
NTNU - Norwegian University of Science and Technology · Trondheim
This is NTNU NTNU is a broad-based university with a technical-scientific profile and a focus in professional education. The university is located in three ci...
NTNU is a broad-based university with a technical-scientific profile and a focus in professional education. The university is located in three cities with headquarters in Trondheim.
At NTNU, 9,000 employees and 43,000 students work to create knowledge for a better world.
You will find more information about working at NTNU and the application process here.
Are you motivated to pursue a doctorate while working on real-world challenges in public asset management and decision-making? As a PhD Candidate in this position, you will work towards your doctoral degree while gaining valuable experience in applying artificial intelligence and data-driven methods to complex decision-support processes.
The project focuses on developing AI-supported approaches to improve how large public building portfolios are evaluated and managed. You will work with real use cases and contribute to research that aims to make decision processes more consistent, transparent, and evidence-based.
You will collaborate with a broad network of internal and external partners, including practitioners, domain experts, and researchers. This provides a unique opportunity to combine academic research with practical application in a highly relevant societal context.
Your immediate leader will be the Head of Department.
The PhD project is part of a broader effort to develop AI-supported decision frameworks for public asset management, with a focus on improving evaluation, prioritization, and long-term planning of building portfolios. The work will explore how AI can support more consistent and data-informed assessments while maintaining a human-in-the-loop approach where expert judgment remains central.
The project is a collaboration between the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at NTNU, SINTEF Digital, and the Department of Engineering Cybernetics. It is conducted in close collaboration with Statsbygg and other relevant public building owners and authorities.
The research is embedded in the Norwegian Center on AI for Decisions (aiD), ensuring strong interdisciplinary collaboration between academia, research institutes, and public sector partners.
Duties of the position
Be prepared for changes to your work duties after employment.
Required selection criteria
PLEASE NOTE: For detailed information about what the application must contain, see paragraph “About the application”.
The appointment is to be made in accordance with NTNUs guidelines for recruitment positions for general criteria for the position.
Preferred selection criteria
To complete a doctoral degree (PhD), it is important that you are able to:
Emphasis will be placed on personal qualities.
Evaluate and remove/add what is relevant for the position.
As a PhD Candidate at NTNU, you will have access to employee benefits.
Diversity is a strength, and at NTNU we aim to be an employer that reflects the diversity in society and that makes use of the potential of the population's collective skills. Our vision is Knowledge for a better world and our values are creative, critical, constructive and respectful. We believe that an organization that is equal, diverse and gender-balanced is essential for us to achieve our goals.
We strive to attract employees with different skills, life experiences and perspectives to contribute to even better problem solving of our societal mission in research and education.
If you think this position is relevant and interesting, we encourage you to apply, regardless of gender, functional ability and cultural background, or whether you have been out of work for a period of time.
At NTNU we want to increase the proportion of women in scientific positions. We have a number of measures to promote equality.
In the position of PhD Candidate, code 1017, your gross salary will normally be NOK 550 800,-per annum depending on qualifications and seniority. A 2% statutory contribution to the State Pension Fund is deducted from the salary.
The employment period is 3 years for the doctoral work.
For employment as a PhD Candidate, it is a prerequisite that you gain admission to the PhD programme PhD in Engineering (Doctoral Programme) 3 years - Trondheim - NTNU within three months of your employment contract start date, and that you participate in an organized doctoral programme through out the period of employment.
As an employee at NTNU, it is important that you keep yourself up to date with academic and organizational changes and adapt to them.
For the necessary professional and social interaction, it is a prerequisite that you are physically present and available to the institution on a daily basis.
The appointment is carried out in accordance with the principles of the State Employees Act, and Export control (legislation that regulates the export of knowledge, technology and services). Candidates who, after assessment of the application and attachments, are considered to bein conflict with the criteria in the latter act, will not be able to be employed.
