PhD stipend in Modeling of Asynchronous Power Grids of the Future

Job title: PhD stipend in Modeling of Asynchronous Power Grids of the Future

Company: Aalborg Universitet


Job description: At the Faculty of Engineering and Science, AAU Energy, a position as PhD stipend is available within the general study program. The PhD stipend is open for appointment from September 1st. 2025, or soon hereafter. The position is for 3 years, and it is funded in the new European Research Council (ERC) Synergy grant on Store-and-Forward Energy grid (SAFEr Grid), which unlocks a new power grid architecture.Your work tasks
Join our interdisciplinary team and work with leading scientists in the fields of power electronics, control systems, power systems, communication technology, and innovation management to research the fundamentals for a new era of power supply. Contribute to the development of innovative concepts and technologies that will not only make future power systems more reliable but also actively facilitate the success of the energy transition. This project will be in close collaboration with RWTH Aachen. Due to high degree of interdisciplinarity, the PhD student is expected to work closely with colleagues from RWTH Aachen and visit their facilities.The aim in this PhD project is to conceptualize and model the asynchronous architecture for future power grids. As we depart away from synchronicity, this will require new control strategies, coordination mechanisms between asynchronous modular grids that ensure more reliable and secure operation of power grids – without compromising the efficiency. The outcomes will be to validate its efficacy against frequent unstable events, handling contingencies, accommodate protection technologies by tokenizing energy-based control and modeling mechanisms – instead of power based signaling approaches.Your competencies
Applicants are required to have an excellent academic background with a master’s degree or equivalent in Energy Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mathematics, Control theory, Cyber-physical systems, or any other related discipline, potentially with skills in Power Electronics. Applicants who are in the final phase of their master’s degree are also encouraged to apply but have to complete the master before starting the fellowship.

• Motivation and potential for research activities. Ability to work independently and in a team. Be innovative and creative. Keep an open mind.
• Expertise within the following topics will be an advantage: Distributed control, Cyber-physical systems, Communications engineering, Smart transformers
• Expertise with the following engineering tools and programming languages can be an advantage but not limited to: MATLAB, PLECS, PSCAD, others
• Excellent English language skills (both oral and written). Publications in international

journals/conferences will be valued.Qualification requirements
PhD stipends are allocated to individuals who hold a Master’s degree. PhD stipends are normally for a period of 3 years. It is a prerequisite for allocation of the stipend that the candidate will be enrolled as a PhD student at the Doctoral School of Engineering and Science in accordance with the regulations of Ministerial Order No. 1039 of August 27, 2013 on the PhD Programme at the Universities and Certain Higher Artistic Educational Institutions. According to the Ministerial Order, the progress of the PhD student shall be assessed at regular points in time.Who we are
The energy transition poses fundamental challenges for our power grids: large conventional power plants with synchronous generators are successively being replaced by small-scale renewable energy sources, which are typically interfaced via power electronics converters. This transformation drastically reduces the physical inertia within electrical power grids while simultaneously increasing the volatility of generation and consumption. In the future, these developments could aggravate grid instabilities and even cause large-scale blackouts.
This poses the following key research questions for the power grid community:

• How can we ensure reliable and stable operation of low-inertia power systems?
• How will the current power grid architecture sustain increased integration of renewable energy sources interfaced with power electronics?
• With reduced inertia, will the synchronous theory still hold?

