing complexity in the Day-Ahead Electricity Market (DAM) model. First, the Market Time Unit (MTU) is planned to be reduced from 1 hour to 15 minutes. This roughly means an optimization model four times larger than what we have now. Second, the type and number of nonconvex orders are expected to increase by growing share of intermittent renewable generation. This in turn creates increasing complexity in calculating uniform prices. Third, Joint optimization of energy and balancing reserves in the day-ahead market which requires innovate algorithms to solve the DAM model.

In this project we propose to study these three issues and to develop policies to address these concerns, with the ultimate aim of improving the performance of the DAM model and smoothing the transition to the 100% renewable future.

Third-cycle subject: Electrical Engineering 

Supervision: Prof. Mohammad Reza Hesamzadeh

What we offer

• The possibility to study in a dynamic and international research environment in collaboration with industries and prominent universities from all over the world.Read more
• A workplace with many employee benefits and monthly salary according to KTH’s Doctoral student salary agreement.
• A postgraduate education at an institution that is active and supportive in matters pertaining to working conditions, gender equality and diversity as well as study environment.
• Help to relocate and be settled in Sweden and at KTH.

Admission requirements

To be admitted to postgraduate education (Chapter 7, 39 § Swedish Higher Education Ordinance), the applicant must have basic eligibility in accordance with either of the following:

• passed a second cycle degree (for example a master's degree), or
• completed course requirements of at least 240 higher education credits, of which at least 60 second-cycle higher education credits, or
• acquired, in some other way within or outside the country, substantially equivalent knowledge

In addition to the above, there is also a mandatory requirement for English equivalent to English B/6, read more here

Selection

In order to succeed as a doctoral student at KTH you need to be goal oriented and persevering in your work. During the selection process, candidates will be assessed upon their ability to:

• independently pursue his or her work
• collaborate with others,
• have a professional approach, 
• analyse and work with complex issues, 
• present strong computer programming skills for example using Julia/Python, MATLAB, or GAMS programming languages, 
• show knowledge of EU electricity market designs and involvement in electricity-market related projects, 
• present relevant papers in the areas of applied mathematics, operations research, or electricity markets and 
• show proven ability to work in an international team of researchers and collaborate with other team members. 

The applicant must have at least a MSc degree in Electrical Engineering, Energy Economics, Operations Research or Applied Mathematics. Proven excellent knowledge of non-convex optimization theory, discrete optimization theory, stochastic processes, mathematical decomposition techniques, and electricity-market principles.

Students with MSc degrees from other disciplines (for example physics or mathematics) who are interested in and capable of performing theoretical research in electricity-market areas are recommended to apply. 

The applicant must be able to show excellent English-language skills proved by international English exams such as IELTS or TOEFL. 

After the qualification requirements, great emphasis will be placed on personal competency. 

Target degree: Doctoral degree

Information regarding admission and employment

Only those admitted to postgraduate education may be employed as a doctoral student. The total length of employment may not be longer than what corresponds to full-time doctoral education in four years ' time. An employed doctoral student can, to a limited extent (maximum 20%), perform certain tasks within their role, e.g. training and administration. A new position as a doctoral student is for a maximum of one year, and then the employment may be renewed for a maximum of two years at a time. In the case of studies that are to be completed with a licentiate degree, the total period of employment may not be longer than what corresponds to full-time doctoral education for two years.

Union representatives

You will find contact information for union representatives on KTH's website.

Doctoral section (Students’ union on KTH Royal Institute of Technology)

You will find contact information for doctoral section on the section's website.

To apply for the position

Apply for the position and admission through KTH's recruitment system. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that the application is complete in accordance with the instructions in the advertisement.

Applications must be received at the last closing date at midnight, CET/CEST (Central European Time/Central European Summer Time).

Applications must include:

• CV including your relevant professional experience and knowledge.
• Copies of diplomas and grades from previous university studies and certificates of fulfilled language requirements (see above). Translations into English or Swedish if the original document is not issued in one of these languages. Copies of originals must be certified.
• Representative publications or technical reports. For longer documents, please provide a summary (abstract) and a web link to the full text.
• The applicant must be able to nominate at least two reference persons who can comment on the applicant scientific performance. 

Other information

Striving towards gender equality, diversity and equal conditions is both a question of quality for KTH and a given part of our values.

For information about processing of personal data in the recruitment process please read here.

The position may include security-sensitive activities. To become authorized, you therefore need to pass a possible security check.

We firmly decline all contact with staffing, recruitment agencies and job ad salespersons.

Disclaimer: In case of discrepancy between the Swedish original and the English translation of the job announcement, the Swedish version takes precedence.

About KTH

KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm has grown to become one of Europe’s leading technical and engineering universities, as well as a key centre of intellectual talent and innovation. We are Sweden’s largest technical research and learning institution and home to students, researchers and faculty from around the world. Our research and education covers a wide area including natural sciences and all branches of engineering, as well as architecture, industrial management, urban planning, history and philosophy. Read more here

1. Prof. Mohammad Reza Hesamzadeh , mrhesa@kth.se
2. Patrick Sjöstedt Samuelsson HR, rekrytering@eecs.kth.se