4 PhD and 1 Postdoc Research Fellowships Within the Marine Coastal Develompent

Application deadline: 25 May 2009
The Marine Coastal Development strategic area at NTNU offers research opportunities in a multidisciplinary scientific environment along the marine value chain. The focus is on themes contributing to advances in ocean space research, fisheries and aquaculture, and marine resource processing. Candidates for 4 PhD and 1 Postdoc Research Fellowships are invited to submit an application for one of the following positions:

Ocean Space Research

    * PhD within development of new concepts and steering systems for remote operated vehicles (#1)
    * Postdoc within development of new concepts and steering systems for remote operated vehicles (#2)

The fellows will work on the further development of underwater vehicles (ROV and AUV) for future use within different marine applications. These may include both observation and detection of marine organisms and environmental mapping, as well as generation of energy from the ocean. Relevant scientific approaches will consist of system theory and marine regulation techniques. The fellowship will be organized under the Department of Marine Technology, but much of the work will be done at NTNU’s research vessel RV Gunnerus and at the laboratories of the Trondhjem Biological Station in addition to the hydrodynamic laboratories at the Centre of Marine Technology. This fits into the plan to use the Trondheimsfjord as a laboratory and as a basis for research on mapping and monitoring of the depths of the ocean and of the Nordic areas. The candidates should have the necessary degree (MSc or PhD respectively) within marine technology with a specialization in
system theory or marine cybernetics, or with equivalent competence. The research activities will be cross-disciplinary, including collaboration with other fellows working within biological oceanography, physics and measuring methods (optics, acoustics and telemetry).

For more information, please contact Professor Harald Ellingsen, Dept. of Marine Technology (email: harald.ellingsen@ ntnu.no) or Professor Asgeir J. Sørensen, Dept. of Marine Technology (email: asgeir.sorensen@ ntnu.no).

Marine resource processing

    * 1 PhD within superchilling of Fresh Food (#3)

The fellowship will be connected to the research group Industrial Processes at the Department of Energy and Process Engineering at NTNU. The fellowship is for a period of three (3) years. The Superchilling is a concept for reducing product temperature to 1-2°C below the initial freezing point. Some ice will be formed and stored within the product and this will increase the shelf life of the product compared to traditional refrigeration with improved quality compared to freezing. The tasks within this fellowship will be modelling, simulations and verifications with experiments in the laboratory. The candidate needs to have an MSc in engineering or similar within the departments disciplines. The fellowship is connected to a larger research project “Competitive Food Processing in Norway” coordinated by the research institute SINTEF. The SINTEF project is running in the period from 2007 to the end of 2011.

For further information, please contact Professor Trygve M. Eikevik, Dept. of Energy and Process Engineering (e-mail: trygve.m.eikevik@ ntnu.no, tel: +47 73 59 39 21) or Dr. Anne Karin T. Hemmingsen, SINTEF Energy Research (e-mail: anne.k.t.hemmingsen @sintef.no, tel: +47 73598108)

    * 1 PhD within superfreezing of Fish (#4)

The fellowship will be connected to the research group Industrial Processes at the Department of Energy and Process Engineering at NTNU. The fellowship is for a period of three (3) years. Superfreezing is a concept for reducing product temperature well below frozen storage temperatures today, usually in the region -45 ºC to -70 ºC (Japan). Superfreezing greatly increases the high quality shelf life compared to traditional storage temperatures between -18 ºC to -25 ºC. The focus will be on determination of glass transition temperature, optimal storage temperatures and storage life. The candidate needs to have an MSc in engineering or similar within the department’s disciplines. The fellowship is connected to a larger research program at NTNU “Institutional strategic research project” funded by the Norwegian Research Council. This fellowship is connected to the work package “Food from North”.

For further information, please contact Professor Trygve M. Eikevik, Dept. of Energy and Process Engineering (e-mail: trygve.m.eikevik@ ntnu.no, tel: +47 73 59 39 21)

Fisheries and aquaculture

    * 1 PhD fellowship within water treatment and water recycling systems (#5)

NTNU is seeking to recruit a qualified person within the area of water quality and treatment, and water recycling systems applied to aquaculture. The water treatment research group at the Department of Hydraulic and Environmental Engineering has extensive competence and experience related to water quality issues and advanced water treatment technologies applied to various applications, i.e. drinking water treatment, municipal and industrial wastewater treatment, wastewater treatment on ships, treatment of produced water and in aquaculture. Membrane technology applied to water treatment is currently a focus area covering a broad range of applications with ongoing research investigating several membrane based solutions. The water treatment research group aims to strengthen and develop its activities related to water treatment in aquaculture applications, with an emphasis on recycling systems. This is currently being conducted under the research framework
and through collaboration the research group has with NTNU Sealab. One PhD Fellow position (3 years) is available and dedicated to this task.

For more information contact Professor Tor Ove Leiknes, Department of Hydraulic and Environmental Engineering (e-mail torove.leiknes@ ntnu.no , tel: +47 73 59 47 58)

Applicants for the PhD-positions should have an MSc or similar degree within relevant science, engineering or technology areas. Applicants must be qualified for PhD study at NTNU. The fellowships will be awarded on a competitive basis. The Postdoc candidate must have a completed PhD or be able to document a similar competence, relevant to the tasks in the projects.

PhD research fellowships are awarded for a total of 3 or 4 years. Fellowships for 4 years include 25 % of teaching assistance at Bachelor’s and Master’s degree level. These duties are commonly distributed over the 4 years, with a larger proportion during the two first years. The Postdoc fellowship is awarded for 3 years.

Salaries

PhD candidates are remunerated in code 1017, in the State salary scale 45-51, gross NOK NOK 353 000 to NOK 391 500 per annum (before tax). Postdoc fellows are remunerated in code 1352, in the State salary scale 57-76, gross NOK 435 500 to NOK 625 900 per annum (before tax). PhD candidates are normally remunerated at wage level 45, whereas Postdoc fellows are normally remunerated at wage level 57. There will be a 2 % deduction to The Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund from gross salary.

The appointment of the PhD or Postdoc fellows will be made according to Norwegian guidelines for universities and university colleges. Applicants for a PhD position are obliged to engage on an organized research programme, and appointment requires approval of the applicant’s plan for PhD study.

The position adheres to the Norwegian Government’s policy of balanced ethnicity, age and gender. Persons with immigrant background are encouraged to apply. NTNU’s objective is to increase the number of females in scientific positions. Female applicants are therefore encouraged to apply.

All applicants must be able to communicate fluently in English (in speaking and writing). Some of the positions will also require good skills in Norwegian. Applicants must indicate their level of language skills in English and Norwegian.

Applications with CV, certified copies of transcripts and reference letters should be submitted electronically through www.jobbnorge. no. Mark the application with ref.no. IVT-42/09 and numbers as indicated above for each of the positions. The attachments to the application should preferably be gathered in one single file.