This is NTNU

NTNU is a broad-based university with a technical-scientific profile and a focus in professional education. The university is located in three cities with headquarters in Trondheim.

At NTNU, 9,000 employees and 43,000 students work to create knowledge for a better world.

You will find more information about working at NTNU and the application process here.

Video: https://youtu.be/Xt-yHCN5QS0

About the position

Are you motivated to take a step towards a doctorate and open up exciting career opportunities? As a PhD Candidate with us, you will work to achieve your doctorate, and at the same time gain valuable experience that qualifies you for a further career in higher education and research, in and outside academia.

About the project

Norway's maritime industry is recognized globally for its skill in creating specialized ships and offshore structures, especially for challenging operations where safety and protecting the environment are key priorities. As offshore operations grow more complex, the safe transfer of personnel and equipment to offshore structures for maintenance, repair, and monitoring has become increasingly important. For example, current offshore wind turbines typically require planned maintenance 1-2 times per year with each activity involving two engineers. With the increase in installed wind energy capacities offshore the need for a safe, cost-effective, and efficient method of personnel transfer is essential. Gangways from service operation vessels have emerged as the preferred solution, accounting for over 90% of personnel transfers in offshore operations

Despite the widespread adoption of gangways, stability and safety can be compromised in harsh weather conditions, where excessive ship movements or sudden wave impacts create hazardous situations. As a result, operations are often suspended during such weather to ensure safety. However, harsh weather does not always mean that ship movements are constantly large. For instance, with a significant wave height of 2 meters over a 20-minute interval, there is 1% chance that waves could exceed 3.02 meters, resulting in the period is unsafe from a statistical standpoint. There are often quiescent periods, known as the periods of calm within rough seas, during this “unsafe” period. If these quiescent periods can be identified and utilized, the operation window could be extended by over 60% in harsh weather without compromising safety.

The goal of this project is to enhance the operability and safety of gangway systems by enabling the vessels to identify and utilize quiescent periods during harsh weather conditions. To this end data from navigational radars and other relevant sensor channels will be used as input to models that can be used to forecast motion.

Duties of the position

During the PhD project the candidate will connect analysis and processing of sensor data from ships with models describing the local environmental state as well as its influence on the current and future dynamics of the ship. In addition, the below bullet points describe general duties required of the candidate;

Complete the doctoral education until obtaining a doctorate
Carry out research of good quality within the framework described above
Academic publications and popular science dissemination
Participate in the maritime technology research group within our department
Participate in international activities such as conferences and/or research stays at foreign educational institutions

Be prepared for changes to your work duties after employment.

Required selection criteria

Preferred selection criteria

Proficient in programming
Experience in developing AI models
Good oral and written presentation skills in Norwegian/Scandinavian equivalent level

Personal characteristics

To complete a doctoral degree (PhD), it is important that you are able to:

Work independently
Work in a structured way, set goals and make plans to achieve them
Present and discuss your research with other professionals
Get involved and contribute constructively with feedback
Analyze data, assess different perspectives and draw well-founded conclusions
Be flexible and open to adjusting the plan for the project as needed

Emphasis will be placed on personal qualities.

We offer

An exciting job with an important mission in society
Developing tasks in a strong and international professional environment
Career guidance and follow-up during the PhD period
Open and inclusive working environment with committed colleagues
Working capital that can be used to implement the project
Mentor programme as a new employee at NTNU
As a public employee, you have favourable benefits as a member of the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund (SPK)

You will be employed as a PhD Candidate at NTNU and will have access to employee benefits and discounts.

Diversity

Diversity is a strength, and at NTNU we aim to be an employer that reflects the diversity in society and that makes use of the potential of the population's collective skills. Our vision is Knowledge for a better world and our values are creative, critical, constructive and respectful. We believe that an organization that is equal, diverse and gender-balanced is essential for us to achieve our goals.

We strive to attract employees with different skills, life experiences and perspectives to contribute to even better problem solving of our societal mission in research and education.

If you think this position is relevant and interesting, we encourage you to apply, regardless of gender, functional ability and cultural background, or whether you have been out of work for a period of time.

Salary and conditions

In the position of PhD Candidate, code 1017, your gross salary will normally be NOK 536 200,- per annum depending on qualifications and seniority. A 2% statutory contribution to the State Pension Fund is deducted from the salary.

The employment period is 3 years.

For employment as a PhD Candidate, it is a prerequisite that you gain admission to the PhD programme in Admission requirements for PhD programmes - Kunnskapsbasen - NTNU within three months of your employment contract start date, and that you participate in an organized doctoral programme throughout the period of employment.

The position is conditional on external funding

As an employee at NTNU, it is important that you keep yourself up to date with academic and organizational changes and adapt to them.

For the necessary academic and social interaction, it is a prerequisite that you are physically present and available to the institution on a daily basis.

The appointment is carried out in accordance witht he principles of the State Employees Act, and Export control(legislation that regulates the export of knowledge, technology and services). Candidates who, after assessment of the application and attachments, are considered to bein conflict with the criteria in the latter act, will not be able to be employed.

About the application

The attachments (including a description of your scientific work) must accompany the application as these documents form the basis of the application assessment. The documents must be in Norwegian/a Scandinavian language or English.

Please note: the application will only be assessed on the basis of the information we have received by the application deadline. Therefore, make sure that your application clearly shows how your skills and experience meet the criteria described above. The application and all attachments must be sent electronically via Jobbnorge.no. If you are invited to an interview, you must bring certified copies of certificates The application must include:

Transcripts and diplomas for Bachelor's and Master's degrees
CV
Copy of Master's thesis. If you have recently submitted your Master's thesis, you can attach a draft of the thesis. Documentation of a completed Master's degree must be presented before taking up the position.
Project outline containing proposals for an overall description of research questions, theoretical perspectives, methodological design for the project and progress plan (maximum 1500 words/4 pages)
Short letter of motivation (400 words/1 page)
Possibly publications etc. other relevant research work
Possibly certificates
Names and contact information of three relevant referees

If all, or parts, of your education has been taken abroad, we also ask you to attach documentation of the scope and quality of your entire education, both Bachelor's and Master's education, in addition to other higher education. If your institution uses “diploma supplement” (normal for most European institutions), you must attach this. A description of the documentation required can also be found here. If you already have a statement from Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills (HK-dir), please attach this as well.

Joint works will be considered. If it is difficult to identify your contribution to joint work, you must attach a brief description of your participation.

When assessing the best qualified, we emphasize necessary qualifications such as education, experience and personal suitability. Motivation for the position, ambitions and potential for research will also count when assessing the candidates.

NTNU recognizes a wide range of academic contributions and has committed itself to The San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment and CoARA (responsible assessment of research and recognition of a greater breadth of academic contributions in accordance with NTNU's social mission).

General information

A public list of applicants with name, age, job title and municipality of residence is prepared after the application deadline. If you wish to be exempt from entry on the public applicant list, this must be justified. Assessment will be made in accordance with current legislation. You will be notified if the exemption is not granted.

If you think this position looks interesting and in line with your qualifications, you are welcome to apply.

If you have any questions about the position, please contact Associate professor Robert Skulstad, robert.skulstad@ntnu.no

If you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact HR Lara Bromann, lara.bromann@ntnu.no

Application deadline: 21.11.2025

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For practical information about working at NTNU, please visit this webpage.

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