AAU Energy is a dynamic engineering research department in continuous growth and inspiring surroundings.
AAU Energy has a very international environment and covers all areas of clean and sustainable energy systems of the future within electrical, thermal and mechatronic energy technology. AAU Energy has campuses in both Aalborg and Esbjerg, this position is located in Aalborg.The mission is to be world leading in both research and research-based education of the energy engineers of the future. AAU Energy has approx. 300 employees of many nationalities, of which 25 are administrative staff. In addition, AAU Energy constantly has approx. 50-70 guest researchers from around the world.Research and teaching are in the absolute world elite in the field of energy, and we have extensive and leading workshop and laboratory facilities, where research and innovation are carried out in direct collaboration with industry to a great extent.The position is offered in relation to the research program “Power Electronic Control Reliability and System Optimization” and the PhD Student will be positioned to the section for “Applied Power Electronic Systems”.With decades of excellency in the field of power electronics, AAU Energy is dedicated to addressing the systemic challenge behind current power grid operation by incrementally conceptualizing asynchronicity using power electronics as a fundamental block. Inspired by the structural principles of the internet, the store-and-forward logic to control energy will be augmented into power electronic converters for real-time dynamic response and handling contingencies. As a result, power electronics will sustainably transform the current synchronous, monolithic system into multiple decentralized, modular asynchronous grids.How to apply
Your application must include the following:

• Application, stating reasons for applying and qualifications in relation to the position
• Curriculum Vitae (CV)
• Diplomas (bachelor and master’s degree diploma)
• Project description (3-5 pages), which describes the applicant’s initial thoughts and ideas related to the specific project applied for. This includes a brief state-of-the-art (including short list of references), a time schedule and how the applicant intends to shed light on the project objectives. All documentation should be in English and merged in a single PDF document. Please, note that applications which do not follow the announcement’s guidelines will not be considered
• Other relevant documents

The application must be submitted via Aalborg University’s recruitment system, which can be accessed under the job advertisement on Aalborg University’s website.Aalborg University wants to reflect the surrounding society and has diversity as a core value. Therefore, everyone, regardless of personal background and orientation, is encouraged to apply for the position.Do you have any questions?
If you have any questions about the position, you are more than welcome to contact us.
For professional information, please contact Professor Frede Blaabjerg, fbl@energy.aau.dk.
Other questions, please contact HR AAU Energy: hr@energy.aau.dk.Further information
We recommend that you save a copy of the job posting, as it will be removed once the application deadline has passed.The assessment of candidates for the position will be carried out by qualified experts.
Shortlisting will be applied. This means that after the application deadline, the head of the department, with the assistance of the hiring committee, will select the applicants to be assessed. All applicants will be informed whether they have been shortlisted for assessment or not.The hiring process at Aalborg University may include a risk assessment as a tool to identify potential risks associated with new hires, ensuring the safety, compliance, and integrity of the workplace.Read more aboutSalary, Career and Terms of employment
When pursuing a PhD at Aalborg University, you’ll receive a stipend which includes both salary and pension benefits. The base salary starts at a minimum of 28,993.42 DKK before taxes, with an
additional 17% added for pension contributions. However, the final salary can be negotiated based on your qualifications and experience, with seniority playing a key role in determining the main salary.
Read more about pension options .At Aalborg University’s Doctoral School, engineering PhD students enjoy unique career
development opportunities. These include personalized DISC profile assessments with feedback,
career-focused courses, and networking events with trade unions, employers, and other relevant
parties. Learn more about these initiatives at our .The employment is in accordance with the and the and .Salary and terms of employment are in accordance with and .Aalborg University – Knowledge for the worldAalborg University is an international workplace with more than 3,700 employees. We offer real-world-oriented education and create world-class research results through collaboration between researchers, students, and public and private companies. This is how we achieve insights, new solutions to societal problems, and knowledge that changes the world. Our main campus is in Aalborg, but we also have campuses in Esbjerg and Copenhagen. Type of employment: special fixed-term employment | Contract type: full time | Number of positions: 1 | Full-time equivalent: 37 | City: Aalborg | County: Nordjylland | Country: Denmark | Reference number: 2025/232 | Contact: Frede Blaabjerg , HR – AAU Energy , | Published: 2025-06-12 | Last application date: 2025-07-10

Expected salary:

Location: Aalborg, Nordjylland

Job date: Sun, 15 Jun 2025 03:16:38 GMT

To help us track our recruitment effort, please indicate in your email/cover letter where (jobsnear.pro) you saw this job posting.Thanks&Good Luck