Instrumentation & Control Engineer

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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.

About the position 

The neurophotonics lab at Kavli Institute for Systems Neuroscience is seeking a highly skilled Instrumentation & Control Engineer to contribute to the development of next-generation miniature two-photon microscopes.

The successful candidate will be responsible for development and integration of real-time hardware control software (Labview) for miniature 2P microscopes under development in the lab (see the introduction of the MINI2P ) based on NI PXI, NI-RIO, and FPGA systems. The position involves close collaboration with optical engineers, neuroscientists, and external partners.

The positions will be financed by the external research funding awarded to Dr. Zong. Successful candidates will be offered an 100% engineering position lasting 3 years, with opportunities for extension under certain circumstances.

The Kavli Institute for Systems Neuroscience is part of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at NTNU. It was established as a Centre of Excellence in 2002, again in 2012 and again in 2023 which has never happened before in Norway. It was designated as a Kavli Foundation Institute in 2007 (www.kavlifoundation.org). Work of the institute (Moser group) was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2014.

About the associated lab

Dr. Zong established his group at the Kavli Institute in 2023, focusing on developing cutting-edge optical tools to monitor and manipulate neural activity in naturally-behaving animals to understand the neuronal computation rulesets in cortical microcircuits, read further here about the group.

Dr. Zong's recent achievement includes the development of a miniature portable 2-photon miniscope (MINI2P) for high-resolution multiplane imaging of thousands of neurons in the cortical tissue of freely moving mice (W. Zong et al., Cell, 2022). The Zong Lab is a dynamic, interdisciplinary group, where we advocate for active collaboration, and where diversity of ideas, culture, and identity is embraced and encouraged. 

Recently, Dr. Zong have got several fundings (FRIRPO Young Talent , Discovery, etc.) to support the development of next generation miniature two-photon microscopes for ultrahigh throughput, multi-brain-region and voltage imaging in freely-moving animals. 

The current opening positions will be associated with one of these projects.

Duties of the position

• Develop and maintain LabVIEW-based control software for GHz-rate two-photon imaging
• Program and optimize FPGA logic for synchronized scanning, acquisition, and triggering
• Debug and characterize complex optoelectronic systems
• Contribute to electronics design (PCBs, drivers, signal interfaces)
• Support microscopy experiments and instrumentation maintenance
• Document system architecture and operational procedures

Required selection criteria

• BSc in Electronics/Instrumentation/Mechatronics/Embedded Systems/Applied Physics (or equivalent) with 3–5 years relevant industrial experience 
• Demonstrated experience with FPGA programming and LabVIEW development
• Practical experience with NI instrumentation (PXI, NI-RIO, DAQ, etc)
• Strong troubleshooting skills in electronics and measurement systems

Preferred selection criteria

• MSc in Electronics/Instrumentation/Mechatronics/Embedded Systems/Applied Physics (or equivalent)
• Experience with optical instrumentation or imaging hardware
• PCB design (KiCad/Altium)
• Python/C++ for instrument integration
• Familiarity with real-time control systems and Git

Personal characteristics 

We are looking for candidates who:

• Enjoy hands-on engineering challenges
• Work reliably and independently
• Communicate well and collaborate effectively in interdisciplinary teams
• Are excited to innovate at the frontier of brain research

In the evaluation of which candidate is best qualified, emphasis will be placed on education, experience and personal suitability, as well as motivation, in terms of the qualification requirements specified in the advertisement

We offer

• exciting and stimulating tasks in a strong international academic environment
• an open and inclusive work environment with dedicated colleagues
• favourable terms in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund
• employee benefits

Salary and conditions

The gross salary for the position of Head Engineer code 1087 is normally remunerated at gross from NOK 550 900 – 619 400 before tax per year, depending on qualifications and seniority. From the salary, 2 % is deducted as a contribution to the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund. 

The position is condition on external fundings

The engagement is to be made in accordance with the regulations in force concerning State Employees and Civil Servants, and the acts relating to Control of the Export of Strategic Goods, Services and Technology. Candidates who by assessment of the application and attachment are seen to conflict with the criteria's in the latter law will be prohibited from recruitment to NTNU. After the appointment you must assume that there may be changes in the area of work.

It is a prerequisite you can be present at and accessible to the institution on a daily basis.

About the application

Please note that your application will be considered based solely on information submitted by the application deadline. You must therefore ensure that your application clearly demonstrates how your skills and experience fulfil the criteria specified above. 

The application must contain :

• CV, certificates and diplomas
• name and adress of three references

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. Description of the documentation required can be found here. If you already have a statement from Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills, please attach this as well

General information

NTNU believes that inclusion and diversity is a strength. We want our faculty and staff to reflect Norway’s culturally diverse population and we continuously seek to hire the best minds. This enables NTNU to increase productivity and innovation, improve decision making processes, raise employee satisfaction, compete academically with global top-ranking institutions and carry out our social responsibilities within education and research. NTNU emphasizes accessibility and encourages qualified candidates to apply regardless of gender identity, ability status, periods of unemployment or ethnic and cultural background.

The city of Trondheim is a modern European city with a rich cultural scene. Trondheim is the innovation 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. 

As an employee at NTNU, you must at all times adhere to the changes that the development in the subject entails and the organizational changes that are adopted. 

A public list of applicants with name, age, job title and municipality of residence is prepared after the application deadline. If you want to reserve yourself 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 reservation is not accepted.

If you have any questions about the position, please contact Associate professor Weijian Zong, email weijian.zong@ntnu.no.

If you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact HR adviser Hege Tverå Nilsson, e-mail: hege.tvera.nilsson@ntnu.no

If you think this looks interesting and in line with your qualifications, please submit your application electronically via jobbnorge.no with your CV, diplomas and certificates attached. Applications submitted elsewhere will not be considered. Upon request, you must be able to obtain certified copies of your documentation.