Postdoctoral Fellow in DIGITALSEAICE Project

About the position 

The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering has a vacancy for one postdoctoral researcher in the DIGITALSEAICE project. The project aims to build a multi-scale digital infrastructure that integrates local and regional sea ice models for improved forecasting and understanding of variations in polar ice conditions.

The postdoctoral fellowship position is a temporary position where the main goal is to qualify for work in senior academic positions. The workplace will be Trondheim.

You will report to the supervisor for the position. 

Duties of the position

The position is linked to the project DIGITALSEAICE. In the project, the exploitation of heterogeneous ice data (in-situ, shipborne, satellite observations) as a highly rich information source will, among others, be coupled to high-fidelity numerical models of local to regional ice drift and ice pressure dynamics, as well as ice fracture mechanics, by novel solvers for realistic simulation of sea ice interactions. The project outcomes will bridge physical dynamic ice fields with digital counterparts and use it to forecast dynamic and spatial sea ice changes. This will support better understanding of long-term variations in polar ice cover and safe execution of marine activities in the Arctic.

There are five work packages in this project.

• WP1: Intelligent regional observations and large-scale ice drift model integration
• WP2: Intelligent local-scale observations and analytics
• WP3: In-situ measurements, data analytics, and multiscale modelling
• WP4: Multiscale integration of ice dynamics models
• WP5: Exploitation of results

The announced position belongs to WP4 and shall work in collaboration with other WPs to achieve the project objectives.

Preference will be given to candidates who can work independently and have a strong potential to engage in the following tasks:

• Modelling of sea ice dynamics (drift and deformation)
• Collaborate with WP1 and WP2 and apply existing methods to monitor and analyse Arctic sea ice dynamics from heterogeneous data
• Integration of local (e.g., marine radar) and regional (e.g., satellite images) sea ice and environmental observations with established theories
• The studies will build on methods within ocean engineering, ice dynamics, image and signal processing, and relevant estimation theory

We search for candidates interested in these interdisciplinary tasks, and those with the best qualifications will be invited for an interview. 

Required selection criteria

The successful candidate is expected to be able to work both independently and as a team player, should have a solid mathematical and mechanical background, and have a Ph.D. either in Ice Mechanics, Ocean Engineering, Civil Engineering, Structural Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related fields. Good command of the English language (spoken and written) is a prerequisite. An eligible candidate should have at least submitted the Ph.D. thesis for assessment by the application deadline.

In summary:

• You must have completed a Norwegian doctoral degree or corresponding foreign doctoral degree recognized as equivalent to a Norwegian PhD
• You must have a professionally relevant background in one or more of the following areas: Ocean Engineering, Civil Engineering, Structural Engineering, Mechanical Engineering or equivalent.
• Strong mathematical and mechanical background
• Research experience documented with peer-reviewed scientific papers
• Excellent with verbal and written communication in English

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   

Preferred selection criteria

• A strong interest in learning and performing the tasks of a more senior academic position, i.e., supervising students and developing proposals,
• Relevant background in ice dynamics modelling; knowledge in ice drift, ice deformation and ice fracturing. If not, the candidates should demonstrate their strong will and potential to build up relevant competence in short time with assistance from the supervisor
• Relevant background in ocean engineering, image and signal processing, and relevant estimation theory
• Excellent coding skills (e.g., MATLAB, Python, C++)

Personal characteristics

The successful candidates should be

• Creative and innovative 
• Independent and self-motivated
• Able to work in a team

We offer 

Salary and conditions

As a Postdoctoral Fellow (code 1352) you are normally paid from gross NOK 553 500 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 2 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. 

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: 

• Application letter describing your motivation, relevant experience, skills, and qualifications
• CV, certificates and diplomas 
• Transcripts and diplomas for bachelor's-, master's- and PhD degrees.  
• Complete list of publications
• Most relevant publications (maximum ten publications)
• Brief research plan for the position (top 2 pages). 
• Name and address 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 

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. 

Under the freedom of 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 Associate Professor Wenjun Lu, email [email protected]    If you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact HR Consultant Tone Måsøval Arntzen, email [email protected]

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) .  

If you are invited for interview you must include certified copies of transcripts and reference letters. Please refer to the application number IV-114/22 - 2022/15433 when applying.  

Application deadline: 03.06.2022 

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 Civil and Environmental Engineering

We conduct research and teaching in civil and transportation engineering, technical planning, structural engineering, water and wastewater engineering and hydraulic engineering. Graduates from our programmes become employees – in both the public and private sectors – with a sustainability mindset combined with competitive knowledge and skills. The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering  is one of eight departments in the Faculty of Engineering.

Deadline 3rd June 2022
Employer NTNU - Norwegian University of Science and Technology
Municipality Trondheim
Scope Fulltime
Duration Temporary
Place of service Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering