The Onsager fellowship programme – 16 tenure-track positions

The Onsager Fellowship programme at NTNU is designed to attract talented early-career scholars with a track-record of high quality published research ready to work independently and with the potential to become a research leader.

The tenure-track associate professor’s duties will primarily include research, but also include supervision, teaching, and other duties necessary to qualify for a permanent professor position within 6-7 years.

In the NTNU tenure-track programme, associate professors are subject to two types of review during the tenure-track period:

• a mid-career assessment after 3-4 years
• a final tenure assessment at the end of the tenure track period.

If the final tenure assessment is positive, s/he will be employed as a full-time professor.

The overall purpose of the review system is to ensure and maintain the high academic standards of the university’s senior faculty staff. To help meet these standards, the associate professor is offered an international mentor and favourable terms.

NTNU is now announcing 16 tenure-track positions.

About the position

The tenure-track position in Solid Mechanics is central in the research strategy of the Structural Impact Laboratory (SIMLab) at the Department of Structural Engineering. The main research area of the position is micromechanics-based modelling and simulation of plastic flow and ductile fracture of structural metals. SIMLab is one of the world-leading research groups in the field of impact engineering, conducting research on materials, connections and structures subjected to quasi-static and dynamic loading. The group has a long history in aluminum research related to modelling and simulation of plastic deformation, failure, and energy absorption in structures, and this will remain an important research topic in the coming years. The Department of Structural Engineering has a state-of-the-art laboratory for mechanical testing of materials and structures, and high-performance computing resources. Thus, the research at SIMLab combines experiments with theoretical developments and numerical analyses. The research group is very active and has high ambitions for cutting-edge research as well as excellent education of MSc students and PhD candidates.

With the new Associate Professor in Solid Mechanics, the research group aims to further strengthen and secure its position as a world-leading group in impact engineering. The Associate Professor will receive a start-up package consisting of funding for two PhD students and 200.000 NOK/year for 4 years.

Your immediate leader is the Head of Department.

Duties of the position

• Contributes towards excellent research and research-based education in solid mechanics at the Department of Structural Engineering
• Initiates and takes part in national and international research projects
• Works actively to receive research grants and other external income from the Research Council of Norway, European Research Council, relevant industry, and other available sources
• Disseminates relevant parts of her/his research to a wider audience
• Teaches courses at all levels at the Department of Structural Engineering and supervise BSc, MSc and PhD students, and contributes to an excellent learning environment
• Participates in the formal management of research, education, and other relevant areas of activity in agreement with the Head of Department
• Fulfils the requirements for formal pedagogical competence at university level (PEDUP)
• Qualifies for a full professorship at the Department of Structural Engineering

Required qualifications 

The Onsager Fellows programme is designed to attract talented early-career scholars, with a track-record of high quality published research, with ambitious research plans to work independently and with the potential for scientific breakthrough. 

You must have the qualifications required for the position of Associate Professor in the field of Solid Mechanics, as outlined in the regulations concerning appointment and promotion to teaching and research posts.

• A PhD degree, or comparable academic work, within the field of solid mechanics (or a comparable relevant field). The PhD should have been awarded no more than 5 years prior to the application deadline, excluding law entitled leave. Relevant academic fields include structural engineering and mechanical engineering
• Scientific excellence in micromechanics-based modelling and simulation of plastic flow and ductile fracture of structural metals documented through peer‐reviewed publications in high-ranked international journals
• Experience with mechanical testing of materials for parameter identification and mechanisms studies
• Skilled in use of key numerical tools applied at the research group, i.e., non-linear finite element analyses and numerical/experimental data processing

You must document relevant basic competence in teaching and supervision at a university/higher education level, as referenced in the Norwegian national Regulations. If this cannot be documented, you will be required to complete an approved course in university pedagogy within two years of commencement. NTNU offers qualifying courses.

New employees who do not speak a Scandinavian language by appointment is required, within three years, to demonstrate skills in Norwegian or another Scandinavian language equivalent to level three of the course for Norwegian for speakers of other languages at the Department of Language and Literature at NTNU.

