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

A central challenge in applying AI to the maritime domain is that much of the underlying technical knowledge is implicit and scattered across numerous documents. This fragmentation makes it difficult to identify interdependencies and obscures how design changes propagate across a vessel. The project aims to examine how vessel design information can be organized in ways that make such interdependencies explicit while remaining compatible with established workflows. The aim is to propose a structured representation of vessel designs that (1) integrates with current design practices and tools, (2) make dependencies between components, systems, and constraints explicit and machine‑interpretable, and (3) is suitable for computational reasoning and AI-based methods. In doing so, the project creates the semantic foundation that enables AI systems to reason more coherently about ship designs, reducing ambiguity in the data available to machine‑learning systems, and supports explainability by grounding AI outputs in a known structure.

This poses interesting research questions, such as:

i) Representation: How can components, subsystems, constraints, and cross‑system dependencies in vessel design be represented in a form that supports both human understanding and AI‑based reasoning?
ii) Integration with Practice: How can such structured representations be introduced into existing engineering workflows and tools without disrupting established practices?
iii) Technology Assessment: To what extent do representational approaches such as ontologies or knowledge graphs meet the identified requirements, and where might alternative or hybrid solutions provide advantages?

The candidate is expected to take initiative to narrow the research scope toward concrete applications. Prototype information models and demonstrators are expected to be developed and evaluated using concrete design tasks drawn from different phases of the ship design value chain. Validation can include case‑based assessments, feedback from engineers, and comparisons with current document‑driven approaches. We are aiming at improvements in the visibility of dependencies, the assessment of change impacts, and the potential for AI‑assisted reasoning.

For a position as a PhD Candidate, the goal is a completed doctoral education up to an obtained doctoral degree. This position expects a strong cooperation with the industrial partners.

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.

Your immediate leader will be the Head of Department.

About the project

The PhD project will be part of the Norwegian Maritime AI Center that aims to accelerate operationalization of AI in the maritime value chains. The center shall position the maritime sector for accelerated and successful use of AI. The demand for safe and sustainable maritime activities, as well as the shortage of crew and engineers, are key drivers for change in the maritime sector. At the same time, there is a pull for growth, increased eﬃciency and profitability, while managing volatility in the markets. Moreover, the sector is critically important for global supply chains and security in a tense geopolitical situation. To demonstrate and prototype maritime AI solutions, the center will address a diverse and impactful set of use cases: Logistics, shipping and business transactions; Ship design and construction; Voyage planning and optimization; Condition monitoring and maintenance; Crew training; Maritime traﬃc and ship surveillance; Decarbonization and energy management; Autonomous ships and remote control.

The research partners are the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, (NTNU), University of Oslo, Oslo School of Architecture and Design, Royal Norwegian Naval Academy, Norwegian Mapping Authority, MET and SINTEF Nordvest. There are about 30 user partners from the maritime sector, in addition to hundreds of members of the Maritime Forum, Blue Maritime, Ocean Autonomy, and Maritime CleanTech clusters. The center will be a hub, orchestrating the interfaces with research partners and user partners to facilitate collaboration, knowledge creation, dissemination, innovation, and sharing of knowledge. The Norwegian Maritime AI Center is funded by the Research Council of Norway and the partners for the period 2026-2030. There will be approximately 25 doctoral scholarships and some postdoc positions. More information can be found here: https://www.ntnu.edu/mai

The appointment is carried out in accordance with the 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 be in conflict with the criteria in the latter act, will not be able to be employed.

Duties of the position

Take part in the mandatory PhD research education program obtaining a doctorate
Develop research and AI applied to the Maritime Domain, with strong cooperation with the industrial partners
Carry out research of good quality within the framework described above
Participate actively in discussion with the industrial partners
Participate in activities in the Maritime AI center
Participate in relevant dissemination activities for the industry
Conduct independent research and publish the result in recognized scientific journals and present them at international conferences

Be prepared for changes to your work duties after employment.

Required selection criteria

You must have a relevant Master's degree in Engineering or Computer Science or equivalent. Your course of study must correspond to a five-year Norwegian course, where 120 credits have been obtained at master's level. Master students can apply, but the master's degree must be obtained and documented before starting the position.
You must have a strong academic background from your previous studies and have an average grade from your Master's degree study, or equivalent education, which is equal to B or better compared to NTNU's grading scale. If you do not have letter grades from previous studies, you must have an equally good academic foundation. If you have a weaker grade background, you maybe considered if you can document that you are particularly suitable for a PhD education.
Affinity with programming, AI-related tools and a desire to work with the development of computational tools
You must meet the requirements for admission to the faculty's Doctoral Programme in Engineering

PLEASE NOTE: For detailed information about what the application must contain, see paragraph “About the application”.

The appointment is to be made in accordance with NTNUs guidelines for recruitment positions and Regulations for the degrees philosophiae doctor (ph.d.) and philosophiae doctor (ph.d.) in artistic development work at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)for general criteria for the position.

Preferred selection criteria

Previous experience with maritime research / industry
Previous experience with AI research / industry
Good written and oral English language skills

Personal characteristics

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

Work independently on long-term projects
Show good communication skills
Work in close contact with the maritime industry
Collaborative skills, including the ability to negotiate and find agreements within a team
Present and discuss your research with other professionals and travel to international partners
Show openness to feedback and external input, while still taking ownership of research direction
Be flexible in navigating the uncertainty and ambiguity inherent to a research project

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
Open and inclusive working environment with committed colleagues
Favorable terms as a member of the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund (SPK)
Free Norwegian language training at a basic level (A2)

As a PhD Candidate at NTNU, you will have access to employee benefits.

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.

At NTNU we want to increase the proportion of women in scientific positions. We have a number of measures to promote equality. (delete if not applicable)

Salary and conditions

In the position of PhD Candidate, code 1017, your gross salary will normally be NOK 550 800,-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 the doctoral work.

For employment as a PhD Candidate, it is a prerequisite that you gain admission to the PhD programme in Engineering within three months of your employment contract start date, and that you participate in an organized doctoral programme through out the period of employment.

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 professional 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 with the 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 and diplomas upon request.

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)
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 work 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 Professor Henrique M. Gaspar, henrique.gaspar@ntnu.no.

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

Application deadline: 26.04.2026

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

Ålesund, known for its unique Art Nouveau architecture and spectacular nature, is a gem on Norway's west coast. The city offers a vibrant cultural life, modern facilities, and a dynamic business environment. With its strategic location by the sea, Ålesund provides a perfect balance between urban living and natural experiences. Here, you will find excellent schools, top-notch healthcare services, and a wide range of recreational activities. Ålesund is an ideal place for both career and family life, with a safe and inclusive community.

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