Doctoral Researcher in Railway Engineering (DSII) / Väitöskirjatutkija, Rautatietekniikka (DSII)

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The Doctoral School of Industry Innovations (DSII) at Tampere University (TAU) explores research questions that are directly relevant to industry and business. Tampere University hires a Doctoral Researcher to complete a four-year dissertation project under the joint supervision of a university professor and a company representative.

DSII offers Doctoral Researchers a unique opportunity to undertake dissertation research, gain a thorough understanding of product development, tackle real-world business challenges and expand their professional networks.

The partner company for this position is Vossloh Switch Systems, a global railway infrastructure company specializing in design, manufacture, installation, and maintenance of switches and crossings (turnouts) for rail networks. It delivers customized solutions for high-speed, conventional, heavy-haul, metro, tramway, and industrial rail applications, including actuation, locking, signaling, and digital turnout monitoring systems. It operates worldwide through an industrial network of more than 20 production sites including one in Kaipiainen - Finland and is recognized as one of the leading suppliers of advanced switch systems for safe and efficient rail operations.

Job description

The purpose of the job is to create new knowledge for academia and industry in the field of railway engineering, concerning the life cycle management of turnouts. The goals are:

• To develop different mathematical models for turnouts aging curves.
• To gain a clear understanding of the main parameters influencing the curves and possibility to make simulation of the curves by changing the parameters.
• To help the industry to move from corrective to predictive maintenance (repair before failure, not after).

As a Doctoral Researcher your duty is to familiarize yourself with the problem by literature and partner companys support, and the data received from Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency (FTIA). The task is to develop mathematical models of the turnouts life cycle for evaluating the remaining useful life (RUL). Duties include undertaking doctoral studies. The results will be disseminated in scientific peer-reviewed journals, international conferences, doctoral network events and events with industry. The tasks of doctoral researchers also include teaching duties that amount to approximately 5% of their annual working hours, unless there are justified reasons to the contrary.

At the university, the work will be supervised by Associate Professor Heikki Luomala. You will also be supported by practitioners in the steering group, including company representatives.

By participating in DSII events, excursions, meetings and training sessions with your fellow doctoral students, you will both get and provide peer support and make your own contribution to the development of DSII.

✅Requirements

You need to have an applicable masters degree in civil engineering, mechanical engineering, industrial engineering, or a related discipline in science or engineering. The position requires:

• Knowledge of at least one of the following areas: railway engineering, infrastructure systems, life cycle cost analysis, asset management, wear and degradation mechanisms, tribology, or monitoring
• Ability and motivation to pursue and complete a doctoral degree as demonstrated during prior studies or otherwise
• Basic proficiency in Finnish
• A good command of both spoken and written English

We appreciate that you would have experience in at least some of the following:

• Independent research work
• Asset management or life cycle thinking
• Railway related education, e.g. RASU course
• Railway related enthusiasm

You also need to have an enquiring mind, enjoy problem-solving and be able to think independently while also being able to work in a team.

During the Doctoral researcher position application phase, you do not yet need a study right within the faculty's doctoral program, neither approved study nor detailed research plan, but they are required before starting in the position. Please visit the admissions webpage for more information on eligibility requirements.

Tampere University is a unique, multidisciplinary and boldly forward-looking, evolving community. Our values are openness, diversity, responsibility, courage, critical thinking, erudition/bildung, and learner-centredness. We hope that you can embrace these values and promote them in your work.

🎁We offer

The position will be filled for a fixed-term period of four (4) years, commencing in September 2026 or as soon after that as possible. A trial period of six (6) months applies to all our new employees. Remote work opportunities are agreed separately when needed.

The salary will be based on both the job requirements and the employee's personal performance in accordance with the Finnish University Salary System. According to the criteria applied to teaching and research staff, the position of a Doctoral researcher is placed on level 2-4 of the job requirements scale. A typical starting salary for a Doctoral Researcher is approximately 2774 EUR per month. The salary increases based on experience and the progress of doctoral studies.

We invite you to participate in a vibrant, active and truly international research community. Our research group TerraRail studies railway track structures. This area of expertise covers the loads on the track and track structures behavior. The goal is to add value to track owners so that the designed solutions are long-lasting and life-cycle efficient. The activities consist of experimental research and various modelling and simulations of the behavior of track structures. In addition, we conduct literature reviews and train new experts for the railway sector through thesis projects.

The University has a strong commitment to the highest level of scientific research and the provision of hig