项目介绍

2024年12月26日

There is a vacancy for a PhD Research Fellow in Acoustics at the Department of Physics and Technology, University of Bergen (UiB). The position is for a fixed-term period of 3 years with the possibility of a 4th year with career-promoting work (e.g., teaching duties at the Department). The desired start date is by September 2025. The position is funded by UiB as part of SFI Smart Ocean, a centre for research-based innovation. The Research Fellow will work under supervision from University of Bergen and Odfjell Technology, Bergen, and will have workplaces with both partners.

About the project/work tasks:

The PhD project has working title Wideband Methods for Complex Acoustic Waveguides. This is a great opportunity to work with ultrasound/acoustics and signal analysis in the scientific forefront, with short distance to industrial applications and close contact with industry partners.

Acoustic methods are used in non-destructive evaluation (NDE) and structural health monitoring (SHM) of mechanical constructions. Guided ultrasonic wave (GUW) modes are used to detect changes like crack formation, dimensional changes, delamination, corrosion, erosion, and deposits.

The PhD project will review the scientific state-of-the-art with respect to GUW for structural health monitoring and relevant acoustic wideband methods. This will form basis for studies of wideband methods for NDE and SHM on mechanical constructions. The work includes combined use of mathematical, numerical, and experimental methods. Industrial applications in the SFI Smart Ocean consortium will be used as cases in the PhD work and will receive focus as technological goals and potential spin-offs.

Qualifications and personal qualities:

We invite you to apply if your qualifications satisfy the requirements below. Please also let your application show clearly what qualifications you have among those listed as advantages.

Requirements:

• Applicants must be in their final year of a master’s programme or must hold a master’s degree or equivalent in physics or equivalent discipline. It is a condition of employment that the master’s degree has been awarded, with results as described in the enrolment requirements for the PhD programme, within 31 August 2025.
• Documented education or work experience within all the following topics is a requirement:
  • Acoustics with focus on ultrasound, with minimum 10 ECTS coursework completed, or equivalent background with relevance to the project,
  • experimental work, including acquisition and processing of acoustic, electromagnetic, or electrical signals,
  • programming.
• Applicants must be able to work independently and in a structured manner and demonstrate good collaborative skills.
• Applicants must be proficient in both written and oral English.

Advantages:

• Documented education or work experience in the following areas count as advantages in the ranking of candidates:
  • Acoustic waves in solid media,
  • acoustic waveguides,
  • numerical modelling in acoustics,
  • programming in Python or MATLAB,
  • acoustic transducers,
  • signal analysis, digital signal processing,
  • measurement science,
  • scientific writing and publication.

Personal and relational qualities will be emphasized. Research experience, ambitions, and potential will also count when evaluating the candidates.

Special requirements for the position 
The University of Bergen is subjected to the regulation for export control, and the legislation applies to the processing of applications for this position. If necessary, UiB will apply for an export license before offering the position to an applicant. If the export license is not granted within a waiting time of 12 weeks, another applicant may receive the offer instead.

About SFI Smart Ocean

About SFI Smart Ocean

SFI Smart Ocean is a centre for research-based innovation, with University of Bergen as host institution and partial funding from The Research Council of Norway. The centre aims to create a wireless observation system for multi-parameter monitoring of the underwater environment and marine installations. The system, based on autonomous smart sensors, will serve as an enabling foundation for realizing flexible, distributed, robust, energy-efficient, cost-effective, and safe marine measurements and handling of “big data”, to solve societal and commercial challenges. Acoustic technologies are central to both sensor development and underwater communication and are therefore included in several of the centre activities.

About the PhD position:

About the PhD Research Fellow position
The fellowship will be for a period of 3 years, with the possibility for a 4th year, consisting of 25 % career-promoting work (e.g. teaching responsibilities at the department) distributed over the employment period. The 4th year is contingent on the qualifications of the candidate and the teaching needs of the department and will be decided by the head of department upon appointment.

The employment period may be reduced if you have previously been employed in a qualifying post (e.g. research fellow, research assistant).

About the research training
As a PhD Research Fellow, you must participate in an approved educational programme for a PhD degree within a period of 3 years. The deadline for applying for admission to the PhD programme at The Faculty of Science and Technology is 2 months after you start your position or after the start of the research project that will lead to the PhD degree. It is a condition that you satisfy the enrolment requirements for the PhD programme at the University of Bergen.

We can offer:

• a good and professionally stimulating working environment 
• salary as PhD research fellow (code 1017) in the state salary scale. This constitutes a gross annual salary of NOK 540 500 (equivalent to pay grade 55). Further increases in salary are made according to length of service in the position.
• enrolment in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund
• good welfare benefits

Your application must include:

• a brief account of the applicant’s research interests and motivation for applying for the position. The account must explicitly address each qualification requirement, listed above under requirements, and explain how the applicant satisfies them. The account shall also address the qualifications listed as advantages with respect to the ranking of applicants.
• The names and contact information for two referees. One of these should be the main advisor for the master’s thesis or equivalent thesis.
• CV
• transcripts and diplomas showing completion of bachelor’s and master’s degrees. If you have not yet completed your master’s degree, please submit a confirmation from the institution stating that the master’s thesis is in progress, with the submission deadline and the expected date of evaluation. Your master’s degree must be documented with transcripts and/or diploma before starting in the position.
• Relevant certificates/references
• approved documentation of proficiency in English (if required, cf. English language requirements for PhD admission)
• a list of any works of a scientific nature (publication list)
• any publications 

The application and appendices with certified translations into English or a Scandinavian language must be uploaded at JobbNorge. 

General information:

For further details about the position, please contact Department of Physics and Technology; Assoc. Prof. Audun Oppedal Pedersen (main supervisor), tel. +47 5558 2785, email: audun.pedersen@uib.no, or Prof. Per Lunde, tel. +47 5558 2786, email: per.lunde@uib.no.

For HR related questions contact Thea Thingnes, thea.thingnes@uib.no.

Diversity is a strength that enables us to solve our tasks even better. UiB therefore needs qualified employees regardless of gender, ethnicity, religion, worldview, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, and age.

We encourage women to apply. If multiple applicants have approximately equivalent qualifications, the rules pertaining to moderate gender quotas shall apply.

The University of Bergen applies the principle of public access to information when recruiting staff for academic positions.

Information about applicants may be made public even if the applicant has asked not to be named on the list of persons who have applied. The applicant must be notified if the request to be omitted is not met.

The successful applicant must comply with the guidelines that apply to the position at all times.

We encourage applicants with disabilities, immigrant backgrounds, or gaps in their CV to apply. By indicating such circumstances in your application, you may receive favourable consideration. We ensure that at least one qualified applicant from each of these groups is invited for an interview as part of our commitment to inclusivity and equal opportunity. For further information about the recruitment process, click here.