About the job

We have a vacancy for a Postdoctoral Fellow to work with computational tools for the maritime industry at Department of Ocean Operations and Civil Engineering in Ålesund, Norway. This position is connected to the SEUS - Smart European Shipbuilding EU Horizon project. The maritime domain and shipbuilding industry have a significant impact on the European economy. It enables society’s waterborne logistics through shipping, transportation, and tourism activities, technological development through requiring the highest expertise, and driving environmental sustainability. Industrial technology for the design and construction of high value and complex vessels is interconnected with the development of efficient computational tools. Computational tools constitute the core of digitalization. They have a sizeable transformative potential in the design and construction process, the quality and innovativeness of solutions used, the investment required to build and maintain ships through their life cycles, the skills and expertise of shipbuilders, as well as the competitiveness of the EU shipbuilding industry, thereby significantly impacting the future of the maritime industry in Europe. The postdoctoral fellowship position is a temporary position where the main goal is to qualify for work in senior academic positions.

You will report to the supervising professors. Your immediate leader is Head of the department.

Duties of the position

• gain insight into the characteristics and challenges of the European shipbuilding industry, with focus on the state of the art of the computational tools
• lifecycle scenario evaluation for the European shipbuilding industry, with focus on the digitalization of processes and products
• development and integration of computational tools in different phases of the lifecycle, ranging from conceptual deign to construction and assembly
• investigation and application of Industry 5.0 topics in the maritime industry
• active collaboration with the SEUS partners
• take part in the mandatory PhD research education program
• conduct independent research and publish the result in recognised scientific journals and present them at international conferences

Required selection criteria

• You must have completed a Norwegian doctoral degree or corresponding foreign doctoral degree recognized as equivalent to a Norwegian PhD in Engineering or Computer Science.If you can document that the PhD thesis has been submitted, your application can be assessed even if you have not yet defended your dissertation. Documentation of the obtained doctoral degree must be presented before you can take up the position.
• Good written and oral English language skills

The appointment is to be made in accordance with Regulations on terms of employment for positions such as postdoctoral fellow, Ph.D Candidate, research assistant and specialist candidate.

Preferred selection criteria

• experience with maritime research
• experience with maritime industry
• experience with programming
• 3D modelling (CAD/CAE tools)

Personal characteristics

• ability to work independently as well as in teams
• good communication skills
• ability to work in close contact with the maritime industry
• ability to travel to cooperate in loco with international partners
• open to feedback and input from others as well as able to respect, collaborate, and negotiate with others

Emphasis will be placed on personal and interpersonal qualities, and motivation for the position. 

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

As a Postdoctoral Fellow (code 1352) you are normally paid from gross NOK 584 700 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 two years. 

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.

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: 

• CV and certificates
• Letter of motivation 
• Transcripts and diplomas for bachelor's-, master's- and PhD degrees. If you have not yet completed your Ph.D, you must provide confirmation on your estimated date for the doctoral dissertation, or that your PhD thesis has been submitted
• A copy of the doctoral thesis. If you are close to submitting, or have recently submitted your thesis, you can attach a draft of the thesis. Documentation of a completed doctoral degree must be presented before taking up the position.
• Academic works - published or unpublished - that you would like to be considered in the assessment (up to 10 items)
• Research plan: provide a two-page proposal related to the topic of the position
• Name and contact information of three 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. 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. 

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. 

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 

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. (tas bort hvis ikke aktuelt) 

The city of Ålesund, with its population of 50 000, will provide you with plenty of opportunities to explore a region of Norway that is famous for its beautiful scenery with high mountains and blue fjords. Ålesund itself, with its Art Nouveau architecture, is by many considered to be the most beautiful city in Norway! 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. 

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.

If you have any questions about the position, please contact Assoc. Professor Henrique Gaspar, email henrique.gaspar@ntnu.no. If you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact Nelly Ann Longva, e-mail: nelly.a.m.longva@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: 10.04.2023 

NTNU

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 Ocean Operations and Civil Engineering

We aim to be a hub of international knowledge and innovation in maritime operations. This involves education and research on the design of ships and marine equipment as well as on the operation of vessels. Maritime operations integrate technology, human factors and business. The interfaces between these areas often spark inspiration for innovation and new solutions. The Department of Ocean Operations and Civil Engineering is one of eight departments in the Faculty of Engineering.

Deadline 10th April 2023
Employer NTNU - Norwegian University of Science and Technology
Municipality Ålesund
Scope Fulltime
Duration Temporary
Place of service NTNU Ålesund/Campus Ålesund