About the position 

There is a temporary position available at the Department of Industrial Economics and Technology Management (IØT) as Postdoctoral Fellow for a period of 2 years. The position is resident at NTNU’s campus in Trondheim, Norway.

The position is connected to the Managerial Economics, Finance and Operations Research group at the Department of Industrial Economics and Technology Management and the Faculty of Economics and Management will be your employer.

The position will report to Head of Department.

The department of Industrial Economics and Technology Management is organized into six sections:

• Managerial Economics, Finance and Operations Research (BEDØK)
• Safety, Health and Environment (HSE)
• Operations Management (VIL)
• Strategy and Business Development (Stratforr)
• Experts in Teamwork (Section for EiT)
• Economics and Management (located in Gjøvik)

For further information about the department, see our website www.ntnu.edu/iot.

About the position

The position is connected to the project "RICO – Robust Intelligent Control", funded by the Norwegian Research Council and in collaboration between NTNU, SINTEF, TrønderEnergi A/S, SolutionSeeker A/S and Ohmia Charging. The ambition of RICO is to develop new methods for improved robustness of intelligent control systems and predictive models. The candidate will be working on combining optimization and machine learning for robust hybrid control. The combination has proven to be very powerful in any different applications, but there are still fundamental methodological questions that are still not answered. Many of these are related to uncertainty and the transition from controllable and predictable test environments to industrial settings where the environment is neither completely known nor controllable and where information can be scarce, uncertain and of low quality. Understanding this transition and its challenges give insight that can be used to develop novel methods where the strengths of optimization and machine learning is combined; this is the aim of RICO. RICO will consider a variety of use-cases, and the work developed by the postdoctoral fellow candidate will be tested within these areas:

• Process industry
• Hydro-optimization for green energy production

Duties of the position

• Develop methods for training neural networks to be surrogate models in mathematical programming models
• Improve solution methods for MILPs containing ReLU-networks
• Advance the understanding of uncertainty
• Interact and collaborate with the RICO team, including PhD students, postdocs, permanent staff, and end-users
• Presentation of results nationally and internationally
• Publishing in international journals

Qualification requirements

• Completion of a Norwegian doctoral degree in Operations Research or Mathematical Programming with a focus on integer linear programming, or corresponding foreign doctoral degree recognized as equivalent to a Norwegian doctoral degree
• Strong background within machine learning, especially related to artificial neural networks
• Excellent knowledge of written and spoken English
• Good programming skills
• Published scientific articles in the field of this position

Candidates in the final stages of their PhD may also apply.

Preferred selection criteria

• A drive to produce high quality work publishable at high-ranking venues, and an already established publication-record at said venues
• Experience in both theoretical and applied work
• Excellent communication skills with both technical and administrative staff
• Experience with combining mathematical programming and artificial neural networks
• Advanced knowledge of reinforcement learning and statistics
• Knowledge of petroleum production and/or hydro power production

Personal characteristics

• Strongly motivated to advance the current state of knowledge on the topic of this position
• Team-player, but also able to work independently
• Open to interact in a multidisciplinary and multi-cultural environment
• Good communication skills

In the evaluation of which candidate is best qualified, emphasis will be placed on education, experience and personal suitability, as well as motivation, in terms of the qualification requirements specified in the advertisement.

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 
• Attractive Norwegian social welfare scheme including family benefits, home loans, insurance and pensions in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund

Information about Working and living in Norway can be found at the following link: http://www.nyinorge.no/en/Ny-i-Norge-velg-sprak/New-in-Norway/

Salary and conditions

Postdoctoral Fellows are remunerated in code 1352, presently at gross NOK 563 500,- before tax per year. From the salary, 2 % is deducted as a contribution to the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund.

The period of employment is 2 years.

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  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 criterias 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. 

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

Any statutory leave will be added to the employment period.

The position is subject to external funding. 

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

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.

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:

• Motivation letter (clearly stating how the candidate meets the qualification requirements)
• A CV with information on education, previous research experience, together with authorized documentation of certificates and study records.
• A complete publication list
• Academic works - published or unpublished - that you would like to be considered in the assessment (select up to 5 items)
• Name and address of three references

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. Description of the documentation required can be found here. If you already have a statement from NOKUT, please attach this as well.

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.

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. 

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 Professor Henrik Andersson, email henrik.andersson@ntnu.no.

If you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact HR Consultant Hilde Selli Egelie, e-mail: hilde.s.egelie@ntnu.no.
 
Please submit your application electronically via 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).  

Application deadline: 07.10.2022

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 Industrial Economics and Technology Management

We conduct research and teaching at an international level in the interface between technology/natural sciences and economics, management, and HSE (health, safety and the environment). Our goal is sustainable creation of value within technology-based areas in industry, business and the public sector in Norway. We have academic groups in Trondheim and Gjøvik. The Department of Industrial Economics and Technology Management is one of four departments in the Faculty of Economics and Management. 

Deadline 7th October 2022
Employer NTNU - Norwegian University of Science and Technology
Municipality Trondheim
Scope Fulltime
Duration Temporary
Place of service