PhD Candidates in advanced arc and friction stir welding processes for recycled aluminium

Ntnu; Trondheim; Hybrid; NOK 522,000 - 638,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Open and inclusive working environment

Free Norwegian language training

Job summary

NTNU invites applications for a 3-year doctoral research fellowship in advanced arc and friction stir welding of recycled aluminium. The PhD candidate will work within SFI FAST, collaborating with NTNU, SINTEF and industrial partners in the aluminium value chain.

The role focuses on impurities from recycled aluminium affecting weldability, microstructure, and corrosion resistance, with development of new methodologies and weldability tests. Supervision by Prof. Vahid Hosseini.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in Mechanical, Materials or Metallurgical Engineering with a major independent project (min 30 ECTS).
• Strong academic background in fusion and solid-state welding, welding metallurgy, and material characterization.
• Excellent written and oral English language skills.

Responsibilities

• Complete the doctoral education until obtaining a doctorate.
• Take part in the mandatory PhD research education programme.
• Develop arc welding (GTAW and GMAW) and Friction stir welding for alloys with different impurity levels to minimize welding defects and improve performance.
• Develop knowledge on the influence of impurities on welds’ physics, defects, microstructure, and performance.
• Thermodynamic modelling of solidification and precipitation behaviour of recycled aluminium.
• Develop weldability tests to quantify welding performance of aluminium alloys.
• Advanced characterization of welded samples using Laser Confocal Microscopy, In-situ mechanical testing, SEM, FIB, and EBSD.
• Publish high-level research in peer-reviewed journals and international conferences.
• Collaborate with industrial and academic partners and mentor MSc students.

Skills

Experimental welding research

Material characterization

Welding metallurgy

English language skills

Welding process understanding

Education

Master's degree in Mechanical engineering

Tools

Laser Confocal Microscopy

SEM

EBSD

FIB

Job description

The Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering has a vacancy for a

PhD Candidates in advanced arc and friction stir welding processes for recycled aluminium

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.

About the position

The position is a 3-year doctoral research fellowship starting in 2027. The PhD candidate will be embedded in the welding and joining research activities of SFI FAST and will work closely with NTNU, SINTEF, and leading international industrial partners in the aluminium value chain.

The PhD position focuses on understanding the influence of impurities coming from recycled Aluminium on the weldability of different alloys. These impurities can alter the weldability, microstructure, and performance of Aluminium welds compared to the reference alloy. Solidification and liquation cracking, pore formation, heat-affected zone softening, and degradation of corrosion resistance are some examples of possible challenges. However, the knowledge is limited about any of these possible changes. Therefore, the candidate needs to provide a thorough investigation of the welding process using conventional techniques and develop new methodologies. In addition, the welding procedure adoption to enhance the performance of the alloys based on their metallurgical characteristics shall be developed. Therefore, the candidate should have a great understanding of the welding process-microstructure-performance.

Your immediate leader will be the Head of Department. You will be supervised by Professor Vahid Hosseini.

About the project

SFI FAST (Future Aluminium Structures) is a national Centre for Research-based Innovation (SFI).

The primary objective of FAST is to establish the scientific and technological knowledge base required to enable the large-scale use of post-consumer scrap (PCS) aluminium in high-value, structural, and safety-critical products. FAST adopts a through-scale and through-process research methodology, integrating materials science, manufacturing processes, product and structural design, and lifecycle performance.

A key outcome of FAST is the development of the FAST Virtual Lab, a digital framework combining experimental data, physics-based models, and data-driven methods to support design, manufacturing, and decision-making across aluminium value chains.

Education and competence building are central pillars of FAST. The Centre will educate more than 18 PhD and postdoctoral researchers and over 100 MSc students, strengthening Norway’s international position in aluminium research and innovation. The two positions posted here will be among the first ones to start in the Centre.

• Complete the doctoral education until obtaining a doctorate


• Take part in the mandatory PhD research education programme


• Develop arc welding (GTAW and GMAW) and Friction stir welding for alloys with different impurity levels to minimize welding defects and improve mechanical and corrosion performance


• Develop knowledge in the influence of impurities on the weld’s physics, defects, microstructure, and performance


• Thermodynamic modelling of solidification and precipitation behaviour of recycled aluminium


• Development of weldability tests to quantify welding performance of Aluminium Alloys


• Advanced characterization of welded samples using Laser Confocal Microscopy, In-situ mechanical testing, SEM, FIB, and EBSD.


• Conduct and publish high-level research in peer-reviewed journals and international conferences


• Work closely with industrial and academic partners and participate in relevant SFI FAST activities, including mentoring and supervising MSc students

Be prepared for changes to your work duties after employment.

• You must have a relevant Master's degree in Mechanical engineering, Materials Engineering, Metallurgical Engineeringor equivalent. Your degree must include a major independent project (minimum 30 ECTS) equivalent to a master’s thesis


• Master students can apply, but the master's degree must be obtained and documented before starting the position


• 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.


• You must have an academically relevant background within fusion and solid-state welding, welding metallurgy, and material characterization


• Documented strong background in:
  
  
  
  • Experimental welding research
  
  
  • Material characterization and testing
  
  
  
  


• Excellent written presentation skills and oral English language skills


• Knowledge of weld monitoring systems with focus on arc characteristics and thermal cycle analysis


• Knowledge of thermomechanical modelling of welding process

Personal characteristics

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

• Highly motivated


• 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 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


• Keen interest in learning and working in teams

Emphasis will be placed on personal qualities.

We offer

• Exciting and stimulating tasks in a strong international academic environment


• SFI FAST facilities, industrial network, and a joint PhD environment


• An exciting job with an important mission in society


• Developing tasks in a strong and international professional environment


• Open and inclusive working environment with committed colleagues


• Free Norwegian language training at a basic level (A2)

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.

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 3 years.

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 through out 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:

• Transcripts and diplomas for Bachelor's and Master's degrees


• CV


• 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). The motivation letter must be aligned with the subject of this call and why the candidate finds themselves suitable for this position.


• Possibly publications or other relevant research work (the candidate’s contribution to each work must be clarified (performed tasks and percentage of contribution))


• Possibly certificates


• Names and contact information of three relevant referees, their relation to the applicant, and their recommendation letters for your application for this position (Note: the referees will also be directly contacted for shortlisted candidates for the position)


• documentation of the required criteria

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 recruitment process, please contact HR Senior Consultant Hedda Winnberg, e-mail: [e-mail]

If you have any questions about the position, please contact Professor Vahid Hosseini, e-mail: [e-mail]

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

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 Mechanical and Industrial Engineering

We educate graduates who can create new products, operate and maintain products, and manage projects. The Department has a variety of bachelor’s and master’s degree programmes. We conduct wide-ranging research in fields such as technology, energy, product quality and development, and productivity. The Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering is one of eight departments in the Faculty of Engineering.