The attachments (including a description of your scientific work) must accompany the application as these documents form the basis of the application assessment. The documents must be in Norwegian/a Scandinavian language or English.
Please note: the application will only be assessed on the basis of the information we have received by the application deadline. Therefore, make sure that your application clearly shows how your skills and experience meet the criteria described above. The application and all attachments must be sent electronically via Jobbnorge.no. If you are invited to an interview, you must bring certified copies of certificates and diplomas upon request.
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. If your institution uses “diploma supplement” (normal for most European institutions), you must attach this. A description of the documentation required can also be found here. If you already have a statement from Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills (HK-dir), please attach this as well.
Joint work will be considered. If it is difficult to identify your contribution to joint work, you must attach a brief description of your participation.
When assessing the best qualified, we emphasize necessary qualifications such as education, experience and personal suitability. Motivation for the position, ambitions, and potential for research will also count when assessing the candidates.
NTNU recognizes a wide range of academic contributions and has committed itself to The San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment and CoARA (responsible assessment of research and recognition of a greater breadth of academic contributions in accordance with NTNU's social mission).
A public list of applicants with name, age, job title and municipality of residence is prepared after the application deadline. If you wish to be exempt 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 exemption is not granted.
If you think this position looks interesting and in line with your qualifications, you are welcome to apply.
If you have any questions about the position, please contact Associate Professor Savis Gohari, 94484660, Savis.gohari@ntnu.no.
If you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact Ragne Matberg (HR Consultant), email: ragne.matberg@ntnu.no
For practical information about working at NTNU, please visit this webpage.
The city of Trondheim is a modern European city with a rich cultural scene. Trondheim is the tech 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.
This is NTNU NTNU is a broad-based university with a technical-scientific profile and a focus in professional education. The university is located in three cities with headquarters in Trondheim. At NTNU, 9,000 employees and 43,000 students work to create knowledge for a better world. You will find more information about working at NTNU and the application process here. Video: https://youtu.be/Xt-yHCN5QS0About the position The Norwegian Center on AI for Decisions (aiD) has vacancy for a PhD fellowship in Predictive AI-Based Maintenance and Optimization of Building Energy Management Systems. aiD is one of the new Norwegian AI research initiatives, funded by the Research Council of Norway and industry partners. It consists of 13 research partners and more than 60 partners from industry and public sector led by NTNU and SINTEF. All open positions will be cross-linked on the aiD website aid-center.no About the Position Are you passionate about artificial intelligence, digital twins, and energy management systems in buildings? We are offering a fully funded, three-year PhD position to develop a cutting-edge AI decision-support tool for predictive maintenance and optimization of building energy management systems and technologies (i.e., Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning - HVAC). Partnering with Statsbygg, the Norwegian Government’s Building Agency, your research will be deployed across a massive portfolio of public buildings. Moving beyond outdated calendar-based maintenance schedules, your mission is to solve a critical economic and environmental timing problem: knowing exactly when it becomes cost-optimal to intervene in degrading or overloaded systems. You will overcome the scarcity of real-world fault data by combining Simulation-Based Inference (SBI) and Building Performance Simulation (BPS). By integrating historical facility management (FDVU) records with live building sensor data, you will train AI models to recognize abnormal performance patterns, quantify quality-adjusted service life, and autonomously recommend whether a system needs maintenance, recalibration, or a capacity upgrade. Your immediate leader will be the Head of Department. About the project This position is hosted at the aiD Center, a premier research hub dedicated to advancing the role of artificial intelligence in complex decision-making processes. Hosted by the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) and SINTEF aiD bridges technological, organizational, and human-centric gaps to foster a society where AI-driven