PhD Fellow in Computer Science

The position

An exciting PhD position is available at the Department of Computer Science at UiT The Arctic University of Norway. The position is associated with the Visual Intelligence centre of excellence in research-based innovation. The project is within the earth observation innovation area and will be done in collaboration with leading companies in the field. The focus of the project is therefore development of novel satellite data analysis algorithms and solutions that will form the technology foundation for new products. 

The position is for a period of three years. Admission to the PhD programme is a prerequisite for employment, and the programme period starts on commencement of the position. 

The objective of the position is to complete research training to the level of a doctoral degree in Computer Science. Admission to a PhD programme is a prerequisite for employment, and the programme period starts on commencement of the position. You will participate in the Faculty’s organized research training, and the PhD project shall be completed during the period of employment. 

You are expected to: 

• write research papers publishable in reputable international venues
• present results at international conferences
• write progress reports on the ongoing thesis project
• and work constructively towards collectively defined research goals 

The position is at the Visual Intelligence research centre, and the intended workplace is at UiT in Tromsø. You must be able to start in the position within a reasonable time after receiving the offer. 

Please note! During the project, the candidate may be required to access restricted information (i.e. information that is restricted according to Norwegian legislation). It is required that the appointed candidate fill the criteria to obtain a security clearance according to the Norwegian Security Act § 5-3.

The project

The PhD project should address one or more of the four research challenges that the centre focuses on: limited training data, context and dependencies, confidence and uncertainty, and explainability and reliability. The project will have an applied focus, so the aim is to develop algorithms and implement these in systems that enable testing and evaluation in collaboration with the centre’s user partner Kongsberg Satellite Services (KSAT). We are therefore seeking someone with a strong interest and competence in deep learning. 

Working environment: 

The project will be done in an interdisciplinary team. The successful candidate will work at the research centre Visual Intelligence at the Department of Computer Science at UiT The Arctic University of Norway. The goal of Visual Intelligence is to develop novel, innovative solutions based on deep learning to extract knowledge from complex image data. Deep learning, aided by machine learning techniques in general, has led to a range of new imagebased technologies that is rapidly changing society. Despite these advances, the potential for deep learning and machine learning solutions for image processing is vast, especially for domains relying on more complex visual data. Industries and applications such as medicine and health, the marine sciences, the energy sector, and earth observation are clearly affected. You will take part in the Visual Intelligence Graduate School.

This project is within the earth observation area and will be done in collaboration with industry partner KSAT. Their focus areas are within environmental/land monitoring and maritime surveillance/security, which will be focus areas for the PhD project. 

Want to know more about the position?

Further information about the position is available by contacting Professor Lars Ailo Bongo:

• phone: +47 90972759
• e-mail: lars.ailo.bongo@uit.no 

or Professor Robert Jenssen: 

• phone: +47 416 99 612
• e-mail: robert.jenssen@uit.no 

For administrative questions, please contact Head of Office Martin Fjellvang Osima 

• phone: +47 77 64 62 44 
• email: martin.osima@uit.no 

Qualifications

During the project, the candidate may be required to access restricted information (i.e. information that is restricted according to Norwegian legislation). It is required that the appointed candidate fill the criteria to obtain a security clearance according to the Norwegian Security Act § 5-3.

• a Norwegian master's degree (or equivalent) in Computer Science or AI related fields. The master’s thesis must be included in the application. 
• good communication skills in English and applicants must document proficiency in English equivalent to Norwegian Higher Education Entrance Qualification.

If you are in the final phase of your master’s studies then you may also apply, as explained in the Application section below.

• solid expertise in machine learning and strong programming skills. 
• experience in applied deep learning and generative AI, and general competence in machine learning, including topics such as data visualisation or mathematical modelling
• competence in systems development, data management, networking, or satellite data. 
• an interest and previous experience in interdisciplinary collaboration or collaboration with industry. 
• working knowledge of Norwegian or a Scandinavian language.

We will also emphasize motivation and personal suitability for the position. We are looking for an interested, active and highly motivated candidate, who likes to explore new technologies, is both independent thinking and also enjoys working in collaboration with other researchers and industry partners. The position is part of an interdisciplinary project, and close interaction with other project participants will be required.  

In the assessment, the emphasis is on the applicant's potential to complete a research education based on the master's thesis or equivalent, and any other scientific work. In addition, other experience of significance for the completion of the doctoral programme may be given consideration. 

As many people as possible should have the opportunity to undertake organized research training. If you already hold a PhD or have equivalent competence, we will not appoint you to this position

Admission to the PhD programme

For employment in the PhD position, you must be qualified for admission to the PhD programme at the Faculty of Science and Technology and participate in organized doctoral studies within the employment period.

