PhD Fellowship in Offshore Wind Energy

The University of Stavanger invites applicants for a PhD Fellowship in Offshore Wind Turbines at the Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Mechanical and Structural Engineering and Materials Science. The position is vacant from August 2022.

This is a trainee position that will give promising researchers an opportunity for academic development through a PhD education leading to a doctoral degree.

The hired candidate will be admitted to the PhD program in Science and Technology. The education includes relevant courses to about six months of study, a dissertation based on independent research, participation in national and international research environments, relevant academic communication, a trial lecture and public defence. Read more about the PhD education at UiS on our website.

The appointment is for three years with research duties exclusively.

The position is funded by The Research Council of Norway.

The PhD Fellow will be affiliated with the following project: Large Offshore Wind Turbines (LOWT): structural design accounting for non-neutral wind conditions.

This project will develop new knowledge and models to improve the design basis for large floating wind turbines (LOWT)(>12MW) in free wind and wake conditions. Observations from Hywind Scotland have shown the thermal stratification of the atmosphere can substantially affect the structural response of a wind turbine to the incoming turbulent flow. The first objective is to use wind data from several offshore sites to characterise the wind field in nonneutral atmospheric conditions. The project will use high-frequency wind data combined with a brand-new remote sensing dataset (COTUR). In the COTUR campaign the incoming flow over the ocean was recorded, both within and above the surface layer, thus providing new insight on the applicability surface-layer scaling to model the turbulent wind loads on LOWT. This unique dataset will be analysed for the first time to indicate whether the turbulence models used in the standards, which mainly relies on surface-layer scaling, are appropriate or not. The final output will be to recommend suitable wind and coherence model for in non-neutral conditions as input to free wind aeroelastic simulations and Dynamic meandering wake model (DWM) models offshore. The second objective is to validate the simulated wind turbine response using full scale data from offshore wind farms (Alpha Ventus, Sheringham Shoal, and Zefyros/Hywind Demo). The validated simulation tools will then be used to quantify the effect of non-neutral atmospheric conditions on future LOWT (>12MW) to ensure safe and cost-effective design in the next generation of offshore wind farms in Norway and beyond. The final focus of the project is wake simulations of LOWT in non-neutral conditions using DWM model. High-fidelity CFD simulations will be used to include variable velocity shear in the DWM method and validate the wake meandering in non-neutral conditions. The non-neutral wind spectra and coherence from the data analysis work will be used as input for the DWM simulations.

We are looking for applicants with a strong academic background who have completed a five-year master degree (3+2) within Marine Technology, Offshore Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Engineering Cybernetics or Civil Engineering, preferably acquired recently; or possess corresponding qualifications that could provide a basis for successfully completing a doctorate.

To be eligible for admission to the doctoral programmes at the University of Stavanger both the grade for your master’s thesis and the weighted average grade of your master’s degree must individually be equivalent to or better than a B grade. If you finish your education (masters degree) in the spring of 2022 you are also welcome to apply.

Applicants with an education from an institution with a different grade scale than A-F, and/or with other types of credits than sp/ECTS, must attach a confirmed conversion scale that shows how the grades can be compared with the Norwegian A-F scale and a Diploma Supplement or similar that explains the scope of the subject that are included in the education. You can use these conversion scales  to calculate your points for admission.

You should also have solid knowledge within aerodynamics and structures, wind turbulence and offshore meteorology, wind turbines, and developed skills in mathematical modelling and advanced programming.

Emphasis is also placed on your:

• knowledge and experience of using SIMA, or similar aeroelastic simulation software
• strong background in applied mathematics
• good programming skills applied to numerical modelling
• motivation and potential for research within the field
• professional and personal skills for completing the doctoral degree within the timeframe
• ability to work independently and in a team, be innovative and creative
• ability to work structured and handle a heavy workload
• having a good command of both oral and written English

A good proficiency in English is required for anyone attending the PhD program. International applicants must document this by taking one of the following tests with the following results:

