Doctoral student in adaptive antenna systems for 6G wireless networks

About us

The Department of Electrical Engineering at Chalmers University of Technology invites applications for one doctoral student position in the Antenna Systems group, within the Division of Communications, Antennas and Optical Networks.

The Division of Communications, Antennas and Optical Networks conducts research in wireless and optical technologies for communication and sensing, including radar and positioning, with activities ranging from antenna systems and signal processing to communication theory, optical networks, security, machine learning, and future-generation wireless systems. The division comprises three research groups: Antenna Systems, Communication Systems, and Optical Networks.

The Antenna Systems group works with antenna technologies for wireless communication and sensor systems, with applications in telecommunications, radar, transport, astronomy, space sciences, and other emerging technology areas. The group’s research addresses antenna systems over a wide frequency range and includes electronics-integrated antenna technologies, holistic antenna-system design, and over-the-air test methods for future wireless systems. The group has access to advanced antenna measurement infrastructure at Chalmers, including facilities for characterising passive and active antenna systems for 5G, 6G, and beyond.

About the research project

Future 6G wireless communication systems must deliver higher performance while operating under strict constraints on energy consumption and spectrum availability. Many candidate frequency bands for 6G are already used by services such as satellite communications, radar, radio astronomy, fixed terrestrial links, and unlicensed wireless access systems. This creates a strong need for antenna systems that can support efficient spectrum sharing at the physical layer.

This doctoral project is part of the SSF-funded Sweden–Taiwan collaborative research project Antenna Systems for 6G Wireless Networks. The project focuses on adaptive, interference-resilient antenna systems for 6G operation in the centimetre-wave frequency range, including the 6–24 GHz range often discussed as FR3. The central scientific idea is that future spectrum sharing cannot rely only on higher-layer coordination or static RF filtering. Instead, the antenna system itself must actively control how electromagnetic energy is radiated in both space and frequency.

The doctoral student will contribute to the development of adaptive, interference-resilient antenna design for energy-efficient and scalable spectrum sharing. The work will combine antenna hardware design, hybrid analogue–digital beamforming, and over-the-air experimental validation. The research will be carried out in close collaboration with Swedish and Taiwanese academic partners, as well as with industrial stakeholders connected to future wireless infrastructure, RF systems, and non-terrestrial networks.

The position is placed at Chalmers, in the Antenna Systems group. The recruiting manager and main supervisor will be Professor Marianna Ivashina. The project will also involve collaboration with researchers in active electronics design and communication sustems.

Who we are looking for

The following requirements are mandatory

To qualify as a doctoral student, you must have a master’s level degree corresponding to at least 240 higher education credits, or equivalent qualifications, in Electrical Engineering, Applied Physics / Engineering Physics, or another closely related field. The degree must be completed by the starting date of the employment.

You should have documented knowledge from completed courses and/or thesis work in:

• antenna theory, antenna engineering, or electromagnetic field theory,
• microwave electronics, RF systems, or microwave engineering,
• mathematical modelling and numerical analysis relevant to electrical engineering or applied physics.

You should also have:

• strong written and verbal communication skills in English,
• good analytical ability and motivation for independent research,
• the ability to work in an international and interdisciplinary research environment,
• experience with programming or technical computing, for example in MATLAB, Python, or similar tools.

The following experience will strengthen your application

It is meritorious if you have taken courses or carried out project work in:

• electromagnetic and circuit simulation tools such as CST, HFSS, ADS, or similar,
• RF measurements, antenna measurements, 
• hardware-oriented prototyping or modeling involving RF front ends, software-defined radio, or RFSoC platforms,
• signal processing.

A master’s thesis in antennas, microwave engineering, RF systems, wireless communication, signal processing for antenna systems, or a closely related area is a strong advantage.

We value personal qualities such as curiosity, accuracy, creativity, independence, and the ability to collaborate across disciplinary and cultural boundaries.

What you will do

Your major responsibility will be to pursue doctoral studies and conduct research within the SSF Sweden–Taiwan collaborative project on antenna systems for 6G wireless networks.

