PhD Candidate in Utilization of Flexible Hydropower in 100% Renewable Power Systems

Research Collaboration Sustainability

In 2015, the 2030 agenda with the 17 sustainability goals was adopted by all UN member states. The sustainability goals see the environment, economy and social development in context. The time horizon for necessary changes is short, and it is challenging to combine different considerations without conflicts of objectives and unintended consequences of measures.

NTNU is now announcing 43 individual PhD positions that will contribute to a greater understanding of system effects, societal changes and conflicts of interest related to the sustainability challenges. These positions are divided into 9 interdisciplinary projects with mainly 4-7 PhD positions in each project. Interdisciplinary Sustainability Research - Calls - NTNU

In this position, the candidate is expected to cooperate with the other PhD students in the project Sustainability - Hydropower and reservoirs by SusHydro - NTNU

About the position

The Department of Electric Power Engineering  has a vacancy (100% position) as PhD candidate within the area of: Utilization of flexible hydropower in 100 % renewable power systems.

For a position as a PhD Candidate, the goal is a completed doctoral education up to an obtained doctoral degree.  

The appointment is financed by NTNU through its call for interdisciplinary research collaboration in sustainability. The position is part of the SusHydro project that seeks to find innovative and cross-sectoral solutions that shed light on a wider range of services that hydropower and water reservoirs can contribute and shed light on how synergies and conflicts between different sustainability goals can be identified and balanced. SusHydro will do this by putting together a team of experienced professionals and talented young researchers with a background in hydrology and water resource analysis, life cycle assessment, modeling of the energy system, economics, biology and social sciences. Solutions will be developed through case studies in Norway and areas of Africa with rich hydropower resources. 

The main supervisor of the PhD candidate will be Professor Magnus Korpås,  Department of Electric Power Engineering. Co-supervisors will be Professor Francesca Verones  of the Industrial Ecology Programme at Department of Energy and Process Engineering and Professor Stein-Erik Fleten  at Department of Industrial Economics and Technology Management.

The prospective candidate will be part of the Electricity Markets and Energy System Planning (EMESP) research group .

The position reports to the Head of Department.

Duties of the position

Variable renewable energy sources like wind and solar power plays a central role in the efforts to reduce climate gas emissions from the power sector around the world. To reach regional and global emission reduction targets, many places in the world need to rely on very large shares of wind and solar power, which are weather dependent and thus needs to be combined with different sources of flexibility to ensure balance in the power system. This PhD will analyze how reservoir hydropower can contribute as a flexible storage and energy provider in future power systems based entirely on renewable energy sources. The research is planned to be targeted towards regions in Africa with existing hydro reservoirs and potential for expansions of both solar-, wind- and hydropower.

The research will be based on principles for power system optimization and will cover both capacity expansion planning and optimal system operation. The study will incorporate different setups for environmental constraints and impacts in close cooperation with other PhDs in the SusHydro project analyze the effect on hydropower output and reservoirs handling, as well as the need for supplementary battery storage capability in cases of limited hydropower flexibility in the region that is studied. The Phd results are expected to be relevant for different stakeholders in the field of renewable energy development in areas with established or potential reservoir hydropower resources.

Required selection criteria

The objective of the PhD education is to qualify for scientific research of high international standard. The PhD education has a nominal duration of three years of full-time study and includes required coursework or similar academic training comprising a minimum of 30 credits. The most important component of the PhD education is an independent scientific research project carried out under academic supervision, which results in the PhD thesis. The PhD degree is conferred based on these two elements and the doctoral examination, which consists of a trial lecture and a public defense of the scientific thesis.

The candidate is expected to fully complete the course work and the PhD thesis within the period of employment, which could be 3 or 4 years. The doctoral examination may take place after the period of employment. The option of 4-year employment would imply 1 year of duties as teaching Assistant for the Department and may be offered to a candidate with clear motivation and ability for such work, if the Department sees the need. This will be clarified during and after any interview.

The qualification requirement is completion of a master’s degree with strong academic background with a grade of B or better in terms of NTNU’s grading scale.

The prospective candidate should have a scientific, technical or technical-economical background that gives sufficient background knowledge for the project. This background could be, for example, a Master’s degree in electrical engineering, sustainable energy engineering, physics, mathematics or industrial economics with a suitable technical specialization. A degree in economy and acquired research experience in the field could also be relevant. The candidate must have a genuine interest in sustainability and renewable energy. Furthermore, the candidate must – as part of the application – write a minimum 1-page draft project proposal with basis in state-of-the-art and their own background, as well as the description above. The draft should indicate concrete research questions and methods to be used, while also suggesting a delimitation of the project.  A cover letter must also be submitted, where the personal motivation for undertaking the project is explained.

