About the position

A three-year PhD position is available at the Department of Computer Science in Gjøvik.

The PhD position is focused on distinct but related fields of research within the field of Visual appearance measurement and understanding. The concept of visual appearance is currently far from fully understood, neither from the metrological nor perceptual point of view. Research ranging from fundamental aspects to high-impact applications in emerging fields such as 3D printing, material appearance and product design is thus needed in this topic. The PhD candidate in this position is expected to work towards Visual Appearance Capture and Modeling of Materials with Complex Reflectance Properties. 

The focus of the research will be to a) investigate and develop measurement method/setup for bidirectional reflectance measurement of materials with visual appearance attributes like gonio-chromatism, sparkle, texture, etc, b) model bidirectional reflectance and texture properties using physical and empirical reflectance models and optimization techniques, and c) identify and link visual appearance attributes to physically measurable quantities.

This PhD project is in line with the state-of-the-art research performed at the Norwegian Colour and Visual Computing Laboratory. 

The position reports to the Head of the Department.

Duties of the position

• Conduct a stand-alone research project addressing the focus areas mentioned above.
• Participate in the general activities of the Colourlab.
• Participate in the general activities of the department.
• Complete a training component as part of the PhD of a minimum of 30 ECTS.
• Participate in international activities such as
  •  conference attendance,
  •  Contribute to technical committee meetings (like CIE, ISO),
  •  research stays at educational institutions abroad.

Required selection criteria

The PhD-position's main objective is to qualify for work in research positions. The qualification requirement is that you have completed a master’s degree or second degree (equivalent to 120 credits) with a strong academic background in Computer Science, Image processing, Physics, or equivalent education with a grade of B or better in terms of NTNU’s grading scale. If you do not have letter grades from previous studies, you must have an equally good academic foundation. If you are unable to meet these criteria you may be considered only if you can document that you are particularly suitable for education leading to a PhD degree.

In addition, the candidate must have

• Good programming knowledge and experience in Python and Matlab.
• Prior knowledge and experience in one or more of the following: Bidirectional Reflectance measurements, applied mathematics, Human Visual System, Subjective measurements.
• Excellent written and oral English.

The appointment is to be made in accordance with the regulations in force concerning State Employees and Civil Servants and national guidelines for appointment as PhD, post doctor and research assistant. 

Preferred selection criteria

• Sound working knowledge in one or more of the following: quantitative & qualitative research methods, experimental design, optimization, statistical methods, machine learning.
• Enthusiasm for research, teamwork, and capability of independent problem-solving.
• Knowledge of Norwegian language is encouraged.

Personal characteristics

• Ability to work both individually and in a (virtual) team environment and a high level of personal responsibility.
• Ability to meet deadlines and produce work of a consistently high standard.
• High motivation for research work and ability to work independently.
• Well organized

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

PhD candidates are remunerated in code 1017, and are normally remunerated at gross from NOK 482 200 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 period of employment is 3 years.

Appointment to a PhD position requires that you are admitted to the PhD programme in Computer Science within three months of employment, and that you participate in an organized PhD programme during the employment period. 

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. 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 submit your application electronically via jobbnorge.no website. Applications submitted elsewhere will not be considered. Applicants must attach the following documents in one single PDF file to their application within the closing date:

• A cover letter where the applicant describes his/her personal motivation and relevance with respect to the requirements of the advertisement.
• Curriculum vitae (CV) which includes information about the candidate’s prior education, work experience, academic merits and any scientific publications.
• A draft research proposal (maximum three pages) for the PhD study, where the candidate presents her/his own ideas for the PhD-work and how it can be applied, based on the project description given in this advertisement. This proposal will be neither final nor binding for the project.
• Certified copies of academic diplomas and certificates. Applicants from universities outside Norway are kindly requested to send a diploma supplement, or a similar document, which describes in detail the study program and grading system. 
• Transcripts of grades.
• Certificate of English proficiency exam (IELTS or TOEFL).
• Names and contact information of at least two references.
•  If it is difficult to identify the individual applicant’s contribution to joint works, the applicant must include a brief description of his or her contribution. 

Diploma Supplement is required to attach for European Master Diplomas outside Norway. Chinese applicants are required to provide confirmation of Master Diploma from China Credentials Verification (CHSI). 

In the evaluation of which candidate is best qualified, emphasis will be placed on education, experience and personal suitability.

NTNU is committed to following evaluation criteria for research quality according to The San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment - DORA.

General information

Working at NTNU

A good work environment is characterized by diversity. We encourage qualified candidates to apply, regardless of their gender, functional capacity or cultural background. 

The city of Gjøvik has a population of 30 000 and is a town known for its rich music and cultural life. The beautiful nature surrounding the city is ideal for an active outdoor life! The Norwegian welfare state, including healthcare, schools, kindergartens and overall equality, is probably the best of its kind in the world.

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.

Information Act (Offentleglova), your name, age, position and municipality may be made public even if you have requested not to have your name entered on the list of applicants.

If you have any questions about the position, please contact Dr. Aditya Sole, email aditya.sole@ntnu.no. If you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact Stine Terese Ruen Nymoen, e-mail: stine.t.r.nymoen@ntnu.no 

Please submit your application electronically via jobbnorge.no with your CV, diplomas and certificates. Applications submitted elsewhere will not be considered. 

If you are invited for interview you must include certified copies of transcripts and reference letters. Please refer to the application number 2021/2353 when applying.

Application deadline: 20.03.2021

NTNU - knowledge for a better world

The Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) creates knowledge for a better world and solutions that can change everyday life.

Department of Computer Science 

We are the leading academic IT environment in Norway, and offer a wide range of theoretical and applied IT programmes of study at all levels. Our subject areas include hardware, algorithms, visual computing, AI, databases, software engineering, information systems, learning technology, HCI, CSCW, IT operations and applied data processing. The Department has groups in both Trondheim and Gjøvik. The Department of Computer Science is one of seven departments in the Faculty of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering .

Deadline 20th March 2021
Employer NTNU - Norwegian University of Science and Technology
Municipality Gjøvik
Scope Fulltime
Duration Temporary
Place of service Campus Gjøvik