Preferred qualifications

• Teaching experience from higher education
• Experience with international collaboration
• Experience with modelling and simulations of aluminium alloys subjected to quasi-static and dynamic loading
• Ability to work closely with industrial partners
• Experience in supervision of master students
• Skills in organizing academic courses

Personal qualities

• Ability to work both independently and in teams
• A high degree of autonomy
• Scientific maturity
• Curiosity and willingness to learn, to solve challenges and to share results

We offer 

• Exciting and challenging tasks in a dynamic and international academic environment
• An open and inclusive working environment, with enthusiastic colleagues
• Favourable terms in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund
• Employee benefits
• Help with immigration and home finding, if relevant

Salary and conditions

As an Associate Professor (code 1011) you are normally paid from gross NOK 650 000 – NOK 750 000 per annum before tax, depending on qualifications and seniority. As required by law, 2% of this salary will be deducted and paid into the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund.

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.   

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

Application Process

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

About the application

Your application and supporting documentation must be in English.

Publications and other scientific work must follow the application. Please note that your application will be considered based solely on the information submitted by the application deadline. You must therefore ensure that your application clearly demonstrates how your skills and experience fulfil the criteria specified 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. Leave to which the candidate is entitled by law or collective agreement shall be excluded when calculating the time since finishing the PhD.

Your application must include:

• CV, diplomas, and certificates
• A teaching portfolio, in which your teaching competence is compiled and presented systematically,   (See guidelines for applicants: Documentation of teaching qualifications in applications and appointments to academic positions at NTNU)
• Academic works – published or unpublished – that you wish to be considered during assessment of your application (up to XX items)
• A description of the scientific/artistic works you consider most relevant, which you particularly wish to be factored into the assessment
• A list of your previous works, with details on where they have been published
• A research plan
• Details of projects for which you have served as project manager, including information on financing, duration, and scope
• Names and contact information for three relevant referees

Joint work will also be considered. If it is difficult to identify your specific input to a joint project, you must include evidence of your contributions.

In the evaluation of which candidate is best qualified, emphasis will be placed on education, experience and personal and interpersonal qualities. Motivation, ambitions, and potential will also count in the assessment of the candidates. Our assessment of the pedagogical skills will be based on documented pedagogical material, forms of presentation in your academic works, teaching experience, Ph.D., and master's supervision, and any other relevant pedagogical background. Both quality and scope will be taken into consideration.

NTNU is obliged by the evaluation criteria for research quality in accordance with The San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment – DORA. This means that we will pay particular attention to the quality and academic range demonstrated by your scientific work to date. We will also pay attention to research leadership and participation in research projects. Your scientific work from the last five years will be given the most weight.

Your application will be considered by an expert committee. Candidates of interest will be invited to an interview, and to deliver a trial teaching session.

General information

NTNU believes that inclusion and diversity is a strength. We want our faculty and staff to reflect Norway’s culturally diverse population and we continuously seek to hire the best minds. This enables NTNU to increase productivity and innovation, improve decision making processes, raise employee satisfaction, compete academically with global top-ranking institutions and carry out our social responsibilities within education and research. NTNU emphasizes accessibility and encourages qualified candidates to apply regardless of gender identity, ability status, periods of unemployment or ethnic and cultural background.

NTNU is working actively to increase the number of women employed in scientific positions and has a number of resources to promote equality. 

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 continually maintain and improve your professional development and be flexible regarding any organizational changes.

A public list of applicants with name, age, job title and municipality of residence is prepared after the application deadline. If you want to reserve yourself 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 reservation is not accepted.

For the sake of transparency, candidates will be given the expert evaluation of their own and other candidates. As an applicant you are considered part of the process and is stipulated to rules of confidentiality.

If you have any questions regarding the position, please contact Tore børvik, tel. +47 73594647, e-mail tore.borvik@ntnu.no.

If you have questions regarding the recruitment process, please contact Kristine Grønvold, e-mail kristine.gronvold@ntnu.no.

If you think this looks interesting and in line with your qualifications, please submit your application electronically via jobbnorge.no with your CV, diplomas and certificates attached. Applications submitted elsewhere will not be considered. Upon request, you must be able to obtain certified copies of your documentation. 

Application deadline: 01.02.2023

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 Structural Engineering

We teach mechanical engineering, engineering and ICT, and civil and environmental engineering. The Department conducts internationally leading research and participates in several large national research projects. The Department of Structural Engineering is one of eight departments in the Faculty of Engineering.

Deadline 1st February 2023
Employer NTNU - Norwegian University of Science and Technology
Municipality Trondheim
Scope Fulltime
Duration Temporary
Place of service