Thesis Work for: White Bronze Coatings for Fretting-Resilient High-Current Electrical Contacts

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This Position reports to:

R&D Team Lead

 

Your role and responsibilities

Details:

• Period: Oct 2026 – July 2027
• Number of credits:  30 ECTS
• Number of students for this thesis work: 1
• Location: Västerås and Luleå at the University premises.

 

You will be jointly working at both Division of Machine Elements in Luleå University of Technology and Materials Technology & Electromagnetics team at ABB Corporate Research in Västerås, Sweden.

 

At Corporate Research we lead the innovation within ABB and our task is to ensure ABB's technology competitiveness now and in the future. We work in close collaboration with other research centers, our business areas: Motion, Automation and Electrification, as well academic and industrial partners. In our creative and highly skilled team we develop, design, build and test new concepts and prototypes of physical and digital powertrains or electrical devices.

 

In this project we will work closely together with ABB Motion High Power Drives, a world leader in system drives. The current project focuses on evaluating White Bronze (Cu-Sn-Zn) as a single-layer functional coating for high-current electrical contacts. The project will investigate whether the White Bronze can provide sufficient fretting resistance and electrical stability without the need for a barrier layer.

 

The study is firmly rooted in materials science, focusing on how coating composition, microstructure, hardness, electrical conductivity, diffusion behavior, and interface stability determine functional performance and degradation in metallic contact systems.

 

The project is relevant to the WISE (Wallenberg Initiative Materials Science for Sustainability) matrix through sustainable materials design, replacement of more resource-intensive coating systems, and improved energy efficiency in electrified applications.

This thesis assignment provides a unique opportunity to work closely with real customer challenges, deepen your understanding of industrial processes, and build a strong foundation for future career opportunities at ABB. Successful execution of the projects requires a curious mindset and deep insight into solving multidisciplinary material problems.

Qualifications for the role

• Technical background in chemistry, physics, materials science and similar.
• In-depth understanding of metal/alloy/tribology concepts is mandatory, please comment in cover letter if you don’t have materials as main subject.  
• Coding skill is a plus but not mandatory, please comment in the cover letter.
• Proficient in speaking and writing in English is mandatory.
• Be able to work independently and proactively.
• Strong team spirit and individual leadership to deliver results on time and with high quality.

More about us

Recruiting Manager David Lindell, david.lindell@se.abb.com, will answer your questions.

 

Positions are filled continuously. Please apply with your CV, academic transcripts, and a cover letter in English.

 

We look forward to receiving your application!

A future opportunity

This role is part of our talent pipeline, which means it’s not currently open, but we’re always looking for curious minds, bold thinkers, and people who want to make an impact.

Click Apply to express your interest and be considered for future opportunities that match your experience and aspirations.

At ABB, we welcome people from all backgrounds and believe that diverse perspectives help us build a cleaner, smarter future.

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