Admission normally requires:  

In order to gain admission to the programme, the candidate must document sufficient potential for research. The applicant must have a grade point average of C (strong 3.0) or better for the master’s degree, which must contain an independent work. A more detailed description of admission requirements can be found here. 

If you are employed in the position, you will be provisionally admitted to the PhD programme. Application for final admission must be submitted no later than two months after taking up the position. 

Applicants with a foreign education will be subjected to an evaluation of whether the educational background is equal to Norwegian higher education, following national guidelines from Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills. Depending on which country the education is from, one or two additional years of university education may be required to fulfil admission requirements, e.g. a 4-year bachelor's degree and a 2-year master's degree. UiT normally accepts higher education from countries that are part of the Lisbon Recognition Convention.

Inclusion and diversity

UiT The Arctic University of Norway is working actively to promote equality, gender balance and diversity among employees and students, and to create an inclusive and safe working environment. We believe that inclusion and diversity are a strength, and we want employees with different competencies, professional experience, life experience and perspectives.

If you have a disability, a gap in your CV or immigrant background, we encourage you to tick the box for this in your application. If there are qualified applicants, we invite at least one in each group for an interview. If you get the job, we will adapt the working conditions if you need it. Apart from selecting the right candidates, we will only use the information for anonymous statistics.

We offer

• Involvement in an interesting research project 
• Good career opportunities 
• A good academic environment with dedicated colleagues  
• Flexible working hours and a state collective pay agreement  
• Pension scheme through the state pension fund 
• PhD Fellows are normally given a salary of 550 800 NOK/year with a 3% yearly increase
• If you have to relocate to Tromsø then the Faculty of Science and Technology may reimburse your moving costs. Further details regarding this matter will be made available if you receive an offer from us.

Norwegian health policy aims to ensure that everyone, irrespective of their personal finances and where they live, has access to good health and care services of equal standard. As an employee you will become member of the National Insurance Scheme which also include health care services.

More practical information about working and living in Norway can be found here: https://uit.no/staffmobility

How to apply

Please note that the application will only be assessed based on the information submitted by the application deadline via Jobbnorge. It is therefore important that you include all necessary documents demonstrating your qualifications for the position.

Your application must include: 

• Cover letter, including a 1-page summary of your motivation for applying for this position, a description of why you are qualified for this position, including your motivation for working with user partner KSAT.
• CV (containing a complete overview of education, supervised professional training and professional work) 
• Link to your open-source projects 
• Diploma for bachelor's and master's degree (both degrees must be documented in the application)
• Official transcripts of grades/academic record for bachelor's and master's degree
• Explanation of the grading system for foreign education (Diploma Supplement if available)
• Documentation of English proficiency
• Documentation of proficiency in Norwegian or Scandinavian language (if available)
• 2-3 references with contact information
• Master’s thesis, and any other academic works

Qualification with a master’s degree is required before commencement in the position. If you are near completion of your master’s degree, you may still apply and submit a draft version of the thesis and a statement from your supervisor or institution indicating when the degree will be obtained. You must still submit your transcript of grades for the master’s degree with your application.

All documentation to be considered must be in a Scandinavian language or English. Diplomas and transcripts must also be submitted in the original language, if not in English or Scandinavian. If English proficiency is not documented in the application, it must be documented before starting in the position. 

General information 

The appointment is made in accordance with State regulations and guidelines at UiT. At our website, you will find more information for applicants. 

The engagement is to be made in accordance with 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 in the latter law will be prohibited from recruitment.

After the appointment you must assume that there may be changes in the area of work.

Remuneration for the position of PhD Fellow is in accordance with the State salary scale code 1017. A compulsory contribution of 2 % to the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund will be deducted. You will become a member of the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund, which gives you many benefits in addition to a lifelong pension: You may be entitled to financial support if you become ill or disabled, your family may be entitled to financial support when you die, you become insured against occupational injury or occupational disease, and you can get good terms on a mortgage. Read more about your employee benefits at: spk.no.

A shorter period of appointment may be decided when the PhD Fellow has already completed parts of their research training programme or when the appointment is based on a previous qualifying position PhD Fellow, research assistant, or the like in such a way that the total time used for research training amounts to three years.  

We process personal data given in an application or CV in accordance with the Personal Data Act (Offentleglova). According to the Personal Data Act information about the applicant may be included in the public applicant list, also in cases where the applicant has requested non-disclosure. You will receive advance notification in the event of such publication, if you have requested non-disclosure. 

Assessment 

The applicants will be assessed by an expert committee. The committee's mandate is to undertake an assessment of the applicants' qualifications based on the written material presented by the applicants, and the detailed description draw up for the position. A copy of the assessment report will be sent to all applicants. 

The applicants who are assessed as best qualified will be called to an interview. The interview should among other things, aim to clarify the applicant’s motivation and personal suitability for the position.