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Master Thesis Work - Study of Zr-based pre-treatment application on different substrate coatings

Thesis Worker at Volvo Cars
Welcome to explore the world of Volvo Cars by writing your thesis with us! As a thesis worker in our organization you are supported by a supervisor who follows you during your project. Through your thesis work you will be able to contribute to our company purpose – providing freedom to move in a safe, sustainable and personal way – from day one! 

About this opportunity - Background

At Vehicle Engineering, our responsibility spans the entire chassis, interior, climate, body & exterior functions, mechanical Integration, and a range of vehicle attributes with impact on design and customer experience of our complete product. Across these domains and all development cycles, we will lead an effective delivery operation on a complete level in close sync with other Engineering units, functions, and stakeholders across the company.


This thesis work is within the area of Surface Treatment BIW at Material Engineering Center.

 

Substrate coating processes (such as different Zn plating) are used as cathodic protective coating on steel substrate parts and are within VCC requirements towards tier1 suppliers. The purpose is to provide extra protection against galvanic corrosion compared to regular hot-dip galvanization.


Some of these parts are mounted on the car body and get an extra pre-treatment layer from the in-house paint shop before further painting operations.


Zr-based Pre-treatment is a novel method for the in-house car body line, and the coating build-up on various surfaces needs further to be analyzed.


XRF is used as the main technique to ensure the quality by measuring the coating weight of the Zr treatment. Initial XRF measurements show unreliable results on, e.g., ZnNi and ZnFe coated substrates.


The purpose of the project is to study and understand Zr treatment compatibility with the different substrate surfaces.

Scope of the thesis work

•    Create an overview of the content of the different surfaces within the car.
•    Study the effect of galvanic corrosion protection from the different surfaces with and without the Zr treatment.
•    Analyze the coating weight of Zr treatment on the different substrate coatings using XRF. Investigate any differences.

 

Expected deliverables:
•    Create a detailed mapping of different surface protection over the car body.
•    Define the Zr treatment compatibility with the different substrate coatings.
•    Suggest qualitative requirements for Zr coating weight on different substrates.

What you'll bring

The project is suitable for one student. Cooperation possible with other master thesis students at Material Engineering Center.  


The thesis work will be performed at Volvo Cars' facilities.


•    Chemical engineering, preferably with a focus on surface chemistry, chemical analysis, or materials engineering.
•    Basic skill in surface analysis methods such as SEM (scanning electron microscopy) and XRF (X-ray fluorescence).

Duration

•    Tentative proposed thesis work period: 19th January 2026 to 26th of June 2026 (dates can be flexible with +/- 7 days)
•    Academic credits: equivalent to 30 ECTS 
•    Number of students: 1 student


Volvo Cars. For Life.
For nearly a century, Volvo Cars has empowered people to move freely in a personal, sustainable and safe way. Today, we are driving bold advancements in electrification, sustainability and automotive safety. To realise our ambitious vision, we are seeking innovative minds who are ready to tackle the challenges of tomorrow – today.

At Volvo Cars, we believe extraordinary things are achieved by ordinary people with a passion for making a difference. If you’re inspired by the opportunity to help redefine the future of mobility, we invite you to be part of our journey.

Ready to take the next step?

Applications should include your CV and a brief personal letter stating your interests within the given area and your thoughts and credentials. Submit your CV in English. If you are 2 students submitting as a pair, you can combine your CVs into one PDF and submit a joint Cover Letter. 

 

Applications must be received no later than 30th October, 2025. We are prioritising direct applications to ensure a fair and efficient application process.
 
For questions regarding the recruitment process, please contact Siddhant Gupta at siddhant.gupta@volvocars.com. For specific questions about the position, please reach out to the Hiring Manager Annika Ericsson at annika.zieseniss@volvocars.com.


As part of the recruitment process, the final candidates might undergo a background check.

Welcome with your application!

Gothenburg, SE, 40531

Job requisition ID:  77810

Apply now »