value creation is safe and ethical. As an aiD-PhD candidate, you will collaborate closely with academic experts and industry leaders ensuring your research translates directly into portfolio-scale impact for the future of national real estate. You will be working with a multidisciplinary team of experts in building systems, artificial intelligence and decision-making. The supervision team includes: • Prof. Ivan Depina – main supervisor and coordinator, probabilistic modelling, scientific machine learning • Prof. Mohamed Hamdy – building performance simulation, building automation systems, and multi-objective optimization. • Prof. Freja Nygaard Rasmussen – life cycle assessment • Prof. Sebastien Gros – decision-making, energy use, AI and machine learning • Dr. Signe Riemer-Sørensen - AI and machine learning, hybrid analyses • Prof. Ahmed Kedir Mohammed – data analysis and machine learning Duties of the position • Complete the doctoral education until obtaining a doctorate • Carry out research of good quality within the framework described above • Academic publications and popular science dissemination • Participate in the aiD research network and engage with Statsbygg • Contribute to research and knowledge exchange activities at the department • Participate in international activities such as conferences and/or research stays abroad • Contribute to supervision activities if required Be prepared for changes to your work duties after employment. Required selection criteria • You must have a relevant master’s degree in civil engineering, mechanical power engineering or a related field. Your course of study must correspond to a five-year Norwegian course, where 120 credits have been obtained at master's level • You must have a strong academic background from your previous studies and have an average grade from your Master's degree study, or equivalent education, which is equal to B or better compared to NTNU's grading scale. If you do not have letter grades from previous studies, you must have an equally good academic foundation. If you have a weaker grade background, you may be considered if you can document that you are particularly suitable for a PhD education • You must meet the requirements for admission to the Doctoral Programme - PhD - Faculty of Engineering Science - NTNU • Good written and oral communication skills in English PLEASE NOTE: For detailed information about what the application must contain, see paragraph “About the application”. The appointment is to be made in accordance with NTNUs guidelines for recruitment positions for general criteria for the position. Preferred selection criteria • Machine Learning Expertise: A robust foundation in probabilistic modeling, Bayesian inference, deep learning, and/or anomaly detection • Modeling & Simulation Experience: Familiarity with Building Performance Simulation (BPS) tools, such as EnergyPlus or IDA ICE • Building Automation System (BAS) and Building Energy Management (BEM) • Data Integration Proficiency: Ability to work with complex, heterogeneous data streams • Domain Knowledge Advantage: Familiarity with building energy systems, HVAC operations, or fault detection and diagnosis (FDD) is considered a strong asset • Work Experience: Relevant work experience in operation and maintenance of buildings • Communication skills: Good oral and written presentation skills in Norwegian or another Scandinavian language equivalent to level B2-C Personal characteristics To complete a doctoral degree (PhD), it is important that you are able to: • Work independently • Work in a structured way, set goals and make plans to achieve them • Present and discuss your research with other professionals • Get involved and contribute constructively with feedback • Work constructively under pressure or in the face of adversity • Show curiosity and strong motivation for the subject • Analyze data, assess different perspectives and draw well-founded conclusions • Be flexible and open to adjusting the plan for the project as needed Emphasis will be placed on personal qualities. We offer • An exciting job with an important mission in society • Developing tasks in a strong and international professional environment • Career guidance and follow-up during the PhD period • Open and inclusive working environment with committed colleagues • Working capital that can be used to implement the project • Mentor programme as a new employee at NTNU • Favorable terms as a member of the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund (SPK) • Free Norwegian language training at a basic level (A2) As a PhD Candidate at NTNU, you will have access to employee benefits. Diversity Diversity is a strength, and at NTNU we aim to be an employer that reflects the diversity in society and that makes use of the potential of the population's collective skills. Our vision is Knowledge for a better world and our values are creative, critical, constructive and respectful. We believe that an organization that is equal, diverse and gender-balanced is essential for us to achieve our goals. We strive to attract employees