PhD candidate in Bridging Adaptive Planning and Human-Centred Design for Vulnerable Contexts

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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

The Department of Architecture and Planning (IAP) at the Faculty of Architecture and Design (AD) has a vacancy for a fully funded 4-year PhD position. This interdisciplinary role is offered in collaboration with the Department of Design (ID). We are seeking a candidate motivated to explore how bridging adaptive planning and human-centred design can make climate change adaptation equitable and inclusive. You will be part of a vibrant research environment, specifically anchored within the CREST-GLOBAL research team, which focuses on equitable urban transitions and decision-making under uncertainty, in close interaction with the Department of Design. 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. The academic supervision team will include Associate Professor Mrudhula Koshy, Associate Professor Brita Nielsen, and Professor Rolee Aranya at NTNU.

About the project

Climate Change Adaptation for vulnerable urban neighbourhoods remains one of the most pressing challenges in recent decades. While adaptation studies recognise the intertwined complexities of heterogeneous built environments and societal vulnerabilities, methodological frameworks for harnessing the interests of marginalised communities remain generic. Recent studies recommend addressing climate change adaptation through adaptive planning combined with human-centred design approaches. Adaptive planning relies on top-down, expert-driven decision-making, with an unclear role and agency for local communities. In contrast, human-centred design approaches rely heavily on community-oriented problem formulation and needs-based design, yet spatial planning stakeholders insufficiently consider these insights. Few studies systematically combine methods and insights from these diverse approaches, and an evidence-based spatial and visual methodology for decision-making at various scales is therefore lacking, creating a gap in practice. This methodological gap is apparent in climate change adaptation studies across the Global North and South. This PhD project, therefore, investigates the feasibility of combining these approaches and formulating a context-specific, integrated methodology for addressing climate change adaptation and human-centred design in vulnerable neighbourhoods. By combining qualitative and GIS-based mapping, community-oriented visual design engagement methods, and stakeholder analysis at multiple scales and in diverse contexts, this proposal addresses the lack of empirically grounded studies in flood-prone, low-income neighbourhoods in the Global North and South to demonstrate the importance of contextual influences.

Duties of the position

• Complete doctoral education leading to a PhD degree.
• Participation in and contribution to the development of the following research, network and education groups including through future research applications: CREST GLOBAL, Adaptation thematic group (funded by NTNU strategic area Societal Security), and Gemini Centre 'Equitable Partnerships for Global Impact'.
• Participate in international activities such as conferences and/or research stays at foreign educational institutions.
• Undertake teaching and supervision of master students in the program in Urban Planning at Department of Architecture and Planning, and the Humanitarian Design Course in The Department of Design, as agreed with supervisors and department management.
• Academic publications and popular science dissemination.

Be prepared for changes to your work duties after employment.

Required selection criteria

• A relevant Master’s degree in urban planning, industrial design or equivalent. Applications from related fields may be considered. Your education must correspond to a five-year Norwegian Masters, where 120 credits have been obtained at master's level.
• 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. Master students can apply, but the master's degree must be obtained and documented before starting the position.
• Meet the requirements for admission to the faculty's Doctoral Programme.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English.
• Quality and focus of the proposed Project proposal – with particular emphasis on the research questions, theoretical perspectives and gaps, and methodological design.

The appointment is to be made in accordance with NTNUs guidelines for recruitment positions for general criteria for the position.

Preferred selection criteria

• Relevant work/volunteering experience in urban planning/design offices, or humanitarian organisations.
• Experience with fieldwork/professional (including internships)/educational experience in the African/Asian context.
• Skills in visualising, analysing and integrating diverse spatial datasets.
• Knowledge of adaptive planning, and participatory and human-centred design frameworks, in urban environments.

Personal characteristics

We seek a PhD candidate who has:

• Ability to work independently and in a structured, goal-oriented manner.
• Strong motivation for the subject and curiosity regarding interdisciplinary research.
• Capable of analyzing complex data and drawing well-founded conclusions from different perspectives.
• Constructive and collaborative approach to feedback and teamwork in the context of a research group within a multidisciplinary department.

Emphasis will be placed on personal qualities.

We offer

• An exciting project with a significant mission for societal preparedness.
• A 4-year fully funded position within a strong, international professional environment.
• Access to the Adaptation Team at the NTNU Societal Security, the Global South Initiative, and the Gemini Centre for Global Impact.
• 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
• 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. 

Salary and conditions

In the position of PhD Candidate, code 1017, your gross salary will normally be NOK 580 000,-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 in addition to 1 year of career promotion work. 

For employment as a PhD Candidate, it is a prerequisite that you gain admission to the PhD programme in Architecture 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 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:(decide on what must be included - remove what does not fit):

• Cover letter describing motivation for the position (max. 400 words).
• A project outline (max 1500 words/4 pages) describing research questions, theoretical perspectives and gaps, potential case studies (1 from the Global North and 1 from the Global South: one major case and one minor case), and methodological design.
• Curriculum Vitae (CV).
• Copies of academic transcripts and diplomas for bachelor’s and master’s degrees.
• Master's thesis (or equivalent major research project)
• Publications and other scholarly work (if applicable). Projects showcasing relevant research, visualisation and education skills and experience can also be included.
• Names and contact information of three relevant referees

Applicants are kindly requested to clearly label all submitted documents. Files must be named in a way that makes their content easily identifiable.

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 Associate Professor Mrudhula Koshy through email (mrudhula.koshy@ntnu.no) If you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact Astrid Steine Lyngby (Advisor, e-mail: astrid.s.lyngby@ntnu.no).

Application deadline: 16.10.2026

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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.