PhD Candidate in Marine Hydrodynamics

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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.

   

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About the position

For a position as a PhD Candidate, the goal is a completed doctoral education leading to a doctoral degree.

The focus of this position is research on hydrodynamic loads and performance of tidal turbines under realistic flow and clearance conditions. Tidal-stream energy offers a predictable, complementary renewable source, particularly relevant for coastal nations like Norway. However, the hydrodynamic environment is complex: non-uniform inflows, wave–current interactions, and limited clearance to the seabed or sea surface can strongly affect performance, structural integrity, and fatigue life. These effects vary with water depth and turbine concept.

This PhD project will investigate how realistic inflow conditions and clearance constraints influence hydrodynamic loads, energy capture, and turbine durability. A bottom-fixed horizontal-axis turbine concept will be examined in shallower straits, alongside a floating turbine concept for deeper waters, to assess their behaviour, sensitivity to wave–current interactions and associated structural and performance challenges.

Key research topics include:

• Characterization of realistic inflow environments and their impact on turbine performance
• Assessment of clearance effects on loads and efficiency near the sea surface and seabed
• Development and use of multi-fidelity models to resolve blade loads and structural responses under both operational and extreme conditions, including scenarios with partial out-of-water exposure 
• Uncertainty quantification to ensure robust and reproducible results

This research will be carried out in collaboration with Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU) through the China–Norway (Europe) Joint Research Centre on Marine Technology. The candidate will spend secondment periods at SJTU, focusing on CFD model development and validation studies against model test results from SJTU. At NTNU, the candidate will be part of the Marine Structures research group while also integrated into the wider PhD community at the Department of Marine Technology.

Your immediate leader will be the Head of Department.

Duties of the position

• Perform fundamental research on the above-mentioned topics
• Develop a detailed PhD study plan (courses, milestones, dissemination) in agreement with supervisors
• Publish in peer-reviewed journals and present at international conferences
• Cooperate closely with SJTU and NTNU supervisory team and their scientific communities

Be prepared for changes to your work duties after employment.

Required selection criteria

• You must have a professionally relevant background in Marine Technology, Ocean Engineering, Marine Hydrodynamics or equivalent.
• Your education must correspond to a five-year Norwegian degree program, where 120 credits are obtained at master's level
• You must have a strong academic background from your previous studies and an average grade from the master's degree program, or equivalent education, which is equal to B or better compared with NTNU's grading scale. If you do not have letter grades from previous studies, you must have an equally good academic basis. If you have a weaker grade background, you may be assessed if you can document that you are particularly suitable for a PhD education.
• You must meet the requirements for admission to the faculty's doctoral program in Engineering
• Good written and oral English language skills

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

• Background in marine hydrodynamics
• Experience with experimental hydrodynamics, fluid–structure interaction, renewable energy devices
• Programming and numerical modelling skills (e.g. Python, MATLAB, CFD codes)

Personal characteristics

• Flexible and dependable 
• Collaborative and independent
• Innovative and open minded
• Strong analytical skills

Emphasis will be placed on personal qualities.

We offer

Evaluate and remove/add what is relevant for the position.

• 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)

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. 

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. The desired starting date for the position is January 2026. If, for any reason, this is not possible, we would prefer that you commence in August 2026, in line with the start of the semester and to ensure participation from the beginning of the relevant courses.

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 throughout 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:

• CV and certificates 
• transcripts and diplomas for bachelor's and master's degrees. If you have not completed the master's degree, you must submit a confirmation that the master's thesis has been submitted.
• A copy of the master's thesis. If you recently have 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 proposal 
• Name and contact information of three referees
• If you have publications or other relevant research work

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 Marilena Greco, email marilena.greco@ntnu.no. If you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact Marit Gjersvold, email: marit.gjersvold@ntnu.no. 

Application deadline: 12.10.2025

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

The city of Trondheim is a modern European city with a rich cultural scene. Trondheim is the tech capital of Norway with a population of 200,000. The Norwegian welfare state, including healthcare, schools, kindergartens and overall equality, is probably the best of its kind in the world. Professional subsidized day-care for children is easily available. Furthermore, Trondheim offers great opportunities for education (including international schools) and possibilities to enjoy nature, culture and family life and has low crime rates and clean air quality.