
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 can find more information about working at NTNU and the application process here.
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
The distribution of duties may be adjusted according to the candidate’s qualifications and the scientific development of the project.
Required selection criteria
The PhD degree must have been completed and documented by the application deadline.
Preferred selection criteria
Personal characteristics
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 have a vacancy for a full-time PhD candidate 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 PhD project will investigate how regulatory DNA elements, BGC architecture and microbial host selection influence the expression of complex biosynthetic pathways. Molecular biology, microbial strain engineering and synthetic biology will be combined with AI-supported design of promoters, 5′ untranslated regions and other regulatory elements. The resulting data will be used to establish more predictable design principles for BGC expression and to support iterative AI-guided design–build–test–learn cycles. The precise scope of the doctoral project will be refined according to the candidate’s qualifications, the BGCs prioritised in AIMARIA and the scientific development of the project. The PhD candidate will work closely with a researcher recruited to the same scientific activity and with national and international partners in the AIMARIA consortium. The project will provide training at the interface between fundamental research in microbial gene regulation and applied development of microbial production systems for marine natural products and enzymes. The successful candidate will be admitted to the PhD programme in Biotechnology at NTNU (https://www.ntnu.edu/studies/phbiot ).The place of work is the Department of Biotechnology and Food Science in Trondheim. Your immediate leader is Head of the department. Duties of the position • Design and construct expression systems for heterologous expression of biosynthetic gene clusters. • Assemble, modify and refactor BGCs and associated genetic constructs. • Design and experimentally test promoters, 5′ untranslated regions and other regulatory DNA elements. • Genetically engineer microbial host strains and evaluate their suitability for BGC expression. • Conduct molecular-biology, microbiology and synthetic-biology experiments. • Analyse BGC transcription, gene expression and product formation. • Apply bioinformatic and AI-supported tools for the design and prioritisation of genetic constructs. • Document, analyse and interpret experimental data. • Collaborate with researchers and project partners responsible for BGC discovery, cell-free expression, analytical chemistry and bioprocess development. • Participate in AIMARIA consortium meetings, scientific workshops and conferences. • Publish results in peer-reviewed scientific journals and present the work in the doctoral thesis. • Contribute to project deliverables and scientific reporting relevant to the doctoral work. • Participate in the Department’s doctoral training and academic environment. The primary responsibility of the PhD candidate is to conduct research leading to completion of a doctoral degree. Be prepared for changes to your work duties after employment. Required selection criteria • A master’s degree or equivalent education in synthetic biology, molecular biology, biotechnology, microbiology, biochemistry, biochemical engineering or another field relevant to the project. • Practical laboratory experience in molecular biology, microbiology, genetic engineering or related experimental methods. • Ability to analyse, interpret and clearly document experimental results. • Excellent written and oral English language skills. • Motivation to undertake independent research and complete a doctoral degree. • Your education must correspond to a five-year Norwegian course, where 120 credits have been obtained at master’s level. Master students can apply, but he master’s degree must be obtained and documented before starting in the position and not later than 01.01.2027. • A strong academic background relevant to molecular biology, microbial genetics or synthetic biology, 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 faculty's Doctoral Programme (https://www.ntnu.edu/phd) 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 • Experience with molecular cloning, DNA assembly or construction of expression vectors. • Experience with genetic modification of bacteria or other microorganisms. • Experience with heterologous gene expression or microbial strain engineering. • Knowledge of biosynthetic gene clusters, secondary metabolism or microbial natural products. • Experience with Streptomyces, actinomycetes or other microbial production hosts. • Experience with CRISPR-based engineering or related genome-editing techniques. • Knowledge of promoter engineering, gene regulation or regulatory DNA-sequence design. • Experience with bioinformatics, sequence analysis, programming or computational biology. • Experience with microbial cultivation, fermentation or bioprocessing. • Experience with analytical methods used to investigate gene expression, proteins or metabolites. • Experience with systematic experimental design or design–build–test–learn workflows. Personal characteristics • Strong motivation for experimental research and doctoral training. • Scientifically curious and willing to learn new methods. • Able to work independently while seeking guidance when needed. • Systematic, careful and attentive to experimental documentation and data quality. • Persistent and constructive when experimental work presents challenges. • Collaborative and comfortable working in an interdisciplinary and international environment. • Able to communicate research clearly in writing and orally. In the assessment of the best-qualified candidate, emphasis will be placed on education, academic performance, relevant experimental experience, motivation, scientific potential and personal suitability. 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 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. Salary and conditions The gross salary for the position of 1017 PhD Candidate 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 position is for a period of three years. The candidate is expected to start during the autumn semester of 2026, although the precise start date can be agreed upon. For employment as a PhD Candidate, it is a prerequisite that you gain admission to the PhD programme in Biotechnology (https://www.ntnu.edu/phd) 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 be in conflict with the criteria in the latter act, will not be able to be employed. 