The PhD project requires excellent analytical and communication skills.

The applicants for the position must be able to work independently, but also to collaborate with the other project participants and other colleagues at the department.

The appointment is to be made in accordance with the regulations in force concerning State Employees and Civil Servants  and 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

Applicants must have very good English language skills, written and spoken. Applicants from non-English speaking countries outside EU/EEA/Switzerland must provide preliminary documentation of English language proficiency, in terms of an approved test. The following tests can be used: TOEFL, IELTS and Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English (CAE) or Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE).

Further assessment of both written and oral English language skills and the ability to communicate fluently will be conducted in the continued selection process and during any interviews for all applicants.

Personal characteristics

In the evaluation of which candidate is best qualified, emphasis will be placed on education, experience and personal suitability.

• Be structured, targeted and solution-oriented
• The successful candidate will be a team player in a group with the project consortium, professors, researchers, PhDs and scientists from the industrial sector
• Self-driven with a strong ability to work independently when required
• Proven ability to work with an interdisciplinary team
• Have good dissemination skills
• Personal skills like a positive and friendly attitude, and contributing to a sustainable social environment will also be valued

We offer

Salary and conditions

PhD candidates are remunerated in code 1017, and are normally remunerated at gross from NOK 491 200 per annum. From the salary, 2% is deducted as a contribution to the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund.

The employment contract is for three years; however, there is a possibility for extension up to four years if selected for assistantship.

Appointment to a PhD position requires admission to the PhD programme in Electrical Power Engineering. Applicants must be qualified for admission as PhD students at NTNU. See  https://www.ntnu.edu/ie/research/phd  for information about PhD studies at NTNU.

As a PhD candidate, you will have to successfully complete the PhD academic training programme; the training includes mandatory course work and other obligatory activities. Within the first three months of your employment, you must formally qualify for admission to the PhD programme at the Faculty of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering.

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:

• A cover letter where the applicant describes the personal motivation, summarising scientific work, and how the applicant sees her/his background suitable
• A draft research proposal (1 page) for the PhD study, where the candidate presents her/his own ideas for the PhD-work and how it can be applied, based on the project description given in this advertisement. This proposal will be neither final nor binding for the project.
• CV (summarising education, positions, pedagogical experience, administrative experience and other qualifying activity).
• Copies of educational certificates (both bachelor and master) academic transcript of records and letters of recommendation. Applicants from universities outside Norway are kindly requested to send a diploma supplement (https://ec.europa.eu/education/diploma-supplement_en ) or a similar document, which describes in detail the study programme and grading system.
• The required documentation of English language proficiency.
• Names and contact information of at least two references (name, relation to candidate, e-mail and telephone number).

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.

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 assessing the applications, emphasis will be placed on the documented, academic qualifications, the cover letter and the ideas and/or originality of the draft research proposal in shortlisting of candidates. Interviews with the best-qualified candidates will be arranged.

Incomplete applications will not be taken into consideration.

The Department of Electric Power Engineering works closely with key players in the Norwegian electricity supply sector, which manage critical infrastructure. A comprehensive risk assessment of the candidates' research interests and potential activities related to national threat assessments will therefore also form basis for the final selection of candidates.

In the final assessment of the candidates also strategic considerations at the Department of Electric Power Engineering will be taken into account.

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.

In accordance with The Public 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.

Questions about the position can be directed to Professor Magnus Korpås, [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) .

Please refer to the application number 2021/59139 when applying.

Application deadline: 07.01.2022.

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 Electric Power Engineering

The Department of Electric Power Engineering is one of the seven departments at the Faculty of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering. Our department is Norway’s leading in the field, and our vision is to be at the centre of the digital, green shift. We have excellent collaboration with business and industry as well as other universities and research organizations internationally. This gives us outstanding opportunities for interdisciplinary research with high relevance for the society, addressing industrial needs and global challenges.

Deadline 7th January 2022
Employer NTNU - Norwegian University of Science and Technology
Municipality Trondheim
Scope Fulltime
Duration Temporary
Place of service NTNU Campus Gløshaugen