with different skills, life experiences and perspectives to contribute to even better problem solving of our societal mission in research and education. If you think this position is relevant and interesting, we encourage you to apply, regardless of gender, functional ability and cultural background, or whether you have been out of work for a period of time. At NTNU we want to increase the proportion of women in scientific positions. We have a number of measures to promote equality. Salary and conditions In the position of PhD Candidate, code 1017, your gross salary will normally be NOK 550 800,-per annum depending on qualifications and seniority. A 2% statutory contribution to the State Pension Fund is deducted from the salary. The employment period is 3 years for the doctoral work. For employment as a PhD Candidate, it is a prerequisite that you gain admission to the PhD programme PhD in Engineering (Doctoral Programme) 3 years - Trondheim - NTNU within three months of your employment contract start date, and that you participate in an organized doctoral programme throughout the period of employment. The position is conditional on external funding. As an employee at NTNU, it is important that you keep yourself up to date with academic and organizational changes and adapt to them. For the necessary professional and social interaction, it is a prerequisite that you are physically present and available to the institution on a daily basis. The appointment is carried out in accordance with the principles of the State Employees Act, and Export control (legislation that regulates the export of knowledge, technology and services). Candidates who, after assessment of the application and attachments, are considered to bein conflict with the criteria in the latter act, will not be able to be employed. About the application The attachments (including a description of your scientific work) must accompany the application as these documents form the basis of the application assessment. The documents must be in Norwegian/a Scandinavian language or English. Please note: the application will only be assessed on the basis of the information we have received by the application deadline. Therefore, make sure that your application clearly shows how your skills and experience meet the criteria described above. The application and all attachments must be sent electronically via Jobbnorge.no. If you are invited to an interview, you must bring certified copies of certificates and diplomas upon request. The application must include: • Transcripts and diplomas for Bachelor's and Master's degrees • CV • Copy of Master's thesis. If you have recently 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. • Project outline containing proposals for an overall description of research questions, theoretical perspectives, methodological design for the project and progress plan (maximum 1500 words/4 pages) • Short letter of motivation (400 words/1 page) • Possibly publications etc. other relevant research work • Possibly certificates • Names and contact information of three relevant referees 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. If your institution uses “diploma supplement” (normal for most European institutions), you must attach this. A description of the documentation required can also be found here. If you already have a statement from Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills (HK-dir), please attach this as well. Joint work will be considered. If it is difficult to identify your contribution to joint work, you must attach a brief description of your participation. When assessing the best qualified, we emphasize necessary qualifications such as education, experience and personal suitability. Motivation for the position, ambitions, and potential for research will also count when assessing the candidates. NTNU recognizes a wide range of academic contributions and has committed itself to The San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment and CoARA (responsible assessment of research and recognition of a greater breadth of academic contributions in accordance with NTNU's social mission). General information A public list of applicants with name, age, job title and municipality of residence is prepared after the application deadline. If you wish to be exempt 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 exemption is not granted. If you think this position looks interesting and in line with your qualifications, you are welcome to apply. If you have any questions about the position, please contact Associate Professor Ivan Depina, 40389387, ivan.depina@ntnu.no and Professor Mohamed Hamdy, mohamed.hamdy@ntnu.no If you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact Ragne Matberg (HR Consultant), email: ragne.matberg@ntnu.no Application deadline: 16.08.2026 ----------------- For practical information about working at NTNU, please visit this webpage. The city of Trondheim is a modern European city with a rich cultural scene. Trondheim is the tech 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.