The work will include:

• developing and analysing adaptive antenna arrays for shared-spectrum 6G operation,
• studying hybrid analogue–digital beamforming methods for interference suppression, integrated communication and sensing,
• investigating how hardware constraints such as mutual coupling, finite phase resolution of beamforming electronics, calibration errors, and RF impairments affect achievable performance,
• contributing to joint spatial–spectral optimisation of antenna systems, including the interaction with and co-design with active electronics, and beamforming,
• supporting system-level proof-of-concept development and over-the-air validation,
• collaborating with Swedish and Taiwanese academic partners and industrial stakeholders,
• presenting results at international conferences and publishing in leading scientific journals,
• taking courses at advanced and doctoral level as part of the graduate education,
• contributing to teaching or other departmental duties, normally up to 20% of working time.

The project will include international collaboration and may involve research visits, joint workshops, and travel to project partners in Taiwan.

Contract terms

• The doctoral student position is fully funded from the start.
• The position is a full-time, fixed-term employment.
• The doctoral programme corresponds to four years of full-time research studies. Departmental duties, such as teaching, may account for up to 20% of working time and can extend the employment period up to five years. Chalmers states that doctoral positions are full-time, fixed-term positions generally limited to a maximum of five years, and that teaching or other departmental duties may account for a maximum of 20% of working hours.
• Salary follows Chalmers’ current salary agreement for doctoral students (35,725 SEK per month, valid from May 1, 2026)
• Doctoral studies require physical presence at Chalmers throughout the study period. A valid residence permit must be in place by the start date where applicable.
• Earliest starting date: 1 September 2026.

What we offer

As a doctoral student at Chalmers, you will be employed by the university and will have access to Chalmers’ employee benefits. You will join a dynamic, international research environment in Gothenburg, with strong links to both academic research and industry.

Chalmers actively works to improve equality, diversity, and inclusion, and welcomes applicants with different backgrounds and experiences. If Swedish is not your native language, Chalmers offers Swedish courses to help you settle in.

Application procedure

The application should be written in English and attached as PDF files. Maximum size for each file is 40 MB. The recruitment system does not support Zip files.

The application should include:

CV

Include education, previous employment, research experience, technical skills, publications if any, and other relevant merits.

Personal letter

Include a brief introduction of yourself, your research interests, and a motivation for why you are interested in this doctoral position.

Degree certificates and transcripts

Include bachelor’s and master’s degree certificates, if available, together with official transcripts.

Thesis and other scientific work

Attach your bachelor’s and/or master’s thesis, if available. You may also attach publications, technical reports, or other relevant written work.

References

Contact details for references may be requested later in the recruitment process.

Use the application button at the foot of the vacancy page to reach the application form. The applicant is responsible for ensuring that the application is complete. Incomplete applications and applications sent by email will not be considered.

We welcome your application no later than 1 September 2026.

For questions, please contact

Professor Marianna Ivashina

Recruiting manager

Antenna Systems group, Division of Communications, Antennas and Optical Networks

Department of Electrical Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology

Email: [email protected]

Phone: +46 31 772 18 12

We look forward to your application!

Job details

Title: Doctoral student in adaptive antenna systems for 6G wireless networks

Employer: Chalmers University of Technology

Department: Department of Electrical Engineering

Division: Communications, Antennas and Optical Networks

Research group: Antenna Systems

Location: Gothenburg, Sweden

Job type: Doctoral student / PhD position

Extent: Full-time

Temporary position: Four years, with possible extension up to five years including departmental duties

Earliest starting date: 1 September 2026

Application deadline: 1 August 2026

Reference number: 20260357

*** Chalmers declines to consider all offers of further announcement publishing or other types of support for the recruiting process in connection with this position. ***  

 Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg conducts research and education in technology and natural sciences at a high international level. The university has 3100 employees and 10,000 students, and offers education in engineering, science, shipping and architecture. With scientific excellence as a basis, Chalmers promotes knowledge and technical solutions for a sustainable world. Through global commitment and entrepreneurship, we foster an innovative spirit, in close collaboration with wider society. 
Chalmers was founded in 1829 and has the same motto today as it did then: Avancez – forward.