PhD Candidate in Integrated Intelligent Monitoring Systems for Water Quality Dynamics in Fjords

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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

Are you motivated to take a step towards a doctorate and open up exciting career opportunities? As a PhD Candidate with us in the department of Ocean Operations and Civil Engineering in Ålesund, you will work to obtain 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.

About the project

Freshwater and marine ecosystems globally are under intense stress from contamination due to uncontrolled anthropogenic activities, industrialization, climate induced urban runoffs, poor solid waste management, and inadequate wastewater treatment. Increasing levels of emerging contaminants such as pharmaceuticals, hormones, per-and poly-fluoroalkyl substances, cyanotoxins, heavy metals and macro/microplastics are found in freshwater and marine ecosystems, threatening public health, food security, livelihoods and the achievement of key sustainable development goals. In Norway, these emerging contaminants are impacting freshwater and marine ecosystems.

As in freshwater sources, seawater in coastal areas is open to direct discharge from urban runoffs but also effluents of wastewater treatment plants, industries and ports, all of which may contain a cocktail of various pollutants – conventional and emerging. Irrespective of the source and components, marine pollutants significantly affect the survival and sustainability of ecosystems. This is in turn exacerbated by the occurrence of severe weather conditions, which have already been predicted to increase in the future across Norway.

Addressing the challenges of emerging contaminants requires a paradigm shift from the use of traditional approaches to more intelligent systems. The use of Integrated Intelligent Monitoring Systems can enable rapid and continuous identification of most stressed zones in coastal waters but also the pollutant discharge points that may require immediate management attention. This is highly essential for maintaining a healthy fjord water quality and the sustainability of associated ecosystems under events of wastewater discharge, industrial discharge, and urban runoff.

In the Muncipality of Ålesund in Norway, a network of sensors has been installed in a drinking water source, and plans are far advanced for the installation of similar sensors in the fjords of the municipality. This position will support the development of an integrated and intelligent system for monitoring water quality and their dynamics in the fjords of Floundering data generated from these facilities and remote sensing.

To advance knowledge in this field, the Department of Ocean Operations and Civil Engineering of the Norwegian University of Science and Technology is seeking a PhD candidate to 

1) investigate and identify the major pollutants and sources in the coastal areas of Ålesund in Norway

2) develop a system for a real-time hydrodynamic and water quality simulations for selected zones in the coastal areas of the Ålesund municipality using data from installed sensors and remote sensing satellite data

3) assess the ecological health risks associated with various pollutants and sources, and 

4) develop a platform for real-time monitoring of water quality dynamics in the coastal areas using a combination of in-situ data, IoT-based sensors, and remote sensing data.

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 the research group at the department of Ocean Operations and Civil Engineering
• Participate in international activities such as conferences and/or research stays at foreign educational institutions
• Teaching (if desired)
• Other career-promoting work

Be prepared for changes to your work duties after employment.

Required selection criteria

• You must have an academically relevant background within Civil / Environmental / Hydraulic Engineering, Computer Science, Applied Mathematics, or related areas. 
• You must have a Master's degree in Environmental / Hydraulic Engineering, Computer Science, Applied Mathematic 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 and no later than August 15th 2025.
• 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 Programme (link)
• Excellent oral and written presentation skills in English 
• You must have relevant experience in the development and deployment of machine/deep learning models as well as the use of remote sensing data
• You must have relevant experience in the development of hydrodynamic and water quality models, especially for coastal water environments
• You must be highly proficient in the use of programming languages including, but not limited to python, C++, but also database management, automation, and app development tools such as MS SQL Server Management Studio, Apache, Jenkins, Node.js, and similar tools

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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 Regulations for the Universities and Colleges Act (university and colleges regulations) and Regulations for the degrees philosophiae doctor (ph.d.) and philosophiae doctor (ph.d.) in artistic development work at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) for general criteria for the position.

Preferred selection criteria

• Excellent skills in relevant programming languages, particularly Python and C++, but also machine/deep learning, database management, automation, and app development tools
• Practical knowledge, skills, and experience in hydrodynamic and water quality modeling tools such as Delft3D
• Experience and ability for dissemination of knowledge, skills, and research results to students and the public
• Good oral and written presentation skills in Norwegian/Scandinavian equivalent to levels A2

Personal characteristics

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

• Work independently and actively contribute to a positive atmosphere in our research group
• Work in a structured way, set goals and make plans to achieve them
• Present and discuss your research with other professionals
• Get involved and contribute constructively with feedback
• Work constructively under pressure or in the face of adversity 
• Show curiosity and a strong motivation for the subject
• Analyze data, assess different perspectives and draw well-founded conclusions 
• Be flexible and open to adjusting the plan for the project as needed

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
• As a public employee, you have 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 NOK  541 800,-  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 programme in Engineering (Admission to doctoral degree in Engineering) within three months of your employment contract start date, and that you participate in an organized doctoral programme throughout 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 academic 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 The application must include: (decide on what must be included - remove what does not fit):

• Transcripts and diplomas for Bachelor's and Master's degrees
• CV 
• Copy of Master's thesis. If you have recently submitted your Master's thesis, you can attach a draft of the thesis. Documentation of a completed Master's degree must be presented before taking up the position
• Short letter of motivation (400 words/1 page)
• Possibly publications etc. other relevant research work
• Possibly certificates
• Names and contact information of three 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 works 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 Razak Seidu, (rase@ntnu.no) or Associate Professor Hadi Mohammed, (hadi.mohammed@ntnu.no).

If you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact HR Lara Bromann, (lara.bromann@ntnu.no).

 

Application deadline: 20.06.2025

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For practical information about working at NTNU, please visit this webpage. 
 

Ålesund, known for its unique Art Nouveau architecture and spectacular nature, is a gem on Norway's west coast. The city offers a vibrant cultural life, modern facilities, and a dynamic business environment. With its strategic location by the sea, Ålesund provides a perfect balance between urban living and natural experiences. Here, you will find excellent schools, top-notch healthcare services, and a wide range of recreational activities. Ålesund is an ideal place for both career and family life, with a safe and inclusive community.