This is NTNU NTNU is a broad-based university with a technical-scientific profile and a focus in professional education. The university is located in three cities with headquarters in Trondheim. At NTNU, 9,000 employees and 43,000 students work to create knowledge for a better world. You will find more information about working at NTNU and the application process here. Video: https://youtu.be/Xt-yHCN5QS0About the position We invite applications for a PhD Candidate position focused on the development of hybrid artificial intelligence and optimization methods for dynamic and stochastic transport operations. The position is based at the Department of Industrial Economics and Technology Management, located at NTNU’s campus in Trondheim. This is an educational position, which will provide promising research recruits the opportunity for professional development through studies towards a PhD-degree. The position is connected to the PhD program at the Faculty of Economics and Management, and the faculty will be your employer. Transport and logistics systems are becoming increasingly complex, data-rich, and dynamic. Public transport operators, freight carriers, and logistics providers must make decisions under uncertainty while responding to disruptions, fluctuating demand, and changing operating conditions. This PhD project focuses on developing AI-supported decision methods for routing and scheduling in transport and logistics systems. The research investigates how operations research and artificial intelligence can be combined to improve planning and operational decision making under uncertainty. The project addresses challenges that arise when traditional optimization models are applied in real-world settings characterized by large-scale networks, stochastic demand, operational disruptions, and complex constraints. A central research question is how machine learning can be integrated with optimization algorithms to support faster, more robust, and more adaptive decision making. The project addresses research questions like: • How can learning-based models be integrated with optimization methods to improve the robustness and performance of transport planning decisions? • How can hybrid AI–optimization methods scale to large real-world transport and logistics systems while handling the many constraints encountered in practice? • How can routes and schedules be evaluated efficiently across many possible future scenarios to support both tactical planning and real-time adaptation? To address these questions, the PhD candidate will develop and evaluate new decision-support methods that combine optimization and machine learning. Particular attention will be given to methods that can rapidly assess the consequences of routing and scheduling decisions under uncertainty, enabling both robust planning and adaptive operational decision making. The research will be developed and validated using real-world transport and logistics applications. The primary application domain is public transport planning in collaboration with AtB, the public transport authority in the Trondheim region. Additional case studies may be conducted together with other logistics partners, including Posten Bring (Norway's national postal and logistics operator), Bama (Norway's largest fruit and vegetables distributor), and Oda (Norway's leading online grocery retailer). The position offers a unique opportunity to work at the intersection of artificial intelligence, optimization, and transport systems while contributing both fundamental methodological advances and practical decision-support tools. Research environment The PhD position is part of the Norwegian Centre on AI for Decisions (aiD), https://aid-centre.no/, a national research initiative led by NTNU and SINTEF. The centre brings together around 60 partners[MS1] from academia, research institutes, industry, and the public sector. Through aiD, the PhD project will be connected to a larger research environment working on hybrid AI–optimization methods for planning and operations under uncertainty, as well as applications in logistics, healthcare, energy systems, and infrastructure planning. The PhD candidate will be hosted at the Managerial Economics, Finance and Operations Research (BEDØK) group at the Department of Industrial Economics and Technology Management. The group is one of Norway's leading academic environments in operations research, logistics, optimization, and quantitative decision support. In addition, the PhD candidate will work in close collaboration with researchers from SINTEF Digital’s Optimization group, a leading research environment in applied optimization and artificial intelligence. The department endeavors to promote research that meets high international standards. Consequently, collaboration with international institutions is considered important. The department therefore encourages the successful PhD candidate to spend one or two semesters of the contract period at a foreign educational institution. The department offers support in planning such research visits. The mission of Department of Industrial Economics and Technology Management (IØT) is to carry out education, research, and innovation activities at an international level at the intersection between technology/natural sciences and business economics, management, and HSE. The department’s activities aim to contribute to sustainable value creation within technology-based areas in industry, business, and the public sector in Norway. Your role in the project The PhD candidate will: • Conduct original scientific research related to the project topic • Develop new algorithms and methods combining AI and optimization • Publish research results in leading international journals and conferences • Collaborate with academic and industry partners • Participate in aiD centre activities and research meetings • Complete the required coursework as part of the PhD programme • Contribute to dissemination and communication of research results Required selection criteria Applicants must hold a master’s degree in a relevant field with strong academic results (B or better according to NTNU’s grading scale). Relevant academic backgrounds include: • Operations research • Computer science • Artificial intelligence or machine learning • Applied mathematics • Engineering disciplines with strong quantitative and algorithmic content