Fixed-term full-time position (4 years), to be filled from 1 November 2026 or as soon as possible thereafter, at the Aalborg campus.
If you want to contribute to the next generation of high-power electronic components by integrating thermal design directly into the early stages of technology and component development, this position may be the right opportunity for you. We are looking for an Assistant Professor for the Section for Thermal Engineering who can strengthen and further develop our activities within electronics cooling, thermal-fluid modelling, and the integration of thermal design considerations into the early development of future technologies. The position includes research, teaching, and collaboration with both internal and external partners, and you will play an active role in shaping new projects together with colleagues in power electronics. Over time, you are expected to contribute actively to joint research projects and external funding applications that bridge thermal engineering and power electronics in the design of future power modules.
Your work tasks
As an Assistant Professor in the Section for Thermal Engineering, you will join a strong academic environment where research, teaching, and collaboration with external partners are closely linked. The position is based at the Aalborg campus, and you will be part of an international department working within thermal energy systems, fluid mechanics, heat transfer, and related areas. In this position, you will work in close collaboration with researchers in power electronics, in particular Associate Professor Stig Munk Nielsen and colleagues in the power electronics and devices environment. Together, you will contribute to the co-design of new power modules where thermal, electrical, and mechanical aspects are considered on equal footing from the earliest design stages.
Your primary research task will be to develop and carry out research in electronics cooling and thermal-fluid design methods, with a particular focus on supporting decision-making in the early stages of technology and component development. This includes thermal-fluid co-design of devices such as IGBTs, MOSFETs, power modules, and other switching devices, where cooling concepts are integrated as explicit design parameters alongside electrical and electromagnetic performance. You will analyse trade-offs between thermal resistance, temperature gradients, power density, lifetime, and reliability, and contribute to the development of thermal and fluid-dynamic models that can be used early in the development process for screening and optimisation before detailed designs are fixed.
Depending on your background, you may initially focus more strongly on modelling, experiments, or design methodology, and gradually expand your activities towards broader thermal-fluid co-design research.
A central part of your work will be to explore and assess advanced cooling concepts for high-power-density systems. This may include integrated cooling solutions, direct-liquid cooling, and two-phase cooling for very high heat fluxes. You will develop and use Computational Fluid Dynamics models in combination with analytical and reduced-order models, and contribute to publishing research results in international journals and conferences. Over time, you are expected to contribute actively to the development of joint research activities and external funding applications together with colleagues from thermal engineering and power electronics.
In parallel with the modelling activities, you will contribute to experimental work at component and module level. This can include development and use of experimental setups for characterisation of thermal resistances and heat fluxes, and validation of cooling concepts at chip, module, and package level. You will work with the interplay between experiments, CFD, and reduced-order models to develop design tools that are sufficiently fast for iterative early-stage development while still capturing the relevant physics.
In teaching, you will contribute to bachelor’s and master’s level courses within thermal engineering, including fluid mechanics, heat transfer, and thermal systems. You will help develop exercises and project activities that draw on realistic engineering problems and demonstrate the interaction between electrical loading, losses, and cooling solutions. You will supervise project and thesis students working on thermal design, cooling concepts, modelling, and experimental investigations. Over time, you are expected to develop a coherent teaching profile linked closely to your research activities and collaborations.
In addition, you will contribute to shared tasks within the section and department, including industry collaboration, study programme development, and supervision of projects associated with externally funded activities.
Your competencies
You have a solid academic background within Energy Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Thermal Engineering, or a closely related field, and you hold a PhD degree that qualifies you to work independently with research and research-based teaching.
We recognise that strong candidates may not fulfil every aspect of the profile. Applicants with a strong background in thermal engineering, thermal-fluid modelling, simulation-driven design, or technology development are encouraged to apply, provided they are motivated to further develop competences in electronics cooling and interdisciplinary research.
It is essential that you can document strong competences in flow simulations and thermal modelling, including model development. You have experience using Computational Fluid Dynamics and thermal models as tools to support design and development decisions, rather than solely as post-design analysis tools. You are comfortable working with software environments such as Ansys and OpenFOAM and are motivated to further develop and apply these tools in the context of advanced thermal systems and electronic components.
Prior experience within electronics cooling, component design, thermal management, or related technology development activities will be considered an advantage, but applicants from adjacent fields with strong thermal-fluid competences are also encouraged to apply. Experience from research and development activities, either in academia or industry, including participation in technology development projects and collaboration across disciplines, will likewise be considered an advantage.
