Postdoctoral Research Fellow (Mechanical and railway engineering)

Tampere University; Finland; On-site; EUR 45,000 - 50,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Occupational health care

Flexible work schedules

Versatile research infrastructure

Modern teaching facilities

Personal sports fund

Job summary

Tampere University invites applications for a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in mechanical and/or civil engineering. The role focuses on Monitoring, Mechanism Analysis, and Mitigation for Sustainable Asset Management of Railway Wheel Out-of-Roundness, with collaboration with VR Fleetcare.

The position includes one year at Tampere University and one year at VR Fleetcare, and access to the Full-Scale Wheel-Rail Lab at the university.

Qualifications

• Background in wheel-rail contact mechanism and vibration analysis.
• Fluent in spoken and written English.
• PhD in a relevant field with independent scientific work capability.

Responsibilities

• Supervise PhD/MSc students and contribute to grant preparation.
• Support the general activities of the research labs.
• Conduct research on monitoring, mechanism analysis and mitigation for sustainable asset management of railway wheel out-of-roundness.
• Collaborate closely with VR Fleetcare and test technology in lab and field settings.

Skills

Vibration data analysis

Accelerometer data analysis

Finite element analysis

Thermomechanical analysis

Multibody dynamics

English proficiency

Education

PhD degree in a relevant field

Job description

Organisation/Company Tampere University Research Field Engineering » Civil engineering Engineering » Mechanical engineering Engineering » Other Physics » Other Technology » Transport technology Researcher Profile Recognised Researcher (R2) Application Deadline 27 Sep 2026 - 20:59 (UTC) Country Finland Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

Tampere University and Tampere University of Applied Sciences create a unique environment for multidisciplinary, inspirational and high-impact research and education. Our universities community has its competitive edges in technology, health and society. www.tuni.fi/en

Our group concentrates on machine dynamics, contact modelling, vibration experimental and numerical railway vehicle dynamic analysis that can be used for model-based condition monitoring of different machine system.

We are looking for one (1) Postdoctoral Research Fellow in mechanical engineering and/or civil engineering. You will focus on the research of Monitoring, Mechanism Analysis, and Mitigation for Sustainable Asset Management of Railway Wheel Out-of-Roundness. You will collaborate closely with Finnish train maintenance company, VR Fleetcare. You will work one year at Tampere University and another year at VR Fleetcare. At the same time, you will have opportunity to test your technology on full-scale wheel-rail lab ( Full-Scale Wheel-Rail Lab | Tampere University ) at Tampere University and real train owned by VR Fleetcare.

In addition, activities include supervision of PhD / MSc students, preparation of grants and support of the general activities of the research labs.

Requirements

We seek a motivated and self-guided person with strong theoretical background who is interested working on wheel-rail contact mechanism and vibration analysis, motivating to closely collaborate with railway industry and work on the laboratory and field measurements. If you have background in railway engineering, it will be a plus for this position.

Following background are needed:

• Vibration and data analysis of the measurement (mainly accelerometer).
• Finite element analysis especially thermomechanical, fatigue and contact mechanism analysis (wheel-rail contact mechanism will be preferable).
• Multibody dynamics (railway dynamics will be preferable).

You should have a PhD degree in a relevant field. We expect a competence to pursue independent scientific work and adequate teaching skills. You should be fluent in spoken and written English.

We offer

The position will be offered for a fixed-term period of 2 years. The starting date is expected between Oct. 2026 and Dec. 2026 (or as mutually agreed). A trial period of six (6) months applies to all our new employees.

As a member of the dynamic and innovative international community of Tampere University, you will have access to a range of competitive benefits, including occupational health care services, flexible work schedules, versatile research infrastructure, modern teaching facilities, and a safe and inviting campus area. You will also have a personal fund to spend on sports and cultural activities during your free time. Please read more about working at Tampere University . You can also find more information about us and working and living Tampere by watching our video: Tampere Higher Education Community - our academic playground .

Tampere is the largest inland city in Finland and is considered a major academic hub in the Nordic countries. The region is home to a vibrant, knowledge-intensive entrepreneurial community, and the city is an industrial powerhouse with a rich cultural scene and a reputation as a centre of Finland's information society. Additionally, Finland is known for being one of the most stable, free, and safe countries in the world, based on various ratings by prominent agencies. Tampere is surrounded by stunning nature, with forests and lakes offering countless opportunities for easy-to-access outdoor adventures and refreshment throughout the year.

Salary
The salary will be based on both the job demand level 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 the Postdoctoral Research Fellow is placed on the job demand level 5-6. In addition, employees will receive performance-based salary. Therefore, typically, Postdoctoral Research Fellow´s salary varies between 4000 Euro - 4500 Euro.