Organizing and decision-making in drone operations

NTNU - Norwegian University of Science and Technology; Trondheim; On-site; NOK 522,000 - 638,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

International academic environment

Collaboration with industry partners

Possibility of research stays abroad

Good pension and employee benefits

Job summary

NTNU - Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim invites applications for a PhD Candidate position focused on organizing and decision‑making in drone operations. Based in the Department of Industrial Economics and Technology Management, you will explore sociotechnical dynamics and governance of drone use across civilian and military contexts.

The role emphasizes original research, collaborations with partners, and progression through a four‑year PhD program with teaching and

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in a relevant field with strong academic results.
• Competence in social research methods and organizational studies.
• Good Scandinavian oral and writing skills for teaching purposes.

Responsibilities

• Conduct original scientific research related to the project topic.
• Publish results in leading international journals and conferences.
• Collaborate with academic and industry partners.
• Participate in project activities, research meetings and PhD network.
• Complete the required coursework as part of the PhD programme.

Skills

Social research methods

Organizational studies

Scandinavian language skills

Education

Master's degree in a relevant field

Job description

Organizing and decision-making in drone operations

We are looking for a PhD Candidate in

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, 8,6000 employees and 44,000 students work to create knowledge for a better world.

You will find more information about working at NTNU and the application process here.

Background

We invite applications for a PhD Candidate position focused on organizing and decision-making in drone operations. The position is based at the Department of Industrial Economics and Technology Management, located at NTNU’s campus in Trondheim.

The mission of Department of Industrial Economics and Technology Management is to carry out education and research activities at a high international level in the intersection between technology/natural sciences and business economics, management, and HSE to promote sustainable value creation in technology-based areas in industry, business, and public sector organizations in Norway.

About the position

A more resilient society is increasingly dependent on robust critical infrastructure across different sectors. The geopolitical situation in Europe, including experiences from war and hybrid threats, shows that critical infrastructure can be deliberately targeted using low-cost, commercially available technology, especially drones. There is a need for knowledge and solutions on how to prevent damage to critical infrastructure caused by drone attacks. The threat landscape, technological development, and resilience capabilities are changing rapidly. This increases the demand for research-based innovation and rapid adaptation.

This PhD project aims to advance knowledge of how sociotechnical actors shape decision‑making and organizing in drone operations. Although drone technologies are rapidly adopted across civilian and military domains, the understanding of how organizations adapt to and govern these technologies remains limited. As a PhD candidate, you will investigate how automation influences professional roles, situational awareness, and decision‑making. You will also examine how organizational design enables or constrains coordination, self‑organization, and safety practices under uncertainty. Particular attention will be given to the relationships between technological capabilities, professional expectations, and the allocation of tasks, responsibilities, and decision‑making authority. The project brings together organizational theory, sociotechnical perspectives, and human factors research. It will examine how technologies shape and are shaped by institutions and everyday work practices. The research will generate knowledge to inform the organization and governance of drone operations. It will contribute to a broader understanding of how people, organizations, and technologies evolve together in increasingly data‑driven and automated work environments.

The PhD candidate will:

• Design and conduct multi-method research using comparative case studies across civilian and military domains.
• Conduct sociotechnical analyses of how technical, organizational, and human factors enable or constrain decision‑making under uncertainty in drone operations.
• Examine how drone operations are organized and how risk understanding informs decision‑making at strategic, tactical, and operational levels.
• Investigate how emerging technologies influence decision‑making in critical situations and longer‑term assessments related to value chains and infrastructure protection.
• Assess the transferability of organizational practices and decision‑making models between different operational contexts.

Research environment

The position is part of the project ‘Managing drone threats to critical infrastructure’. The primary objective of the research project is to contribute to a more resilient society by developing knowledge and solutions to understand, manage, and respond to drone threats and attacks against critical infrastructure. The research project will develop and integrate technological, organizational and supply‑chain knowledge needed to contribute to robustness and resilience for Norwegian critical infrastructure against rapidly evolving drone threats, thereby strengthening societal resilience, national preparedness and scientific understanding of hybrid risks.

The project consists of four PhD projects:

• Drone detection and interception. Objective: develop solutions for drone detection & interception for protection of critical infrastructure.
• Consequences of drone attacks. Objective: test and simulate detonating drones and their impacts on critical infrastructures.
• Modelling risk and vulnerability in the supply chains for drone detection and interception systems. Objective: develop knowledge on risks and vulnerabilities in value chains for protecting against drone threats to critical infrastructures (this position).
• Organizing and decision‑making in drone operations. Objective: develop organization models and decision‑making frameworks for drone operations.

The four PhD projects are hosted by the Department of Industrial Economics and Technology Management, the Department of Engineering Cybernetics and the Department of Structural Engineering. The research project is thus multidisciplinary. All project members will contribute to added scientific value across the work packages. The project will thus be organized to ensure multidisciplinary research through e.g. joint scenarios to be addressed across the PhD projects, joint publications across the PhD projects and frequent meetings. There are clear input‑output relations between the four PhD projects that will strengthen the multidisciplinary added value.

This PhD candidate will be hosted at the Health, Environment and Safety (HMS) research group at the Department of Industrial Economics and Technology Management. In addition, the PhD candidate will work in close collaboration with the PhD candidates’ supervisors in the research projects.

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.

Your role in the project

• Conduct original scientific research related to the project topic.
• Publish research results in leading international journals and conferences.
• Collaborate with academic and industry partners.
• Participate in project activities, research meetings and PhD network.
• 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:

• Humanities and social sciences.
• Engineering disciplines.

Applicants must document competence in social research methods and organizational studies. The position requires good Scandinavian oral and writing skills for teaching purposes.

The appointment is to be made in accordance with NTNUs guidelines for recruitment positions for general criteria for the position.

Desired qualifications

• Interest in how emerging technologies impacts work practices and organizations.
• Be eligible for a security clearance.
• NATO nationality.

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 center of excellence on AI for decision making.
• Opportunities for research stays at international universities.
• follow-up during the PhD period.
• Working capital that can be used to implement the project.
• 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.
• Free Norwegian language training at a basic level (A2).
• Working at NTNU.

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.

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

PhD candidates are remunerated in code 1017, currently NOK 580.000,- per year before tax. From the salary, 2% is deducted as a contribution to the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund.

The employment period is 4 years, of which 3 years is for the doctoral work and 1 year for career enhancing work, such as, teaching and supervision activities.

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 position is connected to the PhD program at the Faculty of Economics and Management, and the faculty will be your employer. Appointment to a PhD position requires that you are admitted to the PhD programme in Industrial Economics and Technology Management within three months of employment, and that you participate in an organized PhD programme during the employment period.

The appointment is carried out in accordance with the principles of the State Employees Act.

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.

General information

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.

Questions about the position can be directed to Associate Professor Aud Marit Wahl ([e-mail]). If you have any questions regarding the employment process, please contact HR Advisor Hilde Selli Egelie at [e-mail].

Application deadline: 20.11.2026.