Postdoctoral Fellow at the Department of Materials Science and Engineering

About the position 

We have a vacancy for a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Department of Materials Science and Engineering.

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

The position is affiliated with the MODELYS project funded by the Research Council of Norway and European industry. Project partners include SINTEF, the University of Oslo, the Danish Technical University (DTU Energy), and NTNU. The project will develop new knowledge on improvements and limitations of electrolyser cells and stacks and provide design and decision support tools for enabling the realization and integration stacks in GW-plants. The overall aim of the MODELYS project is to generate a roadmap for the realisation of GW plants at a cost less than €350/kW, to be able to produce green hydrogen at a competitive price in 2030. To ensure a successful outcome, the MODELYS team includes both experimentalists and theorists. The Postdoctoral Fellow will work on the mathematical modelling of water electrolysis processes in close collaboration with experimentalists. The work will in particular contribute to the understanding of degradation processes and the dependence of lifetime on operation modes (start-stop cycles, integration with renewables, fluctuating loads etc.) and electrolyser technology.

The Postdoctoral Fellow will have results of advanced electrochemical and other characterisation methods at his/her disposal, including in operando effluent analysis and tomography.

Duties of the position

• Mathematical modelling of coupled electrode and transport processes in water electrolysis
• Development of dynamic continuum models for porous electrodes and gas-evolution at such electrodes under alkaline (AEM) and  acidic (PEM) conditions
• Development of models for degradation, emphasizing degradation in catalytic layers
• Interact with experimentalists and contribute to the planning of experimental activities aiming at model validation
• Data analysis and contribute to the establishment of high-quality data sets
• Communicate with industry and the research community
• Scientific and technical reporting through regular dissemination channels, public dissemination through social media and other channels, and participation in 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.
• You must have a professionally relevant background in electrochemistry and mathematical modeling of electrochemical systems.
• Fluent in written and oral 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

• Experience in modeling of porous and gas-evolving electrodes
• Experience in modeling of electrochemical impedance
• Knowledge of MATLAB or similar programming languages is an added benefit
• Experience also in experimental electrochemistry is an advantage
• An ability and willingness to supervise students at the final MSc level and PhD level will be considered an advantage.

Personal characteristics

• Excellent communication and collaborative skills
• Creativity, excellent analytical skills and an ability to organize information
• An ability to plan and organize scientific work
• An ability to manage, administrate and economize with available resources

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. 

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, certificates and diplomas 
• transcripts and diplomas for bachelor's-, master's- and PhD degrees.  
• Academic works - published or unpublished - that you would like to be considered in the assessment (up to 10 items) 
• A proposal or a research plan 
• 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 or recruitment process, please contact Professor Svein Sunde, e-mail: [email protected] . If you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact Marie Kristiansen, e-mail: [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 NVD-114/22 when applying.  

Application deadline: 24.04.2022

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 Materials Science and Engineering  

We are Norway's leading educational and research environment in materials engineering, materials chemistry and materials science.  In collaboration with business and industry, we are a driving force for the development of innovative materials as well as new applications and manufacturing processes.  Activities in our disciplines are vital for the green shift. The Department of Materials Science and Engineering  is one of eight departments in the Faculty of Natural Sciences .

Deadline 24th April 2022
Employer NTNU - Norwegian University of Science and Technology
Municipality Trondheim
Scope Fulltime
Duration Fixed Term
Place of service