Master’s Thesis Position in Sustainability-Based Structural Optimisation

aalto; Espoo; On-site; EUR 25,000 - 34,000; Full time

Job summary

Aalto University in Espoo invites applications for a Master’s thesis on sustainability-driven optimization of hybrid multi-material structures. The work brings environmental and circularity goals into design alongside strength, stiffness, and cost, within the HybridS project context.

The thesis will be carried out in the Advanced Marine Structures group with support from industry partners. Your role includes developing a multi-objective optimization method, evaluating design concepts, and

Qualifications

• Master's student in mechanical, civil, aerospace, materials, naval architecture or related discipline.
• Solid grounding in structural mechanics and interest in sustainable design.
• Familiarity with LCA, finite element methods, and scripting is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Develop a multi-objective optimization method balancing performance, cost and life cycle assessment (LCA).
• Implement analytical/ numerical models, define objectives and constraints, and explore trade-offs through Pareto analyses.

Skills

Structural mechanics

Sustainability

Python

MATLAB

Finite element methods

Education

Master's student in Mechanical/Civil/Aerospace/Materials/Naval Architecture

Tools

Python

MATLAB

Job description

Aalto University is where science and art meet technology and business. We shape a sustainable future by making research breakthroughs in and across our disciplines, sparking the game changers of tomorrow and creating novel solutions to major global challenges. Our community is made up of 16 000 students and 5 200 employees, including 446 professors . Our campus is in Espoo, Greater Helsinki, Finland. Diversity is part of who we are, and we actively work to ensure our community's diversity and inclusiveness. This is why we warmly encourage qualified candidates from all backgrounds to join our community.

The School of Engineering drives science and innovation in industrial and built environment technologies. We are committed to educating a new generation of experts who combine technical excellence with a deep understanding of sustainable development in shaping societies. Our research focuses on sustainable built environment, mechanics and materials, multidisciplinary energy technology, and design and implementation of technical systems. The strength of our school lies in close collaboration with stakeholders across research and education. About 50 doctoral candidates and 400 master's students graduate from the school every year. The school is home to 700 staff members, including 70 professors. To learn more, please visit eng.aalto.fi.

The Department of Energy and Mechanical Engineering at the Aalto University School of Engineering invites applications for

Master's Thesis Position in Sustainability-Based Structural Optimisation

Aalto University Department of Energy and Mechanical Engineering is a community of around 300 staff members - including 30 tenure-track professors - assembled to research, teach, create, and develop solutions to society's needs. Key research areas include marine and arctic technology; energy technologies and systems; mechanical systems and mechatronics; and materials, manufacturing, and product development. We have strong links to industry, creating lasting impact in both business and society.

Are you excited to shape the next era of sustainable, high-performance structures?

We are now looking for a Master's thesis student to explore the sustainability-driven optimization of hybrid multi-material structures. The work focuses on bringing environmental and circularity goals into structural design alongside strength, stiffness, and cost. The position is related to the joint industrial project Sustainable Hybrid Structures (HybridS) funded by Business Finland. The thesis will be carried out in the Advanced Marine Structures group, led by Professors Heikki Remes and Jani Romanoff, which is well known for its research on advanced welded structures and the interaction of materials and structures under practical design and production constraints. The thesis will also be supported by the HybridS consortium, which includes world-leading industry companies.

Your role and goals

In this position, as a master's thesis student, you will integrate sustainability considerations into structural design and decision-making by developing a multi-objective optimization method that balances structural performance, cost, and life cycle assessment (LCA). You will formulate and implement analytical and/or numerical models, define objectives and constraints, and explore trade-offs through Pareto analyses and sensitivity studies. Using representative case studies, you will evaluate candidate design concepts, quantify their impacts, and benchmark results against relevant datasets. The project's final goal is an optimization workflow and recommendations to support transparent, sustainability-informed choices for practitioners .

Your experience and ambitions

We seek a master's student in mechanical, civil, aerospace, materials, naval architecture, or a closely related discipline with a solid grounding in structural mechanics and a keen interest in sustainable design, multi-material structures, and optimization. Familiarity with LCA, finite element methods, and basic scripting (e.g., Python or MATLAB) is an asset, alongside analytical skills. The ideal candidate is motivated to translate engineering science principles into practical, sustainability-informed design choices and to contribute to a research environment that values high-quality work, collaboration, and real-world impact.

What we offer

The position offers a meaningful research topic at the intersection of structures, materials, and sustainability, strong supervision, and access to state-of-the‑art numerical modelling resources. You will have great professional development opportunities, the potential to disseminate results through collaborations within the HybridS project, and a competitive research assistant salary of 2622 €/month. Your primary workplace will be Aalto University's Otaniemi campus (Espoo), which offers excellent services and transport links. You will join an inclusive community guided by Aalto's values of responsibility, courage, a