PhD Candidate in Efficient Edge Intelligence Models

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

Benefits offered by this job

Mentor programme

Public Service Pension (SPK)

Norwegian language training

Career guidance

Open and inclusive workplace

International environment

Career development funds

Job summary

The Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) invites applications for a PhD Candidate position in Trondheim. You will pursue doctoral studies while contributing to cutting-edge research at the intersection of deep learning and computer systems and gain valuable experience for an academic career.

Benefits include mentorship, an international environment, and structured career guidance during the four-year appointment, with a mandatory organized doctoral program and attendance at

Qualifications

• Must meet admission to NTNU Doctoral Programme
• Master's degree in Computer Science with a 30 ECTS project
• Average grade equal to B or better on NTNU scale
• English proficiency IELTS 7 or TOEFL >100

Responsibilities

• Complete the doctoral education until obtaining a doctorate
• Carry out research of good quality within the described framework
• Publish academically and disseminate popular science
• Participate in the research group system software group
• Participate in international conferences or research stays
• Career-promoting work as assigned by the unit or department

Skills

Doctoral admission requirements

Strong academic background

English proficiency

Academic integrity

Education

Master's degree in Computer Science (incl. 30 ECTS project)

Job description

About The Position

The position offers the opportunity to work on cutting‑edge research at the intersection of deep learning and computer systems. The successful candidate will join an international and collaborative research environment and contribute to advancing efficient AI systems.

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.

Your immediate leader will be the head of the Computing Unit.

Duties of the position

• Complete the doctoral education until obtaining a doctorate
• Carry out research of good quality within the framework described above
• Academic publications and popular science dissemination
• Participate in the research group system software group
• Participate in international activities such as conferences and/or research stays at foreign educational institutions
• Career‑promoting work as assigned by the unit or department

Be prepared for changes to your work duties after employment.

Required Selection Criteria

• You must meet the requirements for admission to the faculty's Doctoral Programme, see Section 6-1 of the PhD regulations for more information.
• You must have a relevant Master's degree in Computer Science or equivalent. Your degree must include a major independent project (minimum 30 ECTS) equivalent to a master’s thesis.
• You must have a strong and relevant 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 academic background, you may be considered if you can document that you are exceptionally suited for a PhD education, for example through relevant work experience and/or peer-reviewed academic works.
• Good oral and written presentation skills in English equivalent to IELTS score of 7 or equivalent with TOEFL scores of above 100.

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

Preferred Selection Criteria

• First-author publication in a recognized journal or conference on a relevant topic in machine learning, embedded systems, and edge intelligence
• Hands‑on experience on Nvidia Jetson boards or other edge platforms
• Strong knowledge in deep learning, particularly large language models or multi‑modality models
• Knowledge in deep learning optimization, pruning and quantization
• Strong academic writing skill

Personal characteristics

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

• Work independently
• Work in a structured way, set goals and make plans to achieve them
• 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
• Analyze 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
• 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)

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.

Applicants will be considered regardless of gender, functional ability, cultural background, or whether they have been out of work for a period of time.

Salary and conditions

In the position of PhD Candidate, code 1017, your gross salary will normally be NOK 580 000,- 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 four years, with 25% of the time devoted to career enhancing work assigned by the unit or the department.

For employment as a PhD Candidate, it is a prerequisite that you gain admission to the PhD programme in Computer Science 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.

Application deadline

23.09.2026

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 have any questions about the position, please contact Associate Professor Di Liu, [e-mail].

If you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact [e-mail].

The city of Trondheim

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.

NTNU - knowledge for a better world

The Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) creates knowledge for a better world and solutions that can change everyday life.

Department of Computer Science

We are the leading academic IT environment in Norway, and offer a wide range of theoretical and applied IT programmes of study at all levels. Our subject areas include hardware, algorithms, visual computing, AI, databases, software engineering, information systems, learning technology, HCI, CSCW, IT operations and applied data processing. The Department has groups in both Trondheim and Gjøvik. The Department of Computer Science is one of seven departments in the Faculty of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering.