Thesis Work – Investigating the potential of artificial floating bottom to support submerged macrophyte growth in shallow water zone of a regulated river

About the Thesis Work

The thesis work will be carried out within eco-hydraulic group at Vattenfall R&D, Älvkarleby. The thesis topic is within the scope of Vattenfall’s ongoing biodiversity project

Hydropower plays a significant role on Sweden’s electric power supply and transition to a fossil-free society. However, hydropower generation is also criticized due to its negative impact on biodiversity and ecosystem functions in regulated water courses. Artificial water level fluctuations in reservoirs or lakes regulated for power generation cause erosion and dehydration of benthic and littoral shallow water habitats. This leads to the destruction of those habitats and loss of primary production (i.e. algae, periphyton, submerged aquatic plants etc.) and the bottom-dwelling animals that rely on it. This negatively affects aquatic biodiversity and ecosystem functions in these regulated water bodies. Unfortunately, solving this adverse impact by decreasing the water level fluctuations will have a huge negative impact on hydropower generation. Application of artificial floating bottom can be one of the methods to support biodiversity in this regulated waters without interfering the hydropower generation. However, this method is not evaluated for Swedish lakes or reservoirs yet.

The aims of the thesis project are to

• evaluating the artificial floating bottom as a proof of concept
• investigating the potential of submerged macrophyte growth on floating bottom
• investigating the effect of different substrates on the growth of submerged macrophytes

Your Profile

We are looking for a student who want to work towards fossil freedom and who are about to graduate from their academic studies. You are also someone who identifies with our principles: Active, Open, Positive, and Safety.

• The applicant should have background in Biology or Environmental Science. Student with a Civil Engineer background with keen interest in applying engineering solutions to support biodiversity in aquatic systems are also welcomed. The applicant should enjoy field works in aquatic environment since the floating bottom will be regularly surveyed by using a boat. However, there will always be an extra person on boat.
• The thesis is designed for one student and 30 credits (approximately 6 months).
• Proficiency in English language is required as the thesis will be in English. Proficiency in Swedish is a merit but not a requirement.
• Please check with your course or module advisor for suitability before applying for this thesis.

Additional Information

• Start date: May 2026 or by agreement.
• Location: Filed work will be conducted either in Älvkarleby, Sweden or in northern part Sweden.
• Application – one file containing your CV and a copy of your transcripts.
• Application deadline: 2026-01-31.
• Contact person and supervisor at Vattenfall: Maidul Choudhury, [email protected] , +46(0)70-222 84 58

Diversity and Inclusion – In Everything We Do

We are convinced that heterogeneous teams can outperform homogeneous ones. But we can only unlock the power of diversity when everyone feels included. Read more about our important work on diversity and inclusion at https://careers.vattenfall.com/se/sv/jobba-med-oss/mangfald-inkludering.

About Vattenfall

At Vattenfall, we are determined to enable fossil freedom. To succeed, we must first become fully fossil-free ourselves as one of Europe’s largest energy companies. But that is not enough. To contribute to a fossil-free society, we need to do more than just focus on sustainable energy production.

We believe that enabling fossil freedom requires us to address the challenge from a broader perspective than merely producing energy sustainably.

Join us on the journey towards fossil freedom.

As Vattenfall is part of Sweden’s critical infrastructure, many of our roles are security-classified. This means that, if this position is security-classified, final candidates may be subject to a special security clearance in accordance with the Security Protection Act.