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 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 that applications will be assessed only on the basis of the information received by the application deadline. You should therefore ensure that your application clearly demonstrates how your skills and experience meet the criteria described above. The application and all attachments must be submitted electronically via Jobbnorge.no. Applications submitted by other means will not be considered. Please do not send separate application documents or additional information by e-mail. The application must include: • CV, diplomas and certificates. • A short application letter describing your motivation, research interests and suitability for the PhD project. • Transcripts of grades from bachelor’s and master’s degree studies. • A copy of the master’s thesis. Candidates who have not yet submitted their thesis may provide a draft or a short description of the work and expected submission date. • Copies of publications or other scientific works, where applicable. • Names and contact information for three relevant referees. • Documentation of the scope and quality of education completed outside Norway, where applicable. 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. In the evaluation of which candidate is best qualified, emphasis will be placed on education, experience, personal suitability and motivation in terms of the qualification requirements specified in the advertisement. 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 Rahmi Lale, email: rahmi.lale@ntnu.no. If you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact Cecilie Skagfjrod, e-mail: cecilie.skagfjord@ntnu.no. Application deadline: 09.08.2026 ----------------- 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 Foundation models represent one of the most promising avenues pushing the frontier of robot autonomy. Aiming to break new ground this PhD project focuses on developing novel foundation models for underwater robot perception and navigation. The aim is twofold: to advance foundation-model capabilities within the underwater domain, and to ensure that a unified modelling approach can operate across robot embodiments – air, ground, and marine. Achieving this requires new simulation tools, scalable neural architectures for perception and navigation that generalize across robot types, modeling of light effects underwater, and high-quality underwater datasets, both synthetic and real. The project will leverage the extensive underwater robotics infrastructure at NTNU and the Norwegian Centre for Embodied AI. The PhD candidate will be supervised by Kostas Alexis, head of the Autonomous Robots Lab (ARL), and the position is part of the recently-funded Norwegian Centre for Embodied AI. About the project Join a nation-wide team: The Norwegian Centre for Embodied AI (NCEI), one of Norway’s six national AI centers, is recruiting outstanding researchers to advance a universal science of embodied intelligence. NCEI brings together leading robotics and AI groups with key partners from industry and the public sector to study how intelligence emerges from the interaction between body, computation, and environment, across flying, ground, and aquatic robot configurations. Our mission is to chart a generalizable path for physical AI and transform how robot morphology and autonomy are co-designed, enabling new generations of systems tailored to their operational environments and missions. Successful candidates will join an international community with world-class facilities and strong collaborations across Norwegian universities, research institutes, industry, public agencies, and leading global institutions. We welcome motivated applicants in robotics, control, AI, machine learning, physics, and related fields, including early-stage researchers eager to contribute to this emerging scientific frontier. Duties of the position • Fundamental contributions in foundation models for underwater robotics. • Focus on implementable methods for onboard robotic autonomy. • Experimental deployments and field evaluation of the conducted research. • Complete your doctoral education leading to the PhD degree. • Conduct and publish research of high-quality within the framework described above. • Participate in international activities such as conferences and/or research stays abroad. • Collaborate with other researchers within the department, and across departments at NTNU. • Supervise master’s thesis students related to the project. Be prepared for changes to your work duties after employment. Required selection criteria • You must have a Master's degree in cybernetics, control systems, or equivalent, with a strong training in robotics or computer vision or machine learning. • Your education must correspond to a five-year Norwegian degree program, where 120 credits are obtained at master's level. • You must have a 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. • You must meet the requirements for admission to the faculty's doctoral program (see: https://www.ntnu.edu/ie/research/phd). • You must meet the requirements for admission to the IE Faculty. 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 and Regulations for the degrees philosophiae doctor (ph.d.) and philosophiae doctor (ph.d.) in artistic development work at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)for general criteria for the position. Preferred selection criteria • Solid theoretical background in robot perception and navigation. • Deep foundation in modern machine learning. • Solid programming skills in C++ and Python. Experience with ROS is a plus. • Experience with simulators for robotic systems. • Experience with implementation of real-life robotic systems. • Strong skills in mathematics, excellent capacity for mathematical formalism, and ability to grasp new concepts quickly. Personal characteristics To complete a doctoral degree (PhD), it is important that you are able to: • Be scientifically curious and open to new research challenges. • Demonstrate independence and persistence in addressing technical problems. • Be flexible and reliable, with ability to work effectively independently and as part of a team. 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) 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 from 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 employment as a PhD Candidate, it is a prerequisite that you gain admission to the PhD program in Engineering Cybernetics within three months of your employment contract start date, and that you participate in an organized doctoral program 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 be in 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. Documentation of a completed Master's degree must be presented before taking up the position. • CV • Short letter of motivation (400 words/1 page) • Names and contact information of minimum 2 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 Professor Konstantinos Alexis, email: konstantinos.alexis@ntnu.no . If you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact HR Consultant Berit Dahl, e-mail: berit.dahl@ntnu.no . Application deadline: 25.08.2026. 