About the position

We have a vacancy for a PhD Candidate at Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering

Insufficient knowledge about safety issues related to widespread roll-out of hydrogen technology represents a major bottleneck for industry. It is of key importance for the future hydrogen society to safely manage hydrogen and avoid accidental releases.

The PhD will investigate:

• The degradation mechanisms, their modelling and monitoring to be considered for hydrogen containment technologies.
• The influence of such degradation mechanisms on a potential breach dimension and release frequency.
• The design of ad-hoc preventive safety barriers for the degradation mechanisms.

Ad-hoc experimental tests on hydrogen-metal interaction will allow understanding the behavior of specific mechanisms of material degradation. A variety of techniques will be considered to monitor crack growth. In addition, machine-learning approaches will be adopted for effective prognostics. This will aim to the design of a tightly monitored system and ad hoc preventive barriers enabling safe application of hydrogen containment technologies.

You will report to Associate Professor Nicola Paltrinieri (nicola.paltrinieri@ntnu.no). Moreover, adjunct associate professor Antonio Alvaro and Professor Roy Johnsen will be your co-supervisors.

You will report to Associate Professor Nicola Paltrinieri

Duties of the position

• Take part in the mandatory PhD research education program.
• Conduct independent research and publish the results in recognised scientific journals.
• Contribute to the organization of the events planned by the NTNU Team Hydrogen.

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 materials science, mechanical engineering, chemical engineering, energy engineering 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.

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.

Other required selection criteria

• Ability to identify patterns or connections between interdisciplinary domains that are not obviously related, and to identify key or underlying issues in complex modelling cases.
• Ability to transfer an idea to others in an understandable and effective way.
• Adherence to moral and ethical principles of scientific integrity.
• Good written and oral English language skills

Personal characteristics

• Ability and confidence to self-manage and execute tasks individually.
• Manifest drive and determination.
• Openness to feedback and input from others as well as the ability to collaborate, negotiate and influence others.

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 Engineering, https://www.ntnu.edu/studies/phiv 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 daily.

About the application

The application and supporting documentation to be used as the basis for the assessment must be in English.

Publications and other scientific work must follow the application. Please note that applications are only evaluated based on the information available on the application deadline. You should ensure that your application shows clearly how your skills and experience meet the criteria which are set out above. 

The application must include:

• CV, certificates and diplomas
• Preferably name and address up to three referees

Joint works will be considered. If it is difficult to identify your contribution to joint works, you must attach a brief description of your participation.

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 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.

In accordance with The Public 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 Nicola Paltrinieri, email nicola.paltrinieri@ntnu.no.

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

If you are invited for interview you must include certified copies of transcripts and reference letters. Please refer to the application number IV-111/21 when applying.

Application deadline: 1 May 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 Mechanical and Industrial Engineering

We educate graduates who can create new products, operate and maintain products, and manage projects. The Department has a variety of bachelor’s and master’s degree programmes. We conduct wide-ranging research in fields such as technology, energy, product quality and development, and productivity. The Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering is one of eight departments in the Faculty of Engineering.

Deadline 1st May 2021
Employer NTNU - Norwegian University of Science and Technology
Municipality Trondheim
Scope Fulltime
Duration Temporary
Place of service Dep. of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering