This is NTNU

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

   

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About the position

With the IMO goal of zero emission shipping in 2050, shipowners face the challenging task of developing their fleet within a complex and uncertain technical, commercial and regulatory landscape, while maintaining their competitiveness and profitability. At the same time, IMO, EU and other are developing regulations that provides both incentives and constraints for the energy transition and emission reduction.

The research objective of the PhD is to develop models that captures the interaction between strategic fleet models, alternative operational strategies, and regulatory frameworks and taxes, offering decision support for both shipowners and policy maker.

Your place of work will be the Department of Marine Technology. Your immediate leader will be the Head of Department.

About the project

FME MarTrans is a Norwegian R&D centre for Maritime Energy Transition. It is an eight-year collaborative project with 65 partners within maritime industry and research, funded by the Research Council of Norway under the Research Centre for Environment-friendly Energy (FME) program. The focus is on research, innovation and education to accelerate the energy transition within the shipping industry, while increasing value creation and exports for the Norwegian maritime industry. With total funding from the Research Council of Norway and the industrial partners of over NOK 300 million, this is the world’s largest maritime research program of its kind. 

Duties of the position

• Complete the doctoral education until obtaining a doctorate
• Carry out research of on a high international level 
• Academic publications and popular science dissemination
• Be active in the relevant research groups, scientists and industry representatives connected to the centre 
• Participate in international activities such as conferences and/or research stays at foreign institutions 

Required selection criteria

• You must have a master’s degree in marine technology, industrial engineering, or equivalent corresponding to a five-year Norwegian MSc, where 120 credits have been obtained at master's level 
• You must have a strong academic performance from your previous studies corresponding to the grade B or better compared to NTNU's grading scale
• You must meet the requirements for admission to the Faculty's Doctoral Programme in Engineernig 
• Excellent oral and written presentation skills in English

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

• Experience from the maritime industry and/or logistics
• Relevant skills and competencies related to optimization and operations research

Personal characteristics

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

• Work independently in a structured way
• Present and discuss your research with other professionals
• Contribute constructively with colleagues in the project and in the research group
• Show curiosity and a strong motivation for the subject
• Analyze data, assess different perspectives and draw well-founded conclusions 

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
• 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.

Salary and conditions

In the position of PhD Candidate, code 1017, your gross salary will normally be NOK 536 200 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. Preferably start date is 1st of September 2025, but this can be adjusted.

For employment as a PhD Candidate, it is a prerequisite that you gain admission to the PhD programme 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.

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 and diplomas upon request.

The application must include:

• 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.
• Project outline containing proposals for an overall description of research questions, theoretical perspectives, methodological design for the project and progress plan (maximum 1500 words/4 pages) 
• Short letter of motivation (400 words/1 page)
• Possibly publications etc. other relevant research work
• 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).

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 be in conflict with the criteria in the latter act, will not be able to be employed.

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 Stein Ove Erikstad, stein.ove.erikstad@ntnu.no, tel.: +47 93201255. If you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact HR Advisor Marit Gjersvold, marit.gjersvold@ntnu.no.

Application deadline: 15.05.2025

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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.