Master's Thesis on Magnetic Instabilities for Accelerated Arc Extinction

About the role

ABB is seeking a motivated Master’s student to conduct research on magnetic instabilities that can accelerate arc extinction in DC circuit interrupters. The six‑month thesis (January‑June 2027) will be carried out at ABB’s R&D site in Västerås, Sweden.

Key responsibilities

• Perform a literature survey on electrical arcs under magnetic fields.
• Simulate geometry‑dependent magnetic field distributions using Multiphysics Finite Element tools.
• Design and experimentally implement magnetic configurations to induce specific arc instabilities.
• Characterise arcs subjected to different magnetic instabilities through experiments.

Required profile

• Master’s student in Electrical Engineering, Plasma Physics, or a related discipline.
• Self‑motivated, analytical, well‑organized and curious about research and innovation.

Required skills

• Knowledge of electromagnetics.
• Experience with Multiphysics Finite Element simulation tools.
• Familiarity with current interruption phenomena in electrical grids (advantageous).