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 For a position as a PhD Candidate, the goal is a completed doctoral education up to an obtained doctoral degree. The PhD Candidate position is part of AIMARIA - Accelerating Innovation in Marine AI-powered Bioprospecting. AIMARIA is a large European research project focused on the discovery and demonstration of sustainable production routes for high-value marine bioactive compounds. The project involves several universities, research institutes, and companies across Europe and New Zealand, and is coordinated by NTNU, Department of Biotechnology and Food Science. The PhD position shall deliver actionable recommendations for sustainability, circularity and social acceptance of synthesis pathways, enzymes and compounds. The work shall embed environmental, economic and societal life-cycle performance to design and decision-making for production marine bioactives through prospective life cycle assessment and techno-economic analysis. The candidate shall also contribute to address societal expectations and ethical use of marine resources through engagement with indigenous, regulatory and societal stakeholder perspectives. Are you motivated to take a step towards a doctorate and open up exciting career opportunities? As a PhD Candidate with us, you will work to achieve your doctorate, and at the same time gain valuable experience that qualifies you for a further career in higher education and research, in and outside academia. IndEcol is a pioneer in the development and application of industrial ecology methods, as well as the use of large data sets and scientific computing in industrial ecology. We focus on understanding resource use and environmental pollution associated with human activities, assessing the environmental aspects of different technologies and modeling society’s use of materials. IndEcol combines world-class competence in Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), Input-Output analysis (I/O), and Material Flow Analysis (MFA) with scientists’ contribution to IPCC and IPBES assessment reports, the International Resource Panel, active participation to the Life-Cycle Initiative hosted by UN Environment, and numerous publications featured in high-ranked journals. IndEcol hosts its own International MSc program and contributes to NTNU’s engineering education. The research team consisting of eight faculty members, the Industrial Ecology Digital Laboratory, and about 70 researchers, Post Docs. and PhD students. More information can be found at https://www.ntnu.edu/indecol. Your immediate leader is Associate Professor Johan Berg Pettersen at Dept. of energy and process engineering and Industrial Ecology Programme. Duties of the position • Conduct prospective life cycle assessment and techno-economic analysis of selected biosynthesis routes. • Contribute to mapping of societal expectations and socio-economic implications of technologies, including engagement with indigenous, regulatory, and societal stakeholders. • Actively communicate findings and collaborate with partners in AIMARIA. • Disseminate research findings in scholarly journals and international conferences. Be prepared for changes to your work duties after employment. Required selection criteria • You must have a relevant Master's degree in engineering, biotechnology, industrial ecology, or equivalent. Your course of study must correspond to a five-year Norwegian course, where 120 credits have been obtained at master's level. Master students can apply, but the master's degree must be obtained and documented before starting the position. • 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 faculty's Doctoral Programme • You must prove good analytical and computational capabilities, through course information or thesis deliverables in the application. • You must document good oral and written presentation 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 • Experience or course(s) in life cycle assessment and prospective LCA. • Experience or courses in other methods from industrial ecology or relevant fields, such as material flow analysis, ecological risk assessment, social impact assessment. • Competences in python programming. Personal characteristics To complete a doctoral degree (PhD), it is important that you are able to: • Self-motivated and curious about science • Able to work in detail, while also see the big picture. • Interest in sharing and discussing findings with others • 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 • 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. The Department of Energy and Process Engineering (EPT) has established EPT Women in Science. The group is focused on supporting female Research Assistants, PhD Candidates, Postdoctoral Fellows and permanent academic employees within the Department. This support aims to help develop the academic careers of female employees, and is also made visible to our student body, to encourage them to consider an academic path. As part of the EPT Women in Science initiative we continue to build on our international network, inviting prominent female academics within and beyond the field of Engineering to speak at our events. 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 in engineering 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 be in 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. • 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 have 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 Johan Berg Pettersen, email: johan.pettersen@ntnu.no. If you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact HR Consultant Martha Aftret Karlsvik, e-mail: hr@ept.ntnu.no. Application deadline: 15.08.2025 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ For practical information about working at NTNU, please visit this webpage. The city of Trondheim is located on the Trondheim Fjord in mid-Norway. It is a modern Scandinavian city with a unique cultural scene. Trondheim has a growing and increasingly diverse population, currently of around 200 000, and is known as the tech capital of Norway. The Norwegian welfare state, including healthcare, schools and kindergartens, is among the best of its kind in the world. Professional, subsidized wrap-around care for school children in grades 1-4 is easily available. There are two International Schools, and the public school system offers language support to international children whose families have relocated to Trondheim. Trondheim has low crime rates, clean air and water, and offers great opportunities for enjoying nature and culture. Further information The positions are funded by the EU project AIMARIA (Grant agreement number 101291450).