Experience with experimental methods in thermal and fluid mechanics, including data analysis, uncertainty estimation, and model validation, is desirable. Familiarity with optical measurement techniques in fluid mechanics and heat transfer will be particularly relevant, as you may contribute to laboratory teaching and research activities.
You are able to reason across scales, from components to systems, and you understand when models must be highly detailed and when lightweight approaches are needed to support efficient development processes.
You communicate clearly in English, both in writing and orally, and are willing to engage with students, colleagues, and external partners in an international environment. Since part of the teaching and industrial collaboration takes place in Danish, you are expected to be able to supervise students in Danish within two years of employment.
As a colleague, you are motivated by interdisciplinary collaboration and enjoy working at the interface between different engineering disciplines, where modelling, experiments, and design considerations must be integrated to develop effective solutions. You bring strong analytical skills, an interest in both modelling and experiments, and a collaborative mindset. You take ownership of your work, follow through on commitments, and contribute positively to the academic environment.
Who we are
AAU Energy is an research department at Aalborg University dedicated to the development of clean and sustainable energy systems. Our activities cover electrical, thermal and mechatronic energy technologies, and we work closely with industrial partners, utilities and other academic environments to address real world energy challenges.
Aalborg University has been ranked as the best university in Europe within energy research and is among the very best universities worldwide in this field. At AAU Energy you will be part of a top international environment where research, innovation and collaboration are used to develop solutions to global challenges such as the green transition and future energy systems.
The department is located in both Aalborg and Esbjerg, and this position is based at the Aalborg campus. AAU Energy employs around 250 staff members at different career stages and with diverse national and disciplinary backgrounds, which creates an international and interdisciplinary research environment with many opportunities for collaboration and knowledge sharing. English is widely used as working language in both research and teaching, which supports the integration of international colleagues.
We offer access to advanced laboratory and workshop facilities and an environment where you can develop your academic profile through research, teaching and collaboration with both Danish and international external partners. As a workplace we value a collegial and inclusive culture with room for professional discussion, initiative and mutual support in everyday work.
New colleagues, whether they come from elsewhere in Denmark or from abroad, can draw on the university’s support services related to relocation, housing and practical matters. Aalborg University offers general onboarding support to all new employees, as well as dedicated support for international staff through its International Staff Unit (ISU). You can read more about relocation support and services here: https://www.en.hr.aau.dk/relocation-support
Qualification requirements
Appointment as assistant professor requires academic qualifications at PhD level. The research potential of each applicant will be emphasized in the overall assessment.
How to apply
Your application must include the following:
- Application, stating reasons for applying, qualifications in relation to the position, and intentions and visions for the position
- Curriculum Vitae (CV)
- Diplomas (master's degree diploma and PhD diploma)
- List of publications, with an indication of the attached publications that you wish to be taken into account in the assessment. You may attach a maximum of five publications.
- Documentation of teaching qualifications. Please see guidelines for teaching portfolio at The Technical Faculty of IT and Design, The Faculty of Engineering and Science and The Faculty of Medicine.
- Dissemination qualifications, including participation on committees or boards, participation in organisations etc.
- Additional qualifications in relation to the position
- References/recommendations
You can read more about the requirements for your application here.
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.
Aalborg University has a policy of parallel language use. International staff are encouraged, with support from the university, to learn Danish during their employment in order to support their integration into the workplace and Danish society.
Danish language courses will be offered as part of the employment.
Do you have any questions?
If you have any questions about the position, you are more than welcome to contact us. You will find contact persons at the bottom of the jobpost.
Further information
Read more about our recruitment process here
The appointment process at Aalborg University involves a shortlisting process. You can read more about the shortlisting and appointment process here.
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.
Salary and terms of employment
The employment is in accordance with the Ministerial Order on the Appointment of Academic Staff at Universities (the Appointment Order) and the Ministerial Order on Job Structure for Academic Staff at Universities (in Danish) and protocol on certain terms of employment of academic staff at universities (in Danish).
Salary and terms of employment are in accordance with the collective agreement between the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations and the state (AC collective agreement) (only in Danish) and protocol on certain terms of employment of academic staff at universities (only in Danish).
There is a mutual probationary period of 3 months for the position.
Aalborg University - Knowledge for the world
Aalborg 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.
