Researcher – Developing User Interfaces for Operating Ship-Recycling Robots  

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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 can find more information about working at NTNU and the application process here.

   

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About the Job

More than 80% of our global goods are transported by ships. Like the goods they transport, ships will eventually become waste at the end of their operational lives. Ship breaking is a complex and dangerous job since ships contain different types of toxic materials that should be properly located, identified, and removed to prevent adverse effects on humans and the environment. However, only a fraction of ship breaking is done in a safe and clean manner since most of the ship-breaking process is still done manually. Therefore, the risk of accidents and health issues is extremely high for workers in the ship-breaking industry. Remotely operated robotic systems can help mitigate many of these risks by minimizing worker exposure to hazardous environments. Such robots include aerial drones, robotic crawlers, and mobile arm manipulators – each responsible for a step in the ship recycling process.

The Department of Design has a vacancy for a researcher position. The period of employment is 2 years.  The researcher will spend 75% of the employment period on developing functioning user interfaces for operating ship-recycling robots that are being developed in the SHEREC project. The researcher will spend the remaining 25% of the employment period in other projects in the NTNU Shore Control Lab or at the department.

The position’s working place is at NTNU campus in Trondheim at the Shore Control Lab. 

Your immediate leader is the Head of Department.

Duties of the position

• Implement functioning user interfaces for operating ship-recycling robots that are being developed in the SHEREC project. 
• Collaborate with the partners in the SHEREC project who are developing the ship-recycling robots.
• Participate in internal project meetings and reporting the research results in scientific conferences.
• Participate in other projects in the NTNU Shore Control Lab or at the department.
• Co-supervise master’s students.

Required selection criteria

You must: 

• Have a doctoral degree in computer science, software engineering, robotics, human-robot interaction, or other closely related fields. 
• Candidates with a master’s degree in relevant fields can also be considered if they have the experience(s) listed under the preferred selection criteria.
• Include a list of publications or a project portfolio that showcases relevant projects.
• Have very good written and oral English language skills. Candidates from universities outside Scandinavia and English-speaking countries are requested to document English language proficiency: 
  • TOEFL: 600 (paper-based test), 92 (Internet-based test) 
  • IELTS: 6.5, with no section lower than 5.5 
  • CAE/CPE: grade B or A 

The appointment is to be made in accordance with Regulations on terms of employment for positions such as postdoctoral fellow, PhD candidate, research assistant and specialist candidate.

Preferred selection criteria

• Experience with developing robotic systems.
• Experience with implementing high-fidelity user interface prototypes.
• Experience with visualizing real-time data from sensors.
• Experience with developing human-machine interfaces for embedded systems.

Personal characteristics

The candidate is expected to:   

• Be scientifically curious and open to new research challenges relevant for the position.
• Demonstrate independence and persistence in addressing technical and organizational problems that may exist in the area of work. 
• Be flexible and reliable, with ability to work effectively, independently and as part of a team.
• Be able to work in close contact with project partners across Europe.

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

As a Researcher with PhD code 1109 you are usually paid in the range from NOK 650 000 – NOK 850 000 per annum before tax, depending on qualifications and seniority. 

As a Researcher with Masters Degree code 1108 you are usually paid in the range from NOK 550 000 – NOK 750 000 per annum before tax, depending on qualifications and seniority.

From the salary, 2% is deducted as a contribution to the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund,

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 in the latter law will be prohibited from recruitment to NTNU

The position is subject to external funding.

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

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

About the application

The application and supporting documentation must be in English.

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.  If, for any reason, you have taken a career break or have had an atypical career and wish to disclose this in your application, the selection committee will take this into account, recognizing that the quantity of your research may be reduced as a result. 

The application must include: 

• A concise and directed cover letter identifying your motivation for the researcher position and why you are suited for the position.
• CV including information relevant for the qualifications.
• Name, current affiliation and email address of at least two people who will provide reference for you. 
• Certified copies of academic diplomas and transcripts (in English or Norwegian). 
• Published or unpublished academic and industrial works that you would like to be considered in the assessment (up to 10 works). 
   

Joint work will also be considered. If it is difficult to identify your specific input to a joint project, you must include evidence of your contributions.  

In the assessment of the best qualified applicant, we will emphasize education, experience and personal suitability as well as your motivation for the position. 

NTNU is committed to following evaluation criteria for research quality according to The San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment - DORA. This means that we pay special attention to the quality and professional breadth of these works. We also consider experience from research management and participation in research projects. We place great emphasis on your scientific work from the last five years.

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.  

NTNU is working actively to increase the number of women employed in scientific positions and has a number of resources to promote equality. (tas bort hvis ikke aktuelt) 

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 Head of Shore Control Lab, Ole Andreas Alsos, telephone +45 915 44 825, email oleanda@ntnu.no, or SHEREC project manager, Taufik Sitompul, telephone +47 486 61 673, email taufik.a.sitompul@ntnu.no. If you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact Marion Wohlen, e-mail: marion.s.wohlen@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. 

Application deadline: 03.08.20.2025