The Doctoral Student in Computational Biomechanics Scholarship 2026 is a fully funded PhD opportunity offered by Chalmers University of Technology in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. The university designs this position to develop advanced computational models of the human body for injury prevention, product safety, and biomechanical design using finite element modeling and machine learning.
This PhD position contributes to the Division of Vehicle Safety, where researchers develop human digital twins and simulation-based safety systems in collaboration with industry partners.
About the Doctoral Student in Computational Biomechanics Scholarship
Chalmers University of Technology offers this PhD position to strengthen research in computational biomechanics and human safety engineering.
For the 2026 intake, the university:
- Provides a fully funded 4-year PhD position (extendable to 5 years with teaching duties)
- Based on the position in the Department of Mechanical Engineering
- Focuses on computational biomechanics, finite element modeling, and digital human twins
- Develops improved human body simulation models for injury prediction
- Collaborates with industry partners, including Swedish companies, in protective equipment design
- Integrates machine learning, statistics, and computational mechanics into research
The project operates within the broader field of vehicle safety and human injury prevention systems.
Research Focus
The project addresses a key limitation in current biomechanical modeling: most simulations assume an “average” human body that does not reflect real population diversity.
The PhD position develops models that include:
- Age-dependent biomechanical variation
- Sex and morphological differences
- Tissue property variability
- Probabilistic and uncertainty-aware modeling frameworks
Key Research Questions
- How can population variability be integrated into finite element human body models?
- How can researchers model uncertainty in biomechanics with limited experimental data?
- How should researchers validate simulation models when real-world data remains limited?
Why Choose The Doctoral Student in Computational Biomechanics Scholarship?
This PhD position at Chalmers University of Technology suits candidates interested in biomechanics, simulation, artificial intelligence, and human safety engineering.
Candidates benefit from:
- Advanced research in vehicle safety and injury biomechanics
- Access to high-end finite element and digital twin modeling tools
- Collaboration with industry partners in safety and product design
- An interdisciplinary environment combining engineering, AI, and biomechanics
- Opportunities to publish in top journals and present at international conferences
- Integration into a strong international research group
Doctoral Student in Computational Biomechanics Scholarship Summary
- Host Country: Sweden
- University: Chalmers University of Technology
- Department: Mechanical Engineering (Vehicle Safety Division)
- Position Type: Fully funded PhD (Doctoral student)
- Field: Computational Biomechanics / Applied Mechanics
- Research Focus: Human body modeling, injury prevention, digital twins
- Duration: 4 years (extendable to 5 years with teaching duties)
- Monthly Salary: ~34,550 SEK
- Application Period: Opens 27 May 2026
- Deadline: 20 June 2026
Benefits
Selected candidates receive:
- Full PhD employment with a salary
- Monthly salary of approximately 34,550 SEK
- Tuition-free doctoral education
- Access to advanced biomechanics and simulation laboratories
- Collaboration with industry partners in safety engineering
- Teaching opportunities (up to 20%)
- International publication and conference opportunities
- Strong career pathways in academia and industry
Eligibility Criteria
Applicants must:
- Hold a Master’s degree (or equivalent in some systems) in Mechanical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Applied Mechanics, or a related field
- Demonstrate experience in finite element analysis (FEA)
- Understand probability and statistics in engineering contexts
- Possess programming skills in Python
- Use simulation tools such as Abaqus or LS-DYNA
- Communicate effectively in English
- Work independently and collaboratively in research environments
Preferred Skills
The university gives preference to candidates with:
- Experience with human body models (e.g., VIVA+, SAFER HBM)
- Knowledge of machine learning and uncertainty quantification
- Background in biomechanics or computational mechanics
- Experience with high-performance computing (HPC)
- Exposure to safety engineering or product design simulation
Required Documents
Applicants must submit:
- Updated CV with academic and technical experience
- Motivation letter
- Academic transcripts (Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees)
- Thesis or research publications (if available)
- Contact details of academic references (requested later in the process)
Application Process & Timeline
Applicants follow these steps:
- Candidates prepare a CV, a motivation letter, and academic documents.
- Candidates submit applications through the Chalmers University of Technology recruitment portal.
- The university reviews applications on a rolling basis starting 27 May 2026.
- The selection committee shortlists candidates for interviews.
- The university finalizes selection through an academic committee.
- The selected candidate begins the PhD position in Sweden.
