PhD Candidate in Resilient Localization and Navigation

About the job

Although Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) have a global coverage, there are many so-called GNSS-denied environments where GNSS is not available, is degraded, or unreliable. There is a clear need for alternative technologies that can replace or complement GNSS in such cases. Many applications of autonomous systems, service robotics, and localization and tracking of assets are currently limited by this technology gap and concerns related to the security and vulnerability of GNSS.

For safety critical systems it is important the localization system has high availability, resilience, and integrity in addition to the localization performance. To achieve these goals, the student will develop signal processing algorithms for the Bluetooth-based phased array signal and use phased arrays in a multi-sensor fusion context. The focus is on improving the quality of phased array measurements and providing quality metrics to high-level processing and sensor. Methods for mitigating multipath propagation and hardware effects, as well as dealing with measurement delays will be of interest.

Your immediate leader is the unit leader.

Duties of the position

• Conducting high quality research and report progress on a regular basis and in agreement with the supervisors.
• Contributing to the dissemination of the research outcomes through publications and public media.
• Contributing to the success of the PARNAV research project.
• Undertaking the necessary courses (30 ECTS) as part of the PhD programme.
• Submitting an application for admission and a research plan no later than 3 months after the employment;

Required selection criteria

• Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Engineering Cybernetics, Applied Mathematics, or other relevant disciplines.
• Strong mathematical background and research-oriented master thesis in a related field (e.g., signal processing, statistical machine learning, applied mathematics).
• Your education must correspond to a five-year Norwegian degree program, where 120 credits are obtained at master's level.
• 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.
• Master's students can apply, but the master's degree must be obtained and documented by the start of the contract.
• You must meet the requirements for admission to the doctoral program  at the Faculty of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering at NTNU.
• Evidence of good English language skills, written and spoken. The following certificates may be used as such evidence: TOEFL, IELTS or Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English (CAE) or Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE).

The appointment is to be made in accordance with Regulations on terms of employment for positions such as postdoctoral fellow, Phd candidate, research assistant and specialist candidate  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

• Publication activity in the aforementioned disciplines.
• Experience of embedded development.
• Programming experience with Matlab and/or Python.

Personal characteristics

• Be scientifically curious and open to new research challenges.
• Demonstrate independence and persistence in addressing technical problems.
• Be flexible and reliable, with the ability to work efficiently independently and as part of a team.
• Commitment and delivery with respect to deadlines.

We offer

Salary and conditions

As a PhD candidate (code 1017) you are normally paid from gross NOK 532 200 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 3 years with possible 1 year duty work, depending on department needs at the time of offer.

Appointment to a PhD position requires that you are admitted to the PhD programme in Electronics and Telecommunication  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 your application will be considered based solely on information submitted by the application deadline. You must therefore ensure that your application clearly demonstrates how your skills and experience fulfil the criteria specified above.

The application must include:

• CV and language certificates.
• Certified copies of academic diplomas and transcripts. 
• 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.
• Name and contact information of three referees.
• 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.

NTNU is working actively to increase the number of women employed in scientific positions and has a number of resources to promote equali ty.

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 regarding the position, please contact Professor Kimmo Kansanen, tel. +47 73594417, e-mail [email protected] . If you have questions regarding the recruitment process, please contact Lars Arne Hassel, 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: 16.06.23

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 Electronic Systems

The digitalization of Norway is impossible without electronic systems. We are Norway’s leading academic environment in this field, and contribute with our expertise in areas ranging from nanoelectronics, phototonics, signal processing, radio technology and acoustics to satellite technology and autonomous systems. Knowledge of electronic systems is also vital for addressing important challenges in transport, energy, the environment, and health. The Department of Electronic Systems  is one of seven departments in the Faculty of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering .

Deadline 16th June 2023
Employer NTNU - Norwegian University of Science and Technology
Municipality Trondheim
Scope Fulltime
Duration Temporary
Place of service Campus Gløshaugen