PhD Candidate in Citizen Empowerment, Platform for Active Mobility Solution

About the position

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, is looking for a PhD Candidate in Citizen empowerment: Platform for active mobility solutions. The candidate will be a member of the research project Mobility Elgeseter, and the theme is Urban Facility Management oriented. The research project is designed in collaboration with Trøndelag fylkeskommune, Trondheim kommune and other faculties at NTNU.

The Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in Trondheim represents academic eminence in technology and the natural sciences as well as in other academic disciplines. Cross-disciplinary cooperation results in innovative breakthroughs and creative solutions with far-reaching social and economic impact.

The position is a part of a larger interdisciplinary project and lab, Mobility Elgeseter, which aims to explore innovative and sustainable mobility solutions in an urban, campus environment. The city’s development copes with issues such as traffic congestion, air pollution, road accidents, and urban sprawl as the world's population grows at a rapid rate. Therefore, it is urgent to holistically focus on alternative transport modes to make the environment healthier and to increase well-being. There is a need to develop new methods and tools for reinventing public spaces by encouraging collaboration between public-private-people stakeholders, using urban space as a public domain, and empowering people to change behavior towards more active mobility. The aim is to approach the holistic picture of transformation needs and solutions for the district and test the innovative ideas and models, to understand both the current sustainability picture of urban development and future solutions. The objective of the PhD projects is to improve the state of the art of urban development models by developing a citizen empowerment platform as a decision model tool to increase the behavioral changes toward more active mobility. The theoretical approach includes various perspectives, which are necessary to encourage people to embrace green-sustainable modes of transportation as a lifestyle choice, among other, theories such as place-making, shared values, public-private-people partnership, and zero-emission neighborhoods, creative and digital solutions. The project concentrates on the establishment of an interactive platform to consider how inputs, results, and uncertainties can be better communicated to decision-makers.

While theoretical research is a key component of the projects, there will also be a strong focus on the applied aspects of this research. The testing case is Mobility Elgeseter in Trondheim, the municipality which aimed to introduce the city as a model and a collaborative arena for green value creation and the development of a climate-friendly lifestyle. Furthermore, Trondheim kommune in 2017 put a goal to reduce the Greenhouse Gas Emissions by 80 % before 2030, compared to the 1991 level. Improving active mobility in the Elgeseter area will simultaneously entail three sustainable development goals: Good health and wellbeing, Sustainable cities and communities, and Climate action.

As part of the Mobility Elgesetergate project team, you will work alongside other highly motivated and talented PhD candidates and researchers. You will also have access to the knowledge base, state-of-the-art research infrastructure, and impact orientation of the partners in the team. This will allow you to extend your network within academia and industry, and to learn about your research area from an academic, innovation, and societal perspective.

In addition to your education and development within the thematic research area, you will gain transferable skills within project development and management, science communication, research ethics, innovation, and entrepreneurial thinking, as well as basic university didactics.

We are looking for PhD candidates, who want to contribute to our quest to create knowledge for a better world. We believe in fair and open processes. All applications will be considered through a transparent evaluation procedure, with independent observers involved.

The position's working place is Trondheim. You will report to a Professor.

Duties of the position

• undertaking the necessary courses as part of the PhD programme
• submitting an application for admission and a research plan no later than 3 months after the employment
• conducting high quality research and report progress on a regular basis and in agreement with the supervisors
• engage and communicate with both academic partners and public stakeholders within the Mobility Elgeseter project
• contribute to the dissemination of the research outcomes through conferences and publications
• contribute to building a collaborative and interactive local and international research team

Required selection criteria

• you must have a professionally relevant background in construction process or project management.
• 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
• you must meet the requirements for admission to the faculty's doctoral program
• good knowledge of Urban Facility Management field
• good knowledge of sustainable principles
• good knowledge and previous work with active mobility solutions
• good knowledge of co-creation and user engagement activities for sustainable transformation
• good oral and written presentation ability in English
• background from countries not excluded under the Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR).
• the candidate is expected to work with critical national objects and infrastructure3 in Norway. Candidates with the potential of not fulfilling requirement for security clearance, access clearance and authorization as described in the Act Relating to National Security, cannot be considered for the position.

In addition, the candidate must have:

• a professional relevant background in project management, civil engineering, transport/traffic engineering, urban planning, or other relevant fields. Those with a background in computer science or equivalent with applications within mobility may also be considered

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

• good understanding of the connection between technology, process, and human interaction
• good knowledge of the Norwegian BAE industry in general. It is positive if you have knowledge of municipal and / or public administration and industry innovation
• good oral and written presentation ability in one of the Scandinavian languages (future learning of the Norwegian language will be supported, if the candidate has a beginner level)

Personal characteristics

• ambitious and motivated for research work in this field
• team worker
• able to work both independently and collaborate with inter- and cross-disciplinary research environments
• flexible, reliable, and solution-orientated
• creative
• good communication and dissemination skills

Emphasis will be placed on personal and interpersonal qualities.

We offer

Salary and conditions

PhD candidates are remunerated in code 1017 and are normally remunerated at gross from NOK 501 200 before tax per year, 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, with the possibility of a 1-year extension if funding is available.

Appointment to a PhD position requires that you are admitted to the PhD programme in Civil and Environment Engineering 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.

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.

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. 

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.
• applicants from universities outside of Norway will be requested to send a diploma supplement (or a similar document) which describes in details the study and grading system, and the rights for further studies associated with the obtained degree. Chinese applicants are required to provide confirmation of Master Diploma from China Credentials Verification (CHSI).
• a research interest description (maximum 2 pages) that includes a short presentation of the motivation for a PhD study, suitability for the position and the applicant’s view towards listed research challenges as well as the theoretical and methodological approach to the challenges. 
• project proposal
• 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 NOKUT, 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

Working at NTNU

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.

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 Agnar Johansen, [email protected] . If you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact HR Consultant Hilde Steen Todal, e-mail: [email protected] .

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: 30.09.2022

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 30th September 2022
Employer NTNU - Norwegian University of Science and Technology
Municipality Trondheim
Scope Fulltime
Duration Temporary
Place of service Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering