PhD Position in Electric Power Engineering - Study of emerging integrated energy infrastructure in...

The Department of Electric Power Engineering , Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway has a vacancy for a 100% position as PhD Candidate within the field of Power System Operation and Analysis. The prospective candidate will be a part of a project team that works in the Norwegian Research Council-funded project ZeroKyst, which is a part of the Norwegian Government’s Green Platform Initiative.

The prospective candidate will work in the research group Power System Operation and Analysis  

The main supervisor of the PhD Candidate will be Professor Irina Oleinikova .

The project will be co-supervised by Andrei Morch, SINTEF Energy.

The main goal of the PhD project is to develop new knowledge, methods and tools to support the development of energy infrastructure in coastal areas to support the decarbonization of the maritime operations and its integration into the national power grid.

The PhD study will be connected to project work package working with Energy hubs and infrastructure.

The tasks will focus on optimal allocation of charging points taking into account the coastal fleet's operating patterns, the limitations in the power grid, and the available hydrogen infrastructure. The study will assess how the charging infrastructure will affect the grid operation in terms of system stability, reliability and costs. This allows a direct interaction and active involvement in operation of the national power system including participation in market for balancing power (RK) and thus contribute to the handling of bottlenecks and frequency regulation and increase hosting capacity for renewables.

The objective of the PhD education is to qualify for scientific research of high international standards. 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 crucial component of 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 defence of the scientific thesis.

• Applicants must hold a Master’s degree or equivalent in Electric Power Engineering, with specialisation in electric power and/or energy systems and relevant to the given project description. Applicants with a Master’s degree in Managerial economics or mathematics with a specialisation in operations research can also be considered in special cases where the cover letter and application supports the claim for their suitability for the described position.
• A solid background in electricity markets, energy system analysis, and operations research or

  optimisation is preferred.

• Master’s students who expect to complete their master’s degree studies by summer 2022 are

  also encouraged to apply. Employment will then be postponed until the master’s degree is

  finished.

• The candidate should hold a Master’s degree with a GPA of B or better in terms of NTNU’s grading

  scale

• Applicants must also satisfy the requirement for entering the PhD programme at NTNU; please

  see https://www.ntnu.edu/ie/research/phd  for more information.

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  

• Applicants must have very good English language skills, written and spoken. Applicants from non-

  English speaking countries outside the 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). Minimum scores are:

  o TOEFL: 600 (paper-based test), 92 (Internet-based test)

  o IELTS: 6.5, with no section lower than 5.5 (only Academic IELTS test accepted)

  o CAE/CPE: grade B or A.

• 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 the shortlisted applicants.

In the evaluation of the candidates, emphasis will be placed on education, experience and personal

suitability, as well as personal motivation for the position, in terms of the qualification requirements

specified above. We look for candidates who show clear signs of independence, original thinking and

scientific mindset.

During the employment period at NTNU, the PhD candidate will be remunerated at gross 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.

Appointment to the PhD position requires formal admission to the PhD programme in Electric Power Engineering. Applicants must be qualified for admission as PhD students 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.

It is a prerequisite that you are present at the university during the entire duration of your PhD study.

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. 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 the basis for the final selection of candidates.

After the appointment you must assume that there may be changes in the area of work.

The application and supporting documentation to be used as the basis for the assessment must be in English.

Publications and other scientific work must be enclosed with 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 their scientific work, and how the applicant sees her/his background suitable
• A two-page research proposal supporting the project idea within a defined scope.
• CV (summarising education, positions, pedagogical experience, administrative experience and other qualifying activity).
• Copies of educational certificates, academic transcript of records (both Bachelor and Master) and letters of recommendation. Applicants from universities outside Norway are kindly requested to send a diploma supplement  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).

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.

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.

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.

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 Irina Oleinikova, [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 2021/58902 when applying.

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.