PhD Candidate in Machine Learning & Signal Processing for Industrial Applications

Pierluigi Salvor Rossi; Trondheim; On-site; NOK 496,000 - 606,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

SPK pension

Norwegian language training

Career guidance

Job summary

NTNU in Trondheim invites applications for a PhD Candidate to pursue doctoral studies within the LAIFA project, combining signal processing and machine learning to advance flow assurance in petroleum production. You will work toward a doctorate while gaining experience in higher education and research.

The position is linked to BRU21 and IoT@NTNU collaborations with SINTEF, Equinor, and Total, offering international interaction and research stay opportunities.

Qualifications

• Master's degree or five-year Norwegian curriculum completed before start date.
• Strong academic record with grade level B or better on NTNU scale or equivalent.
• Admission to the faculty's Doctoral Programme in Electronics and Telecommunication.
• Strong mathematical background with research-oriented master thesis.
• Significant programming experience, preferably in Python.
• Excellent English, written and spoken; English tests accepted (TOEFL/IELTS/CAE/CPE).

Responsibilities

• Complete the doctoral education and obtain a PhD.
• Conduct high-quality research within the project scope.
• Publish research results and disseminate knowledge.
• Participate in the Signal Processing research group.
• Engage in international conferences and research stays.
• Provide teaching assistance if applicable.

Skills

Python programming

Strong mathematical background

English proficiency

Research experience

Education

Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Applied Mathematics or five-year Norwegian course

Tools

MATLAB

Job description

This is NTNU

NTNU is a broad-based university with atechnical-scientific profile and a focusin professional education. The university is located in three cities with headquarters in Trondheim.

At NTNU, 9,000 employees and 43,000 students work to create knowledge for a better world.

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

Video: https://youtu.be/Xt-yHCN5QS0

About the position

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.

The successful candidate will be offered a 3-year position (or 4-year with 25% work assignments for the Department). Your immediate leader will be the Head of Department. The workplace will be Trondheim.

About the project

The position is linked to the project LAIFA (Leveraging AI in Flow Assurance), funded by the Research Council of Norway and in collaboration with SINTEF, Equinor, and Total. The main objectives of the project include the development and the integration of signal processing and machine learning methodologies aiming to improve flow assurance via field data for safe and efficient petroleum production. The focus for the position is related to reconstructing the flow over space and time in several operating conditions. Research directions include the exploration of techniques based on physics-informed neural networks and transfer learning.

The PhD candidates will have the opportunity to be affiliated with the program BRU21 , with the IoT@NTNU, and with the Norwegian Open AI lab , and to collaborate with research scientists from international partner institutions.

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 Signal Processing
• Participate in international activities such as conferences and/or research stays at foreign educational institutions
• Teaching assistance (in case of 4-year contract)

Be prepared for changes to your work duties after employment.

Required selection criteria

• You must have a relevant Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Applied Mathematics, or other relevant disciplines. 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 and no later than December 2026.
• 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 Programme in Electronics and Telecommunication.
• Strong mathematical background and research-oriented master thesis in a related field (e.g., signal processing, statistical machine learning, applied mathematics);
• Significant experience with programming (preferably Python).
• Good oral and written presentation skills in English. The following tests can be used as documentation: TOEFL, IELTS, Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English (CAE), or Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE).

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

• Experience in process monitoring
• Publication activity in the aforementioned disciplines
• Good oral and written presentation skills in Norwegian

Personal characteristics

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

• Work independently and in a structured way, set goals and make plans to achieve them
• Work constructively under pressure or in the face of adversity
• Present and discuss your research with other professionals
• Show curiosity and a strong motivation for the subject
• Analyze data, assess different perspectives and draw well-founded conclusions

Emphasis will be placed on personal qualities.

We offer

• Developing tasks in a strong and international professional environment
• Open and inclusive working environment with committed colleagues
• Career guidance and follow-up during the PhD period
• Favorable terms as a member of the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund (SPK)
• Free Norwegian language training at a basic level (A2)

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.

At NTNU we want to increase the proportion of women in scientific positions.

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 month year of career promotion and duty work.

For employment as a PhD Candidate, it is a prerequisite that you gain admission to the PhD programme in Electronics and Telecommunication within three months of your employment contract start date, and that you participate in an organized doctoral programme throughout the period of employment.

The position is conditional on external funding.

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 bein 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 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:

• Short (1-page) application letter describing your motivation, relevant experience, skills and qualifications. At the top, for each BSc/MSc degree, include:
  • Full Name of the University and Location (City, Country)
  • Full Name of the Study Program
  • Grade Point Average and corresponding Full Scale
  • Title of the Thesis
• As an example:
  • Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
  • MSc in Electronic System Design
  • 4.6/5.0
  • Signal Processing for Anomaly Detection
• CV including information about education background and work experience
• 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.
• Brief (2-page) research vision for the position
• Possibly publications and other relevant research work
• Names and contact information of two relevant referees

If all, or parts, of your education has been taken abroad, we also ask you to attach documentation of the scope and quality of your entire education, both Bachelor's and Master's education, in addition to other higher education. If your institution uses “diploma supplement” (normal for most European institutions), you must attach this. A description of the documentation required can also be found here . If you already have a statement from Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills (HK-dir) , please attach this as well.

Joint work will be considered. If it is difficult to identify your contribution to joint work, you must attach a brief description of your participation.

When assessing the best qualified, we emphasize necessary qualifications such as education, experience and personal suitability. Motivation for the position, ambitions, and potential for research will also count when assessing the candidates.

NTNU recognizes a wide range of academic contributions and has committed itself to The San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment and CoARA (responsible assessment of research and recognition of a greater breadth of academic contributions in accordance with NTNU's social mission).

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 Professor Pierluigi Salvo Rossi (email: [e-mail] ). If you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact HR at [e-mail]

Application deadline: 01.10.2026

For practical information about working at NTNU, please visit this webpage.

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.