Applicants must document competence in optimization, operations research or machine learning. PLEASE NOTE: For detailed information about what the application must contain, see paragraph “About the application”. The appointment is to be made in accordance with NTNUs guidelines for recruitment positions for general criteria for the position. Preferred selection criteria The following qualifications will be considered an advantage: • Good knowledge of mathematical optimization (e.g., mixed-integer linear programming, stochastic programming, meta-heuristics) • Knowledge of machine learning and/or AI methods • Experience with algorithm development • Proficiency in at least one programming language, e.g, Python, Julia, C++, or similar • Interest in applications in transport, logistics, or operations planning Applicants in the final phase of their master’s studies are encouraged to apply Personal characteristics We are looking for a candidate who: • Is intellectually curious and motivated to conduct high-quality research • Works independently and in a structured manner • Has strong communication and collaboration skills • Thrives in interdisciplinary research environments • Is interested in developing research with practical relevance and societal impact Emphasis will be placed on scientific quality, research potential, and personal suitability. We offer • An exciting and international academic environment with opportunities for competence development • Opportunities to collaborate with leading researchers in optimization and AI • Close interaction with industry partners and public sector stakeholders • Participation in a national centre of excellence on AI for decision making • Opportunities for research stays at international universities • An open and inclusive workplace with engaged colleagues • Favorable terms in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund • Employee benefits • Good loan, insurance, and pension schemes in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund • Norwegian language training at a basic level (A2) • Working at NTNU Information about working and living in Norway can be found at the following link: https://www.workinnorway.no/en/Home Diversity Diversity is a strength, and at NTNU we aim to be an employer that reflects the diversity in society and that makes use of the potential of the population's collective skills. Our vision is Knowledge for a better world and our values are creative, critical, constructive and respectful. We believe that an organization that is equal, diverse and gender-balanced is essential for us to achieve our goals. We strive to attract employees with different skills, life experiences and perspectives to contribute to even better problem solving of our societal mission in research and education. If you think this position is relevant and interesting, we encourage you to apply, regardless of gender, functional ability and cultural background, or whether you have been out of work for a period of time. Salary and conditions PhD candidates are remunerated in code 1017, currently NOK 550.800,- per year before tax. From the salary, 2% is deducted as a contribution to the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund. The period of employment is 3 years without required teaching duties. Appointment requires admission to the PhD programme at the Faculty of Economics and Management at NTNU. Trondheim is the workplace. For necessary professional and social interaction, it is a prerequisite that you are physically present and available to the institution on a daily basis. The appointment is carried out in accordance with the principles of the State Employees Act, and Export control (legislation that regulates the export of knowledge, technology and services). Candidates who, after assessment of the application and attachments, are considered to be in conflict with the criteria in the latter act, will not be able to be employed. Any statutory leave will be added to the employment period. As an employee at NTNU, it is important to stay updated on professional and organizational changes and adapt to these. About the application Please note that the application will only be assessed based on the information we have at the application deadline. Therefore, ensure that your application clearly demonstrates how your skills and experiences meet the criteria described above. The application must contain the following: • Motivation letter – The motivation letter must clearly state how the candidate meets the qualification requirements. • Research plan (maximum one page) – Applicants should provide a brief research plan describing how they would approach one or more of the research questions outlined in the description of the position. The plan should reflect the applicant’s research interests and provide an outline of how they envision contributing to the project objectives. • CV, diplomas, and certificates • Scientific works, including the master thesis. • Names and contact information of three potential references NTNU recognizes a wide range of academic contributions and has committed itself to The San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment and CoARA (responsible assessment of research and recognition of a greater breadth of academic contributions in accordance with NTNU's social mission). Incomplete applications will not be considered. General information A public list of applicants with name, age, job title and municipality of residence is prepared after the application deadline. If you wish to be exempt 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 exemption is not granted. If you think this position looks interesting and in line with your qualifications, you are welcome to apply. Questions about the position can be directed to Associate Professor Steffen Jaap Skotvoll Bakker (steffen.bakker@ntnu.no), Professor Magnus Stålhane (magnus.staalhane@ntnu.no), and Research Manager Torkel Haufmann (torkel.haufmann@sintef.no). If you have any questions regarding the employment process, please contact HR Advisor Hilde Selli Egelie at hilde.s.egelie@ntnu.no. Application deadline: 16.08.2026 ----------------- For practical information about working at NTNU, please visit this webpage. The city of Trondheim is a modern European city with a rich cultural scene. Trondheim is the tech 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.
This is NTNU NTNU is a broad-based university with a technical-scientific profile and a focus in professional education. The university is located in three cities with headquarters in Trondheim. At NTNU, 9,000 employees and 43,000 students work to create knowledge for a better world. You can find more information about working at NTNU and the application process here. Video: https://youtu.be/Xt-yHCN5QS0About the Job We have a vacancy for a full-time three year researcher at the Department of Biotechnology and Food Science, NTNU. The position is linked to AIMARIA – Accelerating Innovation in Marine AI-Powered Bioprospecting, a Horizon Europe Innovation Action coordinated by NTNU. AIMARIA combines omics, bioinformatics, artificial intelligence, synthetic biology, bioprocess development and sustainability assessment to accelerate the discovery and sustainable production of marine and aquatic natural products. At NTNU, a central part of the project is the development of more predictable and efficient methods for the refactoring and heterologous expression of biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs). The researcher will have a leading role in developing NTNUs experimental platform for BGC expression. The work will combine molecular biology, microbial strain engineering and synthetic biology with AI-supported design of regulatory DNA elements and expression constructs. The researcher will work closely with a PhD candidate recruited to the same scientific activity and with national and international partners in the AIMARIA consortium. The position is well suited for a researcher who would like to develop and apply advanced synthetic-biology methods to challenging microbial expression systems and contribute to the production of biologically active natural products and enzymes. Your immediate leader is Head of the department. Duties of the position • Develop and implement strategies for the design, refactoring and heterologous expression of biosynthetic gene clusters. • Design and construct expression systems, including promoters, 5′ untranslated regions and other regulatory DNA elements. • Engineer and evaluate microbial host strains for the expression of complex biosynthetic pathways. • Analyse and interpret molecular, expression and production data. • Coordinate relevant NTNU activities with partners in the AIMARIA consortium. • Contribute to project deliverables, scientific reports, presentations and peer-reviewed publications. • Present project results at consortium meetings, scientific conferences and relevant stakeholder events. The distribution of duties may be adjusted according to the candidate’s qualifications and the scientific development of the project. Required selection criteria • A completed PhD in synthetic biology, molecular biology, biotechnology, microbiology, biochemistry, biochemical engineering or another relevant discipline. • Documented hands-on experience in BGC refactoring, molecular cloning, DNA assembly and genetic engineering of microorganisms. • Experience with heterologous gene expression, metabolic engineering, pathway engineering or related microbial biotechnology. • Ability to plan, conduct, document and analyse experimental research independently. • Experience with the analysis and interpretation of biological data. • A scientific publication record relevant to the position. • Excellent written and oral English language skills. The PhD degree must have been completed and documented by the application deadline. Preferred selection criteria • Experience with biosynthetic gene clusters or microbial natural-product pathways. • Experience with Streptomyces, actinomycetes or other microbial hosts used for heterologous BGC expression. • Experience with assembly, manipulation or expression of large DNA constructs. • Experience with promoter engineering, regulatory-sequence design or optimisation of microbial gene expression. • Experience with CRISPR-based genome engineering or other advanced strain-engineering methods. • Knowledge of bioinformatics, DNA-sequence analysis or computational design tools. • Experience with high-throughput experimental workflows, automation or design–build–test–learn cycles. • Experience with microbial cultivation, fermentation or bioprocess development. • Experience with metabolite analysis or interpretation of LC–MS or related analytical data. • Experience with supervision of students or junior researchers. • Experience from international or externally funded collaborative research projects. • Knowledge of research-data management, open science and FAIR data principles. Personal characteristics • Scientifically curious and motivated to solve complex experimental problems. • Able to work independently while contributing actively to a collaborative research environment. • Structured, systematic and attentive to experimental documentation and data quality. • Proactive and able to move work forward across several parallel activities. • Able to communicate clearly with researchers from different scientific and professional backgrounds. • Supportive and constructive in the supervision of students and junior colleagues. • Flexible and comfortable working in a large international consortium. In the evaluation of which candidate is best qualified, emphasis will be placed on education, experience and personal suitability, as well as motivation, in terms of the qualification requirements specified in the advertisement. We offer • Exciting and stimulating tasks in a strong international academic environment • An open and inclusive work environment with dedicated colleagues • Experience with coordination of a large EU-funded biotechnology and bioeconomy project. • Favourable terms in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund • employee benefits Salary and conditions As a researcher (code 1109) you are normally renumerated depending on qualifications and seniority. As required by law, 2% of this salary will be deducted and paid into the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund. The position is for a period of three years. The Researcher is expected to start during the autumn semester of 2026, although the precise start date can be agreed upon. 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. For the necessary professional and social interaction, it is a prerequisite that you are physically present and available to the institution on a daily basis. About the application Your application and supporting documentation must be in English or a Scandinavian language. Please note: the application will only be assessed on the basis of the information we have received by the application deadline. Therefore, make sure that your application clearly shows how your skills and experience meet the criteria described above. The application and all attachments must be sent electronically via Jobbnorge.no. Applications submitted by other means will not be considerered. Please do not send separate application documents or additional information by e-mail. If you are invited to an interview, you must bring certified copies of certificates and diplomas upon request. Your application must include: • CV, certificates and diplomas. • A short application letter describing your motivation and relevant experience. • A complete list of publications and other relevant scientific outputs. • Copies of up to five scientific works that you consider particularly relevant to the position. • A brief description of your contribution to the submitted scientific works. • Names and contact information for three relevant referees. • Documentation of the scope and quality of any education taken abroad. If you already have a statement from NOKUT/HK-dir, please attach this as well. It is important that you both document and reflect on your competence. You are encouraged to use the NTNUs competence matrix as a guide for documentation of your competence. Joint work will also be considered. If it is difficult to identify your specific input to a joint project, you must include evidence of your contributions. 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. Open scientific practice will be recognized. NTNU is obliged by the evaluation criteria for research quality in accordance with The San Fransisco Declaration on Research Assessment – DORA and The obligations in the Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment ( CoARA) on responsible assessment of research and recognition of a wider range of academic contributions to science and society. This means that we will pay particular attention to the quality and academic range demonstrated by your scientific work to date. We will also pay attention to research leadership and participation in research projects. Your scientific work from the last five years will be given the most weight. Your application will be considered by a committee at the department. Candidates of interest will be invited to an interview. General information NTNU believes that inclusion and diversity is a strength. We want our faculty and staff to reflect Norway’s culturally diverse population and we continuously seek to hire the best minds. This enables NTNU to increase productivity and innovation, improve decision making processes, raise employee satisfaction, compete academically with global top-ranking institutions and carry out our social responsibilities within education and research. NTNU emphasizes accessibility and encourages qualified candidates to apply regardless of gender identity, ability status, periods of unemployment or ethnic and cultural background. 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 about the position, please contact Rahmi Lale, e-mail: rahmi.lale@ntnu.no. If you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact Cecilie Skagfjord, e-mail: cecilie.skagfjord@ntnu.no. 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: 09.08.2026 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.