About the position>

The position is one of the three PhD positions within the Norwegian Research Council project "Autonomous Underwater Fleets", starting in September 2020 at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, and whose focus is on enabling fleets of Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) to operate collectively, cooperatively, adaptively, and in a leaderless fashion, so to enable more efficient & reliable monitoring and utilization of sea resources & infrastructures.

The PhD position will focus on approaching theoretical, algorithmic and practical problems relative to develop adaptive communication schemes for underwater vehicles that can adapt their transmission and reception schemes according to both the current status of the fleet and the current underwater channel conditions.

Duties of the position

• commit adequate time and effort to the project;
• display initiative in identifying and resolving problems relating to the research;
• manage the work efficiently so as not to place unreasonable demands on supervisors;
• be well organised and capable of setting and meeting deadlines for various phases of the research;
• acquire any new skills required as part of the project;v
• maintain frequent and regular contacts with the supervisors;
• seek and accept in good faith advice from supervisors and advisory panels;
• fulfil tasks required by the supervisors as part of the project;
• meet the normal scholarly and professional standards required by the discipline;
• ensure that all written work is of a high standard of expression and organization;
• report the results through both written work (especially scientific papers) and oral presentations (specially seminars to various audiences).

Required selection criteria

The PhD-position's main objective is to qualify for work in research positions. The qualification requirement is completion of a master’s degree or second degree (equivalent to 120 credits) with a grade of B or better in terms of NTNU's grading scale in one of the following fields, Acoustics, Underwater Acoustics, Communication& sensor network, and Signal Processing, or equivalent education.

Persons with knowledge within underwater acoustic communications, networks, and experience with instrumentation are particularly encouraged to apply. Good written and oral English language skills are a non-negotiable prerequisite. Moreover, since the goal of the project is to bring the concept of cooperative robotics into the underwater realm by simultaneously advancing and merging different scientific fields, the PhD student will have to work with other PhD students as a closely cooperating team.

Applicants with no letter grades from previous studies must have an equally good academic foundation. Applicants who are unable to meet these criteria may be considered only if they can document that they are particularly suitable candidates for education leading to a PhD degree.

The appointment is to be made in accordance with the regulations in force concerning State Employees and Civil Servants and national guidelines for appointment as PhD, post doctor and research assistant.

Application deadline: 10^th June 2020

For more information and how to apply, click here.