PhD Candidate in Optimal Utilization of Power Components and Grids using Digital Twin

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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.

   

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About the position

We are seeking a motivated PhD candidate to work on hybrid analysis and modeling for next-generation digital twins in the electric power grid. The position is part of the UPGriD project, which brings together leading research and industry partners to develop new tools for real-time dynamic thermal rating, virtual sensing, anomaly detection, and predictive modeling of power-grid components.

The candidate will join an interdisciplinary research environment combining artificial intelligence, cybernetics, numerical modeling, and electric power engineering. The work will be carried out at NTNU in close collaboration with SINTEF Energy Research, and industrial partners from the power and energy sector. The PhD will work across several technical work packages and contribute to methods that can be applied to transformers, power cables, and distribution substations.

The position offers strong opportunities for scientific development, international collaboration, and close contact with industry. The PhD candidate will be supervised by Prof. Adil Rasheed at NTNU.

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 Professor Adil Rasheed.

About the project

The PhD position is connected to the research project UPGriD – Optimal Utilization of Power Components and Grids using Digital Twins and the FME Northwind. The project addresses a major challenge in the ongoing electrification of society: how to increase the utilization of existing power-grid infrastructure while maintaining reliability and security of supply.

Today, the capacity of components such as transformers and power cables is often determined using conservative and simplified methods based on static conditions. In reality, component temperatures and load capacity depend on dynamic factors such as load history, ambient temperature, precipitation, soil conditions, cooling conditions, and component degradation. UPGriD will develop next-generation digital twin tools for real-time dynamic thermal rating and lifetime prediction of key power-grid components.

The PhD will be associated with the work package on Hybrid Analysis and Modeling, which focuses on developing generic methods that combine physics-based models, data-driven models, sparse measurements, and domain knowledge. The work will address questions such as how to collect the most informative data, how to place sensors optimally, how to reconstruct high-resolution temperature fields from limited measurements, and how to build predictive models that account for uncertainty, simplified physics, and unmodeled effects.

Duties of the position

• 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 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

• You must have a Master's degree in Mathematics, Cybernetics, Electrical Engineering, 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's 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 may be considered 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 
• Good oral and written presentation skills in English.
• Strong skills in Partial Differential Equations, Numerical Methods, Optimization, and Programming

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 for general criteria for the position.

Preferred selection criteria

• Experience with finite element methods or numerical simulation 
• Experience with machine learning and data-driven modeling 
• Knowledge of scientific machine learning or physics-informed AI 
• Good programming skills, preferably in Python, C++
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills

Personal characteristics

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

• Work independently and in a structured way, set goals and make plans to achieve them
• Present and discuss your research, and have an organized thinking process.
• Willingness to learn, show curiosity and a strong motivation for the subject.
• Be open to exploring topics outside your comfort zone, generate new ideas, and engage in constructive, critical discussions with your supervisors to evaluate research ideas.
• Work constructively under pressure or in the face of adversity.

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
• 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.

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 from 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 employment as a PhD Candidate, it is a prerequisite that you gain admission to the PhD program in Engineering Cybernetics 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:

• Curriculum Vitae (CV).
• Transcripts of academic records (Bachelor’s and Master’s).
• Copy of Master's thesis. If you are currently working towards/have recently submitted your Master's thesis, you can attach a working draft of the thesis. Documentation of a completed Master's degree must be presented before taking up the position.
• Publications and other relevant research work can be assessed if applicable. 
• Names and contact information of minimum two 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 Adil Rasheed, email: adil.rasheed@ntnu.no . If you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact HR Consultant Berit Dahl, email: berit.dahl@ntnu.no .

Application deadline: 15.06.2026.

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.