PhD Research Fellow in Self-Organising Maritime Autonomy

Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU); Trondheim; On-site; NOK 496,000 - 606,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Mentor programme

Public service pension fund (SPK)

Free Norwegian language training

Open and inclusive work environment

Job summary

NTNU, a leading Norwegian university, invites applications for a PhD research fellow in autonomous maritime robotics. The position focuses on resilient coordination architectures for networks of autonomous maritime robots, combining robotics, AI, and field experiments.

You will join the AUR Lab, collaborate with international partners, and pursue a doctoral degree while contributing to cutting-edge maritime research.

Qualifications

• English language proficiency or mother tongue English and/or Scandinavian proficiency.
• Master's degree with major independent project (≥30 ECTS) before starting.
• Strong academic background with average grade B or better on NTNU scale or equivalent.

Responsibilities

• Complete doctoral education and obtain a doctorate.
• Carry out high-quality research within the described framework.
• Publish academic papers and disseminate results to broader audiences.
• Participate in the AUR-Lab and field campaigns as needed.
• Engage in international activities such as conferences or research stays.
• Adapt duties as needed during the employment period.

Skills

English proficiency

Security clearance eligibility

Collaboration skills

Presentation skills

Education

Master's degree (Marine Cybernetics / Control Engineering / Robotics / Marine operations / Underwater tech / CS)

Job description

About The Position

Join a leading research environment in autonomous maritime systems and contribute to developing the next generation of resilient robotic networks for critical maritime operations. As a PhD candidate, you will work at the intersection of robotics, artificial intelligence, and autonomous systems, with access to unique experimental infrastructure, including autonomous underwater and surface vehicles, advanced simulation environments, and field-testing facilities. You will be part of a collaborative and international research community, working closely with researchers, industry partners, and public stakeholders to address real-world challenges relevant to maritime security, environmental monitoring, and critical societal needs. This position offers excellent opportunities for scientific development, international networking, and a research career in a rapidly growing field.

Are you motivated to take a step towards a doctorate and open up exciting career opportunities? As a PhD research fellow with us, you will work to achieve your doctorate, and at the same time gain valuable experience that qualifies you for a range of leading positions in business, administration, higher education and research.

Your immediate manager will be the supervising professor.

About The Project

The project aims to develop resilient coordination architectures for networks of autonomous maritime robots operating in complex and communication-constrained environments. The research will investigate how heterogeneous fleets of autonomous underwater and surface vehicles can self-organise, negotiate roles, and adapt to changing mission requirements. The developed methods will be validated through simulation and experiments using real robotic platforms. The PhD candidate will be part of the AUR Lab research community, where researchers work closely across disciplines, contribute to each other's projects, and regularly participate in field campaigns using the lab’s autonomous robotic systems. The project contributes to strengthening maritime situational awareness and operational robustness in support of critical societal and security-related applications.

The project includes experimental work using a HUGIN autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) available through the Fjordlab infrastructure, providing a unique opportunity to develop and validate methods on state-of-the-art maritime robotic systems.

Duties of the position

• Complete doctoral education and obtain a doctorate
• Carry out research of good quality within the framework described above
• Academic publications and popular science dissemination
• Participate in the research group AUR-Lab (link)
• Participate in field work when necessary
• Participate in international activities such as conferences and/or research stays at foreign educational institutions

Some changes to your work duties may occur after employment.

Required Selection Criteria

• You must meet the requirements for admission to the IV faculty's Doctoral Programme (link), see Section 6-1 of the PhD regulations for more information.
  • You must have a relevant Master's degree in Marine Cybernetics, Control Engineering/Robotics, Marine operations, Underwater technology, Applied Mathematics, Physics, Risk/Reliability or Computer Science or equivalent education or 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 and no later than 01.11.2026.
• 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.
• Applicants who do not master a Scandinavian language and do not have English as mother tongue, must document a thorough knowledge of English (equivalent to a TOEFL score of 600 or more).
• Parts of the research activities may involve access to seabed data subject to Norwegian security regulations. Candidates should therefore be eligible for security clearance at the level CONFIDENTIAL under Norwegian security legislation.

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

Preferred Selection Criteria

• Relevance of background
• Academic records
• Relevant experience
• Collaboration and communication skills
• Good oral and written presentation skills in Norwegian or another Scandinavian language equivalent level

Personal characteristics

• 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
• Abilit to combine knowledge across disciplines
• Contribute and participate in teamwork

Emphasis will be placed on personal suitability.

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)

As a PhD research fellow 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.

If you think this position is relevant and interesting, we encourage you to apply, regardless of gender, functional ability, and cultural background, or whether you have been out of work for a period of time.

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

In the position of PhD research fellow, 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.

The successful candidate will be granted conditional admission to the relevant doctoral programme when employed in the PhD research fellow position. It is a prerequisite for continued employment that the requirements for full admission are met within three months, and that you continue to participate in the organized doctoral programme for the remainder of the employment period. For more information about the requirements for full admission, please see Section 6 of the PhD regulations.

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.

Equipment restricted by export licenses and ITAR (International Traffic in Arms Regulations) is being used in the research project. Applicants that are citizens of Norway, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, Switzerland, EU or NATO countries are eligible. Other applicants are required to provide evidence of eligibility to use such equipment for their application to be considered/in their application.

About The Application

The application and all required attachments must be sent electronically via Jobbnorge.no before the deadline. The documents must be 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. If you are invited for an interview, you must present certified copies of certificates and diplomas upon request.

The Application Must Include

• Transcripts and diplomas for Bachelor's and Master's degrees, including diploma supplement
• CV filled out in Jobbnorge
• 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)
• Any publications or other relevant research work
• Any relevant certificates
• Names and contact information of three 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 does not offer “diploma supplement”, you must attach information about the grading scale from the education institution.

We further recommend that you enclose a statement about your education abroad from the Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills (HK-dir). Follow the link to their web site for more information about how to obtain such a statement: Apply for recognition of foreign higher education. See also NTNU’s web site for documentation requirements for education obtained outside Norway.

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 Martin Ludvigsen, professor, telephone [phone], [e-mail]. If you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact Maria Hjertner, HR advisor, e-mail: [e-mail]

Application deadline: 14.10.2026

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.

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 Marine Technology

We develop methods and technology related to the blue economy: oil and gas extraction at sea, ship technology and the equipment industry, fisheries and aquaculture. We also have a strong commitment to the development of sustainable solutions for offshore renewable energy, coastal infrastructure, and marine robotics. Marine technology helps to solve major global challenges related to the environment, climate, energy, food and efficient transport. The Department of Marine Technology is one of eight departments in the Faculty of Engineering.