PhD Candidate in Fire Safety and Computational Modelling (CFD) of Fires in Wooden Buildings
- Employer
- NORWEGIAN UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY - NTNU
- Location
- Trondheim, Norway
- Salary
- NOK 532 200 per annum
- Closing date
- 4 Oct 2024
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- Academic Discipline
- Engineering & Technology, Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering
- Job Type
- Academic Posts, Studentships / Grants & Scholarships
- Contract Type
- Fixed Term
- Hours
- Full Time
About the job
For a position as a PhD Candidate, the goal is a completed doctoral education up to an obtained doctoral degree.
At the Department of Energy and Process Engineering we have a vacancy for a PhD position within fire safety and fire development in buildings with wooden surfaces.
For a position as a PhD Candidate, the goal is a completed doctoral education up to an obtained doctoral degree.
Background: Timber can be used as a structural and decorative material in both small and large buildings. It has many advantages and is increasingly popular. Buildings with timber structures can contribute to fulfil some of the sustainable development goals set up by the United Nations. On the other hand, wood is combustible and can contribute to the growth and spread of fires in buildings. More knowledge is needed to better understand the development of a fire, its interaction with ventilation and wood surfaces, and the possibilities of mitigation and suppression.
The results of the PhD-project shall lead to more fire safe use of wood in buildings. The project will build on experiences from previous work in this field, including previous FRIC projects.
The project work will have emphasis on computational work, i.e., investigations using CFD and development of submodels. A focus will be on the interactions between fire development and ventilation of the compartment. It will include collaboration and participation in experimental work. Close collaboration and communication with relevant actors in the FRIC network are required to optimize the impact of the work in the relevant areas. The exact problem specification will be made in cooperation with the supervisors.
The PhD candidate will work within the research activity Fire development and suppression in FRIC - Fire Research and Innovation Centre, in Trondheim (www.fric.no/en). FRIC was established 2019 in Trondheim by RISE Fire Research (www.risefr.com), SINTEF (www.sintef.no/en), NTNU, and a number of industry and public partners. The centre is funded by the Gjensidige foundation (https://www.gjensidigestiftelsen.no/english-information/en/) and partners of the centre, and administered through the Research Council of Norway. The main goal of the centre is improved evidence-based decision-making and solutions for fire safety and fire protection in the built environment.
Your immediate leader is Professor Ivar S. Ertesvåg (https://www.ntnu.edu/employees/ivar.s.ertesvag).
Duties of the position
- Engage in theoretical research, computational and practical experimental work.
- Perform mandatory coursework as part of the PhD-education.
- Plan and execute comprehensive, independent research under supervision.
- Interact and collaborate with researchers and FRIC partners.
- Communicate results effectively through research journal publications, conference presentations and other forms of communication to a diverse range of audiences.
- Submit and defend a doctoral thesis.
Required selection criteria
- You must have a professionally relevant background in mechanical or civil engineering, fire safety engineering or related equivalent education.
- Experience in computational fluid dynamics (CFD).
- Your education must correspond to a five-year Norwegian degree program, where 120 credits are obtained at master's level.
- You must have a strong academic background from your previous studies and an average grade from the master's degree program, or equivalent education, which is equal to B or better compared with NTNU's grading scale. If you do not have letter grades from previous studies, you must have an equally good academic basis. If you have a weaker grade background, you may be assessed if you can document that you are particularly suitable for a PhD education.
- Master's students can apply.
- You must meet the requirements for admission to the faculty's doctoral program.
- Good written and oral English language skills.
The appointment is to be made in accordance with Regulations concerning the degrees of Philosophiae Doctor (PhD) and Philosodophiae Doctor (PhD) in artistic research national guidelines for appointment as PhD, post doctor and research assistant
Preferred selection criteria
- Experience from work fire safety engineering.
- Experience from work on combustion and other work directly relevant for the PhD project.
- Experience in implementing/modifying sub-models in CFD code.
- Some experience with laboratory or experimental activities.
- Good written and oral Norwegian/Scandinavian language skills.
Personal characteristics
The candidate should:
- Be positive and motivated.
- Have good communication skills, regarding both scientific results and in project collaboration.
- Be able to work independently as well as in team.
- Focused, hardworking and systematic.
- Creative, good at finding solutions.
Emphasis will be placed on personal and interpersonal qualities.
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 PhD candidate (code 1017) you are normally paid from gross NOK 532 200 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.
The position is subject to external funding.
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 or Norwegian.
Publications and other scientific work must be attached to the application. Please note that your application will be considered based solely on 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.
The application must include:
- CV and certificates
- Transcripts and diplomas for bachelor's and master's degrees. If you have not completed the master's degree, you must submit a confirmation that the master's thesis has been submitted.
- A copy of the master's thesis. If you recently have submitted your master's thesis, you can attach a draft of the thesis. Documentation of a completed master's degree must be presented before taking up the position.
- A description (1-2 pages) of ‘Ideas for research approach’ including preferred focus areas and suggested methods.
- A description (1 - 2 pages) of your experience with CFD, including examples of cases and type/name of code.
- Name and contact information of three referees.
- If you have publications or other relevant research work.
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, both bachelor's and master's education, in addition to other higher education. Description of the documentation required can be found here. If you already have a statement from Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills, please attach this as well.
We will take joint work into account. If it is difficult to identify your efforts in the joint work, you must enclose a short 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
NTNU believes that inclusion and diversity is our strength. We want to recruit people with different competencies, educational backgrounds, life experiences and perspectives to contribute to solving our social responsibilities within education and research. We will facilitate for our employees’ needs.
NTNU is working actively to increase the number of women employed in scientific positions and has a number of resources to promote equality.
Department of Energy and Process Engineering has established EPT Women in Science. The group is focused on supporting female PhD Candidates, Postdoctoral Fellows, Research Assistants and permanent academic employees within the Department. This support aims to help develop the careers of female PhD Candidates, Postdocs and Research Assistants, and is also made visible to our student body to encourage them to consider an academic path. As part of the EPT Women in Science initiative we are building an international network, inviting prominent female academics within and beyond the field of Engineering to speak at our events.
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.
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 Professor Ivar S. Ertesvåg, email: Ivar.S.Ertesvag@ntnu.no. If you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact Ingrid Wiggen, e-mail: ingrid.wiggen@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: 04.10.24
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 Energy and Process Engineering
We conduct research and teaching covering the entire energy chain, from resources to the end-user. We look at how energy is produced and used by humans and machines in a sustainable way with regard to health, climate change and the resource base. The Department of Energy and Process Engineering is one of eight departments in the Faculty of Engineering.
Questions about the position
Ivar Ertesvåg
Professor
Ivar.S.Ertesvag@ntnu.no
Deadline 4th October 2024
EmployerNTNU - Norwegian University of Science and Technology
Municipality Trondheim
Scope Fulltime
Duration Fixed Term
Place of serviceHøgskoleringen 6, 7491 Trondheim
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