• TOEFL – Test of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based Test (IBT). Minimum result: 90
• IELTS – International English Language Testing Service. Minimum result: 6.5
• Certificate in Advanced English (CAE) or Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE) from the University of Cambridge
• PTE Academic – Pearson Test of English Academic. Minimum result: 62

The following applicants are exempt from the above requirements:

• Applicants with one year of completed university studies in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, United Kingdom, USA
• Applicants with an International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma
• Applicants with a completed bachelor's and / or master's degrees taught in English in a EU/EEA country

• a PhD education in a large, exciting and socially important organisation
• an ambitious work community which is developing rapidly. We strive to include employees at all levels in strategic decisions and promote an informal atmosphere with a flat organisational structure.
• salary in accordance with the State Salary Scale, l.pl 17.515, code 1017, NOK 491 200 gross per year with salary development according to seniority in the position. A higher salary may be considered in special cases. From the salary, 2% is deducted as a contribution to the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund.
• automatic membership in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund , which provides favourable insurance- and retirement benefits
• favourable membership terms at a gym and at the SIS sports club  at campus
• employment with an Inclusive Workplace organisation which is committed to reducing sick leave, increasing the proportion of employees with reduced working capacity, and increasing the number of professionally active seniors
• "Hjem-jobb-hjem"  discounted public transport to and from work
• as an employee in Norway, you will have access to an optimal health service, as well as good pensions, generous maternity/paternity leave, and a competitive salary. Nursery places are guaranteed and reasonably priced
• relocation programme
• language courses : On this page you can see which language courses you may be entitled to (look up “language courses” under employment conditions)

University of Stavanger values independence, involvement and innovation. Diversity is respected and considered a resource in our work and learning environment. Universal design characterises physical and digital learning environments, and we strive to provide reasonable adjustments for employees with disabilities.

You are encouraged to apply regardless of gender, disability or cultural background.

The university aims to recruit more women within the subject area. If several applicants are considered to have equal qualifications, female applicants will be given priority.

More information on the position can be obtained from Associate Professor Charlotte Obhrai, tel: +47 51 83 21 64, e-mail: [email protected]  or Professor Jasna Jakobsen, tel: +47 51 83 16 66, e-mail: [email protected] .

Information about the appointment procedure can be obtained from HR-advisor Rosa Andrade, tel: +47 51 83 11 91, e-mail:  [email protected] .

To apply for this position please follow the link "Apply for this job". Your application letter, relevant education and work experience as well as language skills must be registered here. In your application letter, you must state your research interests and motivation for the position.

The following documents must be uploaded as attachments to your application:

• CV with a full summary of your education and experience
• references, certificates/diplomas and other documentation that you consider relevant
• Diploma Supplement or similar and a confirmed conversion scale if this is required
• documentation on competence in English if this is required
• publications or other relevant research work

Applications are evaluated based on the information available in Jobbnorge at the application deadline. You should ensure that your application shows clearly how your skills and experience meet the criteria which are set out above and that you have attached the necessary documentation. 

The documentation must be available in either a Scandinavian language or in English. If the total size of the attachments exceeds 30 MB, they must be compressed before upload.

Please note that information on applicants may be published even if the applicant has requested not to be included in the official list of applicants - see Section 25 of the Freedom of Information Act . If your request is not granted, you will be notified.

UiS only considers applications and attachments registered in Jobbnorge.

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. If your application is considered to be in conflict with the criteria in the latter legislation, it will be rejected without further assessment.

Employment as PhD Fellow is regulated in "Regulations concerning terms and conditions of employment for the posts of post-doctoral research fellow and research fellow, research assistant and resident ".

Your qualifications for the position, based on documentation registered in Jobbnorge, will be assessed by an internal expert committee. Based on the committee's statement, relevant applicants will be invited to an interview before any recommendations are made. References will also be obtained for relevant candidates. More about the hiring process on our website.

The appointee will be based at the University of Stavanger, with the exception of a stay abroad at a relevant centre of research.

It is a prerequisite that you have a residence which enables you to be present at/available to the academic community during ordinary working hours.

The position has been announced in both Norwegian and English. In the case of differences of meaning between the texts, the English text takes precedence.