项目介绍

2026年8月27日

About the position

Would you like to work at the intersection of artificial intelligence and offshore engineering, contributing to the next generation of intelligent floating structures? The Department of Marine Technology at NTNU has a vacancy for a PhD Candidate in agentic AI for intelligent structural control. The position is part of the AIMOS project (Artificial Intelligence for Multiscale Offshore Structures), which develops integrated AI methods for the analysis, design, monitoring, and control of floating offshore systems.

The PhD project focuses on developing AI-enabled and physics-aware control strategies for large multi-modular offshore structures, such as floating solar systems and very large floating platforms. These systems consist of interconnected modules whose structural behaviour must be coordinated under changing environmental conditions. A central challenge is to enable scalable and distributed control across a large number of interconnected components. The candidate will develop control methods based on agentic AI and multi-agent learning. The position offers the opportunity to work on cutting-edge research with strong relevance to offshore renewable energy and marine infrastructure.

Your immediate leader will be the Head of Department.

Duties of the position

• Take courses in relevant technical topics, comprising a minimum of 30 ECTS.
• Carry out research of good quality within the framework described above
• Academic publications and popular science dissemination
• Conduct research on agentic AI and physics-aware control plant models for multi-modular floating structures with adaptive or variable-stiffness connectors, including reasoning, decision-making
• Combine engineering modelling, simulation data, and machine learning methods to support real-time control, monitoring, and decision-making.
• Analyse the dynamic behavior of modular floating structures, including connector loads, load redistribution, resonance effects, inter-module coupling, and response under varying sea states.
• Validate using numerical simulations, experiments data, and field measurements.
• Collaborate with other PhD candidates in AIMOS project, working with fluid-structure interaction and smart materials.
• Participate in the agentic AI research group Marine Cybernetics at the department
• Teaching assistance for the course “Modelling, simulation, and analysis of dynamic systems”

Be prepared for changes to your work duties after employment.

Required selection criteria

• You must have a relevant Master’s degree in marine technology, engineering cybernetics, mechanical engineering, computer science, 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 program(https://www.ntnu.edu/studies/phiv)
• Very good English skills (both written and spoken)
• Applicants from non-English speaking countries outside Europe must present an official language test report. The acceptable tests are TOEFL, IELTS, and Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English (CAE) or Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE). Minimum scores are:
  • TOEFL: 600 / writing 4.5 (paper-based) or 92 / writing 22 (internet-based)
  • IELTS: 6.5, with no section lower than 5.5 (only Academic IELTS test accepted)
  • CAE/CPE: grade B or A.

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

• Strong background in marine, offshore, or structural engineering disciplines, including structural dynamics, hydrodynamics, or control engineering
• Solid knowledge of control theory, including state-space modelling, model-based control, or reinforcement learning
• Strong programming skills in Python and/or MATLAB, with experience in modelling and simulation of dynamic systems
• Experience with AI and data-driven methods, such as machine learning, reinforcement learning, multi-agent systems, foundation models, or agentic AI applied to engineering problems
• Experience with experimental work or data analysis, including sensor data processing, model validation, or analysis of laboratory or field data
• Demonstrated research ability, e.g. through publications, thesis work, or technical reports
• Relevant industry or applied research experience, particularly in offshore, maritime, or digital twin applications

Personal characteristics

To complete a doctoral degree (PhD), it is important that you are able to: 

• Work independently and in a structured way, as well as collaboratively within an interdisciplinary team
• Communicate effectively and 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 a strong motivation for the subject
• Analyse 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
• Favourable 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 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 in addition to 4 months/year of teaching assistance.

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.

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:

• CV and certificates
• Transcripts and diplomas for Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees
• 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
• Names and contact information of three relevant referees