PhD Candidate in the area of Digital Twin for Maritime Communication System Performance Prediction

About the position

At the Department of Electronic Systems  we have a vacancy for a PhD candidate in the area of Digital twin for maritime communication system performance prediction.  

Modern and future ships use radio communications to support the local situational awareness and autonomity.  Short- and longterm communication performance has a direct effect on how well the ship's systems are able to utilize up-to-date information from other ships and land-based systems. Being able to predict the performance is crucial in supporting the ship to adapt to the expected level of connectivity on route.

The radio propagation channel behavior, including its statistical variation in time and space, depends on the location of transmitter and receiver, as well as the propagation conditions around both. The maritime channel, in addition, will depend on weather conditions that may change the sea surface conditions. These phenomena lead to location-dependent achievable data rates and reliability.

This work studies data-driven, machine learning trained spatial models that can be used to predict the achievable rates and reliabilities of the maritime channel, and the related radio system.

The data sources foreseen are the radio system channel quality indicators at the physical layer, the location information, and eventually other data sources that can be used to improve the prediction accuracy. 

This PhD project is a part of the PERSEUS doctoral programme : A collaboration between NTNU- Norway’s largest university, 11 top-level academic partners in 8 European countries, and 8 industrial partners within sectors of high societal relevance. 

Within PERSEUS we will recruit 40 PhD candidates who want to contribute to a smart, safe and sustainable future. We are looking for highly skilled PhD candidates motivated to approach societal challenges within one of the following thematic areas:

• Big data and AI.
• Digital Twins.
• Internet of Things.
• Extended Reality.
• Information and Cyber Security.

In addition, for this fellowship, the PERSEUS program is part of SFI Autoship , a new 8-year research-based innovation Centre on autonomous ships. The Centre will carry out research in the areas of autonomous operations, digital infrastructure, human factors and remote operation centres, safety assurance and sustainable operation. The Perseus thematical areas are relevant for several research tasks in relation to ship situational awareness, navigation, ship-to-ship and ship-to-shore- communication, port-to-ship integration, and risk and safety monitoring and analysis. For more information on SFI AutoShip .

All participants in the PERSEUS network  bring unique and important qualities with them into the doctoral programme. The PERSEUS PhD candidates will have the opportunity to collaborate with researchers in the partner institutions and in other project consortia, and benefit from these collaborative research and education activities.

As part of the PERSEUS 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.

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.

As a PERSEUS PhD candidate, you will be employed by NTNU. During your stay, you will do a 2-3 month international stay and a 1-2 month national stay with one of the PERSEUS partners. 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.

The duration of the PhD employment is 36 months.

Starting gross salary is 491.200 NOK/year (equal to approx. 50.133 EUR/year by the exchange rate of May 2021).

We are looking for PhD candidates from all nationalities, who want to contribute to our quest to create knowledge for a better world. PERSEUS recruits candidates according to the EU’s mobility rule, i.e. applicants cannot have spent more than 12 months in Norway during the last 3 years. 

There is a gender imbalance in this field and we therefore particularly encourage women to apply. 

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 NTNU campus in Trondheim. You will report to Professor Kimmo Kansanen. 

We look forward to welcome you to the PERSEUS and SFI Autoship teams.

Duties of the position

• 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; 
• conducting high quality research and report progress on a regular basis and in agreement with the supervisors.

Required selection criteria

• International mobility requirements: Applicants of any age and any nationality will be eligible as far as they fulfil the mobility requirement of the COFUND programme, namely, the applicants must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country of the host organization (Norway) for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately before the call deadline of PERSEUS.
• Education requirements: 5 years of higher education (BSC and MSC) or education equal to (300 ECTS). The grade requirements are B or higher (based on NTNU’s grading scale ). Education will have to be documented by diploma supplement or equivalent documentation in English and include a description of the educational system. International Relations do require Chinese diplomas to be verified using CHSI. The NTNU Office of International Relations will evaluate degrees and diplomas.
• Language skill requirements: The applicants will be asked to provide 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).
• Export of Knowledge Control: The PhD candidates who, based on a comprehensive first-hand assessment, might come into conflict with legislation governing exports of knowledge, technology and services will not advance further from the first stage in the recruitment process. For further information, please refer to the Export Control Act . 

In addition, the candidate must have:

• Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, 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).
• Significant experience with programming (preferably Matlab and/or Python).

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

• Publication activity in the aforementioned disciplines.
• Experience of machine learning.
• Good written and oral English.

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

PhD candidates are remunerated in code 1017 and are normally remunerated at gross from NOK 491 200 per annum before tax, however it may be negotiable (increased) depending on high level of qualifications and research experience of the candidate. From the salary, 2% is deducted as a contribution to the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund.

The period of employment is 3 years.

Appointment to a PhD position requires that you are admitted to the PhD programme in PhD programme in Electronics and Telecommunications  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 on a daily basis.

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. 

Please submit your application electronically via Jobbnorge website. Applications submitted elsewhere/incomplete applications will not be considered. Applicants must upload the following documents within the closing date:

• CV including information relevant for the qualifications, submitted together with an identification document.
• Name, current affiliation and email address of at least 2 persons that will provide reference for you.
• Certified copies of academic diplomas and transcripts and the reference letter.
• 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.  
• Scientific publications (if any). 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 the evaluation of which candidate is best qualified, emphasis will be placed on education, experience and personal suitability.

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.

According to the 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.

If you have any questions about the position, please contact Professor Kimmo Kansanen at [email protected] . 

If you are invited for interview you must include certified copies of transcripts and reference letters. Please refer to the application number 2021/34916 when applying. 

Application deadline: 30.09.2021.

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 30th September 2021
Employer NTNU - Norwegian University of Science and Technology
Municipality Trondheim
Scope Fulltime
Duration Temporary
Place of service Campus Gløshaugen